MADE DESTINATIONS

The idea of starting my own business came during the pandemic while I was studying Destination Development. I was so inspired when studying about experience economy, how to use "personas" in product development and what characterizes different nationalities when they choose to travel to a particular destination. All of this new information in addition to the experience I already had accumulated from before, turned into the following idea; I would like to help businesses change their mindset so they can attract the customer (tourist) they would like to attract rather than adapting themselves to the customer (tourist) that shows up at the destination.

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LIVING ABROAD

My years abroad have shaped me into the person I am today and this has formed into a person who is maybe no longer the stereotypical Southern Norwegian.

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ITALY

In Italy I was captivated by the Italian culture, which was not as A4 as in Norway. I remember the day I watched on TV that a politician in the Italian parliament just threw all his documents in the air, it was then I knew I was in the right place. It was also in Italy that I discovered the concept of Destination Management, and I knew then that this was going to be my future. ​

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BUSINESS AND THE DUTCH WORKING CULTURE

In the Netherlands I worked closely with the Dutch who in turn taught me business management. Business management the Dutch way is, in other words; how to work efficiently (no time to beat around the bush) and structured so that you be as efficient as possible. They were also very good at negotiations, which I also found very exciting.

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ONE PROBLEM, MANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

When I lived in Italy I only spent time with Italians, but when I lived in the Netherlands I got to know people from all over the world. It was very inspiring to see how different nationalities look at things which made me discover new ways of thinking. ​

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CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING, WHO IS VISITING?

When you get to know a nationality, you get to know their culture in a completely different way. I would like to help businesses get to know the nationality of their customers. Cultural understanding is vital to understand ones customers. First one has to understand if an Italian or Chinese tourist would like to visit, then the needs of that particular Italian or Chinese would come to mind. Are they interested in art and culture, or do they want peace and quiet in nature, or perhaps a mixture? Do they want to taste the local food at the destination?

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An example from my own experience is that I have tailored trips in Norway for an Indian customer who preferred to only eat Indian food for lunch and dinner during a ten-day stay in Norway. It was a big challenge to find Indian restaurants in all the places the customer wanted to travel to, and so I created a trip based on where Indian food could be offered. In the destinations the customer still insisted on visiting where there was no Indian restaurant, such as in Kirkenes in the North of Norway, I asked the hotels if they could prepare Indian food for dinner instead of what they had on the menu. The customer returned, and there was a repeat purchase. This example also shows how flexible the suppliers I used were, and I used them again and again.​

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If a destination is visited by tourists from several different countries, it can lead to increased cultural understanding among the local inhabitants, which in turn can lead to a lesser degree of stereotypes, and in the long run, it can also prevent war between nations.

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MY VISION: YEAR-ROUND TOURISM AND THE "RIGHT" TYPE OF TOURIST (QUALITY VERSUS QUANTITY)

A destination should have a wide selection of products that are adapted to several target groups at the same time so that it can be competitive throughout the year. Having said that, I believe that by focusing a little more on the tourist who are willing to spend more money (high-end tourism) you also think about sustainability because it has greater economic ripple effects and is less of a burden on the environment. ​

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE (HOLISTIC EXPERIENCE)

When I traveled for work in Norway and in the Netherlands, and tried the various experiences, I always came to the conclusion that I emphasized good food and good standards above anything else. If one of those criteria were missing then it did not matter how good the other components of the experience were, because my overall experience was ruined. An example could be a company that offers wonderful experiences, but then they are forgotten in an instant if, for example, there are not enough toilets or if the heater does not work in my room. The overall experience should always be in the back of your mind as it is far more important that one would think.

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