(Originally published in TOURISM)
Authenticity. The word itself is used more and more in tourism circles, as operators and destinations alike grapple with what it means – for them as well as for consumers.
Authenticity could be expressed as the imperative to reflect local identity. Tourism managers in places like Canmore, Alberta (where tourism generates massive economic activity in what used to be a mining town) are deeply aware of this imperative; the need to preserve the "sense of place" matters a lot to people like executive director of Tourism Canmore John Samms:
“Would I describe Canmore’s product as authentic? The feeling of what you see in the downtown core comes out of our background. The coal mines closed in 1979 and the town was virtually at a stand still. Then, the downtown core evolved, picked up and started growing again, evolving as a community downtown core as opposed to a resort downtown core. So in that sense, I would use the term authentic. Canmore conveys to the visitor a sense of a real community, not something propped up, developed or designed to please the visitor.”
Given the current period of rapid change and growth in Canmore, Samms believes the challenge now is preserving that unspoiled character. While on the one hand he must continually promote the need to keep things authentic, he is also instrumental in orchestrating change.
"That is the paradox of tourism,” Samms points out. "The solution lies in engaging the community while remaining committed to a marketing approach aimed at attracting people who share the core values of the community," he says. “Bringing in that key component of our sustainability is essential in developing a sustainable tourism industry, because if we fail to attract visitors who share the values of our community, it won’t bode well for our industry. If we are really committed to reaching into markets we have identified as compatible with us, then it is possible for us to bring that way of thinking to the people who are the developers.”
That approach is consistent with what the City of Saint John, NB, is doing. Lori Jensen is with Tourism Saint John: “We always thought we offered a unique experience here, this being the oldest incorporated city in Canada. We attribute a lot of our authentic character to the heritage sites and historic buildings in the area; for us, authenticity delivers a unique experience of your particular town and what it has to offer.”
But there is more. Jensen views the city’s built heritage as only one aspect of authenticity, which must be complemented by local hospitality. “We are proud of our history – and that shines through – but it is really the people you encounter, not just the infrastructure and services, that makes the difference," says Jensen. "We have just conducted interviews with three different business owners in the Saint John area who we felt delivered a unique and authentic experience. One is an antiques and art collector, another is a vendor at our Old City Market, and the third is a restaurateur who immigrated here some years back from Germany and who offers a new type of ethnic cuisine which is really starting to come around in Saint John. We have tried to capture these aspects in travel media stories, newsletters and that sort of thing, to put the word out that those offerings are available.”
There may be a lot more value to that approach than mere marketing considerations, as Jill Vandall, a partner with The Tourism Company in Toronto, will attest: “Authenticity is critical for a number of reasons. It differentiates destinations and cities. Authenticity – or the delivery of authenticity – needs to be well thought out because it cannot be so staged that you don’t allow for the natural things which happen during the day. Part of it is people wanting to discover authenticity on their own; they don’t want to think they are being sold authenticity. Getting people going out onto the land is a critical part of authenticity, (using) folks who have lived a certain part of the story or history, telling the tale from their perspective. This is a great way is to use active seniors as a resource in downtown cores."
Authenticity. The word itself is used more and more in tourism circles, as operators and destinations alike grapple with what it means – for them as well as for consumers.
Authenticity could be expressed as the imperative to reflect local identity. Tourism managers in places like Canmore, Alberta (where tourism generates massive economic activity in what used to be a mining town) are deeply aware of this imperative; the need to preserve the "sense of place" matters a lot to people like executive director of Tourism Canmore John Samms:
“Would I describe Canmore’s product as authentic? The feeling of what you see in the downtown core comes out of our background. The coal mines closed in 1979 and the town was virtually at a stand still. Then, the downtown core evolved, picked up and started growing again, evolving as a community downtown core as opposed to a resort downtown core. So in that sense, I would use the term authentic. Canmore conveys to the visitor a sense of a real community, not something propped up, developed or designed to please the visitor.”
Given the current period of rapid change and growth in Canmore, Samms believes the challenge now is preserving that unspoiled character. While on the one hand he must continually promote the need to keep things authentic, he is also instrumental in orchestrating change.
"That is the paradox of tourism,” Samms points out. "The solution lies in engaging the community while remaining committed to a marketing approach aimed at attracting people who share the core values of the community," he says. “Bringing in that key component of our sustainability is essential in developing a sustainable tourism industry, because if we fail to attract visitors who share the values of our community, it won’t bode well for our industry. If we are really committed to reaching into markets we have identified as compatible with us, then it is possible for us to bring that way of thinking to the people who are the developers.”
That approach is consistent with what the City of Saint John, NB, is doing. Lori Jensen is with Tourism Saint John: “We always thought we offered a unique experience here, this being the oldest incorporated city in Canada. We attribute a lot of our authentic character to the heritage sites and historic buildings in the area; for us, authenticity delivers a unique experience of your particular town and what it has to offer.”
But there is more. Jensen views the city’s built heritage as only one aspect of authenticity, which must be complemented by local hospitality. “We are proud of our history – and that shines through – but it is really the people you encounter, not just the infrastructure and services, that makes the difference," says Jensen. "We have just conducted interviews with three different business owners in the Saint John area who we felt delivered a unique and authentic experience. One is an antiques and art collector, another is a vendor at our Old City Market, and the third is a restaurateur who immigrated here some years back from Germany and who offers a new type of ethnic cuisine which is really starting to come around in Saint John. We have tried to capture these aspects in travel media stories, newsletters and that sort of thing, to put the word out that those offerings are available.”
There may be a lot more value to that approach than mere marketing considerations, as Jill Vandall, a partner with The Tourism Company in Toronto, will attest: “Authenticity is critical for a number of reasons. It differentiates destinations and cities. Authenticity – or the delivery of authenticity – needs to be well thought out because it cannot be so staged that you don’t allow for the natural things which happen during the day. Part of it is people wanting to discover authenticity on their own; they don’t want to think they are being sold authenticity. Getting people going out onto the land is a critical part of authenticity, (using) folks who have lived a certain part of the story or history, telling the tale from their perspective. This is a great way is to use active seniors as a resource in downtown cores."
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