Tourism as a lever for reconnecting with the territory

We believe that tourism is one of the tools to be mobilized to reconnect human beings with the territory and its inhabitants. Indeed, it allows you to open your eyes by setting foot elsewhere, to open up to others through encounters, to learn and to be informed. Let's start by defining the socio-ecological transition and then let's continue with six levers that tourism organizations have at their disposal to promote reconnection.

The socio-ecological transition in a nutshell

In the coming decades, our societies will experience profound transformations due to global warming. Some of these transformations will be chosen, in order to limit global warming, and others will be undergone (extreme climate events, pandemics, population displacements, etc.). That is why a long-term vision must be adopted today.

Socio-ecological transition refers to a societal transformation that leads from a model that prioritizes economic growth, to a model that has a sustainable long-term environmental impact and takes into account social issues of equity and justice.

On this subject, to paraphrase Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the important thing is not so much to predict the future, but rather to strive to make it possible. The Transition Paths Project, led by the University of Montreal and Space for Life, aims to mobilize knowledge from several disciplines and to collectively identify paths that have the potential to engage society in its transition. Through the territorial component of the project, a vision of the desirable future by 2040 is emerging:

The need to reconnect

We believe that this theme of reconnection is particularly promising for the tourism industry, which has a real potential to contribute. Transition paths defines this connection as follows:

“Let the majority of people feel connected to its living environment in its social, cultural, landscape and environmental components. Let solidarity and collaboration be at the heart of our societies with social ties strengthened at various levels.”

Why is it needed? To quote Transitional Pathways, city residents “like to spend time in nature, but their lifestyles are substantially disconnected from natural ecosystems.” This is because we live in comfortable homes, work indoors for the most part, and only indirectly depend on nature for our livelihood. Moreover, on the social level, the current climate is one of sharpening divisions rather than solidarity. So how can tourism help turn the tide?

Six levers that tourism has at its disposal to promote reconnection

The desire to reconnect to one's living environment, which can be defined from ultra-local to international, and the desire to cultivate a sense of belonging are not only wishes for the future. This is a trend that is already being observed through different products and ways of consuming recreational tourism experiences. We present six levers that organizations have, along with examples.

1- Promote local and seasonal products

Today's visitors are looking for authenticity and uniqueness, which is met by local products, especially handicrafts as well as fresh and processed foods. In addition, seasonal products in the food supply contribute to reconnecting people with the harvest cycle rather than expecting constant diversity based on imports. More and more restaurant owners are interested in it. Project La Ruche, at the gateway to Gaspésie, also combines agriculture, shops, country food and ecological values.

2- Offer entertaining educational excursions

Several types of tourist experiences integrate the educational dimension very well and allow us to develop our understanding of a variety of subjects while being accessible and fun. Agrotourism is particularly well suited to this, because it allows us to discover the territory by offering us food according to the seasons while creating links, in particular between urban residents and the agricultural world. That's what theVal-Notre-Dame Abbey with its agro-forestry activities and workshops as well as Traktour, a young company that offers excursions to meet farmers.

3- Present exhibitions and offer interpretation tools

Interpretation tools can strengthen ties with the territory as well as with the communities visited, and cultivate relationships between cultures and solidarity. They say you like what you know.

Museum exhibitions allow you to learn about issues, communities or territories without necessarily traveling there. Inspiring examples include exhibitions such as Indigenous Voices of Today presented at the McCord Museum in Montreal. The development of the Espaces Bleus network, a project of the Quebec government, is precisely aimed at promoting our cultural heritage and contributing to local identity.

Podcasts, on the other hand, can reach a large audience whether they are on site or not. This example of Balado-discovery about Saint-Boniface in Manitoba, offers a guided tour of the local Francophone and Métis communities, allowing you to appreciate the heritage of the place.

The various panels and interpretive trails are an excellent way to get visitors to discover the behind the scenes that they like to admire while they are there, whether they are in an urban or natural environment, with a historical, cultural or environmental theme. In this regard, the Devil's Mountain Regional Park that I visited this summer impressed me by the quality and diversity of the information shared about his career.

4- Encourage meetings

Strengthening social ties sometimes requires breaking down prejudices. Tourism can exacerbate them or contribute to deconstructing them by promoting authentic encounters where open-mindedness reigns.

This can take different forms, from classic guided tours to immersive activities such as discovering a profession (here is an example of a package ofsea trip with a fisherman in Îles-de-la-Madeleine). Some forms of accommodation such as bed and breakfasts or homestays also constitute opportunities, as do third places and hybrid places, by meeting the needs of both communities and visitors.

Go further! Check out our article about third places!

5- Organize events and celebrations

Events, which can be small or large, are another way to celebrate the passing of the seasons, harvest time (for example Grape Harvest Festival of Magog-Orford), local traditions or any other particularity of the territory, in order to reinforce the feeling of belonging. They can also promote closer ties between cultures that coexist in a territory, such as French-speaking festivals in provinces with an English-speaking majority (small selection here) or Aboriginal cultural events such as The powwows.

6- Promote reconnection in your communication campaigns

Communication campaigns can contribute to making this connection desirable and sought after by visitors. The File on slow travel (slow tourism) by Bonjour Québec in Beside magazine is an example. Indeed, this form of tourism invites travelers to take their time and discover the territory through its heritage, culture, know-how and local products in particular.

On the video side, we can think of the new movie Resonances from Vaolo. The countryside Connections found by Tourisme Charlevoix also uses this vein by featuring various actors from the community who talk about their relationship to the unique Charlevoix region and invite visitors to experience it.

This is a project that makes sense for the whole industry.

To conclude, cultivating our sense of belonging to the territory seems to us to be a real project that carries meaning for the entire tourism industry here! In addition to contributing to building a better future, this mission is in line with multiple important trends, such as the popularity of local tourism, slow tourism, agrotourism and nature tourism as well as the valorization of culture and the renewed interest in heritage, to name a few.

In addition, anchoring your actions in terms of sustainable development on a more global vision means building on a more solid base.

There are probably as many ways to create relationships as there are organizations. What will be yours?