The importance of storytelling in sustainability

Maasai women in Masai Mara, Kenya

It never fails to astound us that so many travel editors only want writers to talk about ‘place’. As if they are all devoid of people. Every writer knows that there are only so many words to describe a beach or a bella vista. But there are plenty of words for people, thankfully, and a plethora of stories to tell. At GLP we recognise the importance of storytelling in tourism content, not only because people are a place’s lifeblood but also because these are the tales that so many travelers treasure. Fundamentally, the places we promote in the travel industry are also people’s homes. When they share their stories, it’s like they’re opening a door and welcoming us in. So we like to always keep people in the picture. 

Here are our main reasons why we believe storytelling and sustainability are an important content combo: 

Jargon sometimes jars

In the world of sustainability, academics, destination management organizations and NGOs can often argue ad nauseam over terminology. Agreed that each has its nuances but sometimes the debate dominates the good stories that are happening out there on the ground. From our standpoint, when you put people who are practising tourism on the ground into stories, then jargon can jog on. Because the stories of people who live there, and the changemaking projects they make happen, are never boring. 

In our film Thai Wisdom and Wellness, Supan Inthachai, founder of Baan Rai Kong homestay community in Thailand’s Chiang Mai region, hits the nail on the head talking about local and organic food: “We use food as medicine. When your heart is full you’re not stressed.”

Look through the hosts’ eyes

The time of rich western travelers telling less well off countries or regions what they should be offering tourists is fast going out with the tide of dictatorial tourism. We need to shake up the language a little, and stop using name tags such as ‘destinations’ and ‘locals’. They are places and they are people and by listening and sharing fascinating stories, we are steering away from any sense of ‘them and us’ or, at worst, neocolonialism. That’s why, at GLP, we also encourage people to tell their stories in their own language if they are more comfortable with that. Then we subtitle when necessary. Showcasing the voices of local people is what sustainable storytelling content is all about. 

In our film “Joseph Ole Koyie”, part of the ‘120 Seconds to Change the World’ series, Joseph tells us why he changed from being a Maasai warrior to Maasai wildlife guide in Kenya’s Masai Mara. You can read all the academic articles you want about Mara conservation and sustainable tourism, but when you hear Joseph say: “I think every guide has a responsibility - to be an ambassador, to conservation and to the community,” it all starts to make sense. And, in terms of ROI, this content also makes you want to walk with him in his beloved lands.

Directing away from the traditional tourist trail

Outside of the pandemic and global lockdown, overtourism was becoming a serious issue for many places. Storytelling by people within smaller communities contributes to a sustainable redistribution of travelers while also providing good content of course. In many countries, destination management organizations can sometimes be prone to promoting the same regions over and over. It takes time and energy to seek out new products and yet, in our experience, there are always communities, off the traditional tourist trail, who are more than keen to greet guests. But their voices aren’t being heard. 

At GLP we specialize in seeking out secret stories, revealing other routes into a place. One such example was captured in our film on the Salkantay Inca Trail, one of the lesser-known routes to Machu Picchu in Peru. This is a fine example of a person who is the expert voice of a destination, telling a story only he can tell. 

Dalmiro Portillo, trekking guide at Mountain Lodges of Peru from our film on the Salkantay Inca Trail: “The first time I saw Salkantay closely, it had a great impact on me...I feel like part of the mountain, the environment...Being there you don’t need words, the feeling is overwhelming...You can smell it, feel it, see it, but to describe it in its magnitude is difficult. I want the enjoyment to be collective, to share the emotion with the travelers.”

Empowering women in tourism 

Gender equality is one of the main UN Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030, which aims to "achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls." By creating content that tells women’s stories in tourism, and there are a lot of those given women make up the majority of the world’s tourism workforce, you are taking a good step in achieving this. Women are also natural storytellers, but sometimes they just don’t realize it.  

“I never planned to own a restaurant,” says Selia, who now owns the popular Cusco restaurant, Seladonia’s Mesa. “I worked as a cook in many high-end restaurants. When I was pregnant with my son Matias, I had a very big belly and I was told at work by the owners of the restaurant, ‘Selia, we appreciate your work, but we cannot keep you anymore. The risk of an accident is too high.’ When I opened my restaurant I was very pregnant. My restaurant is my pride and source of happiness for me. I want to expand and open more of them….give opportunities to others, especially to single mothers.”

Storytelling is collaborative - and with collaboration comes change

Storytelling in content marketing is inherently collaborative and, as engaging with all stakeholders is recognized as an important way to embrace sustainability, the two should go hand in hand. Finding the right stories to tell, however, takes time and experience. We seek out the best guides to chat to, the homestay hosts from heaven or the committed conservationists. It’s like the opposite of selfie tourism. It’s not about us, it’s about them. And as we pride ourselves in seeking out the true beacons of sustainability in a region, and celebrating the work they do, they are more than happy to collaborate.

Sustainable tourism is soulful

According to leading tourism research company, Skift, Millennial and Gen Z travelers are seeking more than a quick Insta-hit from travel. They are going to be more ‘destination-decisive,’ taking time to research and not just follow influencers like sheep. They are starting to demand more immersive, authentic experiences, delve into cultural heritage, and seek out travel that is more ‘soulful and introspective.’ That’s where storytelling comes in - and it’s what we have always believed in, not just following a trend. But we’re definitely happy to see that many more travelers are going to be jumping on the soul train.

Educating travelers about pachamama (mother earth) along the Salkantay Trek in Peru.

Tourism Strong 

Resilience and recovery are going to be a feature of tourism for a long time, as we all adjust slowly to a return to travel after the pandemic. Sustainability is all about survival for generations to come and it is not surprising, therefore, that tourism organizations who have always understood this, have shown such impressive resilience. We believe that by sharing these stories of resilience in your content marketing, you are showing the world some of the incredible people who work in destinations. That was what we discovered when we celebrated these survivors in our #TourismStrong series of films. 

For example, Maria José Andrade and Jorge Pérez, co-owners of Tierra del Volcán in the highlands of Ecuador. When you watch them horse riding or cycling through the cloud forest and hear them say: “I can guarantee you that we will survive. We have to look at our community and environment and find ways to promote healthy, emotional ways to sustain each other,” these words hit home. When you hear them say that, “Sustainability is our soul,” you sit up and listen. These are the people whose voices we value at GLP.

Horseback riding with Tierra del Volcán in Ecuador. Photo by ©Tierra del Volcán