AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012 Quality and Sustainability Keys for the future of Rural Tourism Klaus Ehrlich General Secretary EuroGites

AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012

Quality and Sustainability

Keys for the future of Rural Tourism

Klaus EhrlichGeneral Secretary

EuroGites


What is “EuroGites”?

European Federation of representative provider

organisations in Rural Tourism in geographical Europe

100.000 organised services / 400.000+ total estimate

3,6 – 4 million guest beds

15% of accommodation capacity of Europe


38 organisations from 28 countries: AustriaBelarusBelgium (3)Bosnia-HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatia (2)CyprusCzech RepublicFrance EstoniaGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIsraelItaly (2)LatviaLithuaniaLuxemburgNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaSerbia (2)SloveniaSlovakiaSpain (2)Switzerland (2)United Kingdom


Kielce 2003:

“The vision”


Rural Tourism 2012

• 100.000+ associated accommodation units in Europe 27

• Level of association 20-25% total offer between 400-500.000 units

• 20% “Agro”-tourism (working farms)

• < 20% rooms “B&B style”, > 80% self-catering

• 15% of accommodation capacity in Europe

• Diversification of target markets

• Trend product based on rural assets


Client-based

Expectation

+ Satisfaction

= Quality

Segments Profile

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4 Segment 5 Segment 6

Rel

ativ

e Im

po

rtan

ce A

vera

ge

Equipment

Surroundings

Leisure

Ambience

Booking


Trends 2012+• “LOHAS” customers: already more than 40%

• Domestic market prevails (> 85-90%), but high growth potential for international demand

• Changes of consumer behaviour: core services, price sensitive

• Individual packaging with high quality guarantee versus “All-Inclusive”

• Virtual Trust – Social Media substitute mouth-to-ear

• Internet shifts the power from travel trade to the client

• Mobile Internet + GPS

• Experience Economy: “tell a story”


The important factorsSatisfaction Deception


Satisfaction• Personal treat• Equipment level• Ambience / style• Clean • Meals / food• Surroundings• Decoration• Price-quality• Activities offered

Deception• Personal treat • False information• Equipment• Bad management• Clean• Meals / food• Too little information• Activities badly managed• Ambience• Price-quality


Criteria in Accommodation Services

-20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Personal treatEquipment

Ambience / styleCleanliness

Meals Situation - surrounding

DecorationPrice-Quality relationPrevious information

Activities Wrong or false information

Management

SATISFACTION DECEPTION


Factors for success

Positive• Holiday product• Recognized destination• Clear-cut image and brand• Proactive promotion • Extra-regional markets• Good Price-Quality relation• Segmentation / spezialisation • Effective commercial channels

Negative• (only) Weekend or short-break• Only generic “rural” image• Atomized individual promotion• Lack of reliable standards• Unflexible pricing• Isolated services without bounding to territory• Individual sales

Evaluation of EuroGites cuatrimestral surveys 2009-2012



The future of Rural Tourism?


Relevant for Rural Tourism “ “The client buys dreams, not just a room”The client buys dreams, not just a room”

• Value orientation = price-quality-relation

• The experience or activity comes first, place on the globe is second

• Many niche products: specialize on strong assets

• Internet is the most important source of information, evaluation and contribution from other travellers is important

• Visibility is essential - and easy for niche products through SEO

• Authenticity of the holiday (!) experience

Competition is world-wideCompetition is world-wide


Strategies• Satisfaction and visibility depend on the whole DESTINATION --

individual services are invisible from distance• Clear image based on real (!) USP • Reliable Quality – less is more

• Holistic approach: Accommodation is a complement, NOT (usually) the product

• Be sustainable … and COMMUNICATE it!

• Anticipate mainstream aspects (demographic and value changes, … )

• “Hear the grass grow” – know your client before he knows you

• Innovation in ICT and special segments• Improve qualification -> training


Vision for 2020: be AMBITIOUS

• Occupy the mind of customers: we stand for “green”, “healthy”, and “feel good”

• >20% of EU vacational overnights

• >30% international visitors

• Visibility through clear transnational brand

• Consumer-based quality and product development

• E-community driven, tailor-made holiday experiences

• Maintaining lively rural communities


Virtual trust – deliver what we promise

• Reflect CLIENT needs• Transparent and reliable• Umbrella system• Consumer feedback• Continuous adaptation and

improvement


Believe in ourselves

“We live where others only can make a holiday”

“The tourism image of our country is based on the heritage that we

preserve.”


Thank you

for your attention

Documents

AGROTRAVEL CONFERENCE Kielce, 20th-April-2012 Quality and Sustainability Keys for the future of Rural Tourism Klaus Ehrlich General Secretary EuroGites