Slow Travel

Part 3 – The Local Economy

 

“Live simply so that others may simply live.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

One night here, two nights there, leaving early to get things done quicker – ingredients for a cocktail of strain on areas that rely on tourism to support their livelihoods. 

 

We’ve covered how Slow Travel benefits travellers. Now, it’s time to focus on local economies. 

 

Tourism towns are usually stunning. This is more often than not because they’re remote, buffering them from the destruction more populated places wreak on the natural world. Running a business in such a location doesn’t come without its challenges, though. Access to products and materials is difficult, keeping expenses high. Also, a low population to choose a workforce from makes staffing quite the ordeal. These are some of the hurdles local businesses face each season. 

 

Aside from a small minority who get two peak seasons, most tourism-based towns have one chance each year to earn a living. It’s an exciting time, but it can also be incredibly stressful. Unlike most industries where long-term employment is vital for consistent and efficient company performance, the tourism industry has to cram everything into a few months, if that. Operators need to be prepared to hit the ground running ahead of this short window. Be it adventure tours, restaurants, cultural activities, accommodations, shops or transportation, these preparations begin before the low season has even come to an end. 

Adventure Activities

 

During peak season, adventure companies pump out tours like tennis ball machines. Imagine the toll that takes on their gear. Whilst prioritising the trips themselves operators also need to focus on the maintenance and cleaning of their equipment. This is no small task, but prioritising health, safety and comfort can’t simply be done with one end of the season mop up. This is an ongoing process, ensuring daily that everything is shiny and ready to go in time to welcome clients before each trip.  

 

A much more manageable flow can be maintained when travellers aren’t in a rush. Having to squeeze a couple more bodies onto a trip today because the weather wasn’t perfect yesterday, and they have to leave tomorrow, only fans the flames of an already raging fire. Conversely, staying in town for a little longer, getting to know the area and finding other things to do while remaining flexible around busy trips and changing weather allows operators some breathing room when dealing with the demands of copious marathon-style travellers racing through each day. Besides, hanging around a bit longer leaves scope to try more than one activity. Sounds like a win for everyone, doesn’t it?

 

Accommodations

 

How often do you wash your sheets and towels at home? Most would answer once per week. Some once per fortnight. Imagine having to do it every day or two. There’s a lot of cost and effort that goes into short-stay swaps. Flying into Glacier Country, spending a night or two, and then shooting off again as fast as you came places a massive amount of pressure on accommodations, who have but a few hours to flip rooms over and get them set up again for the next guests. Consider the cost of materials, electricity and staff hours needed to keep up with this game of musical beds. It can’t be easy, but somehow they manage. If only the turnover was more spaced out, stress and overhead costs would surely decrease. 

Restaurants

Have you ever been to a potluck? They’re a popular event in this part of the world. A group of people meet at an agreed-upon location, excited not only to try the different food friends have prepared but to share theirs as well. It’s a perfect example of give and take that finds people heading home full-bellied and smiling, having tried and shared a variety of tasty offerings. Now, imagine you’ve been invited to a potluck this coming weekend. You’ve spent the entire week devising your plan, finding ingredients and whipping up a dish you cannot wait to share with everyone. In fact, you were so excited you did a test run just to be sure, and it was delicious!

 

Glowing with eagerness, you keep an attentive eye on your new prize recipe while chatting away with your mates. Everyone seems busy, eating as fast as possible as if being timed on some cheesy game show. As the evening comes to an end, your contribution has barely been touched, its contents towering over the surrounding platters like a windmill in a field of tulips. Covering the remnants of your hard work and creativity before sliding it into the fridge, you head to bed with a heavy heart. You know it wasn’t because of the taste. No, it was because everyone was so busy and wanted to eat quickly and move on that they didn’t have a chance to get to the savoury concoction you were so proud of. If they’d only taken their time and tasted it, they would have enjoyed something new, and you’d be feeling satisfied having been the one to share it with them. 

 

There are many wonderful places to eat in Glacier Country. Trying them all would clearly be tricky, but a longer stay definitely leaves the door open to try a few, at least. 

 

 

Staff

This is arguably the biggest piece of the puzzle when operating in a tourism area. Relying on seasonal workers with enough experience, the right attitude, and the desire to live remotely makes putting together the right team a daunting annual task. Hiring and training staff can begin three to four months before the season even begins – sometimes earlier! 

 

After being interviewed and welcomed aboard, new staff need help finding accommodation. Guides, drivers, reservation attendants, cooks, servers, shop attendants and more come to Glacier Country looking for a place to stay while they partake in the peak season carnage. The Coast does have a history of temporary locals settling in to work for a time. However, unlike the gold mining days of the 1800s, simply knocking up some basic huts for people to sleep in is no longer permitted. Instead, with the help of their new employers, the newly-arrived need to secure legitimate accommodation for the summer, which is in very short supply. 

 

Training and inductions await once the newbies are settled in with a place to lay their heads. From acquiring a uniform and learning about local flora and fauna to understanding weather patterns and being prepared for potential health and safety events, it takes a considerable effort on both sides to have the team ready in time for the first rush of visitors. 

 

It’s a tall enough order for each new employee, but imagine being the operator facilitating all of this. Now, imagine doing that every year, along with safety audits, equipment maintenance, concession updates, taking inventory, and securing a small number of solid staff to keep you ticking over during the quiet months. 

 

The point here is that a lot of work goes into preparing a workforce able to meet the demands of a busy high season. By the time their first day rolls around, a newcomer to a tourist town is already a professional and, within a couple of weeks, an expert. Spending enough time to experience all that businesses and their employees have to offer is a great way to not only experience top-notch service but also show appreciation for the effort they’ve all put in to be able to provide that service. 

 

Haymaking Season

Originally synonymous with farming, ‘haymaking season’ is often used to describe peak season in the world of tourism as well. It’s a chaotic, fast-paced time of year when meals are an afterthought and sleep a luxury. The one chance each year to earn enough to stay in business and feed the family. 

 

Of course, it isn’t all doom and gloom by any means. Operators choose a tourism lifestyle because of the variety. The rush of the high season, followed by the low season’s cosiness, is an ebbing and flowing of excitement you need to experience to understand. 

 

Along with this unique pace of life, it’s also about the surroundings. Living in a beautiful area, especially one such as South Westland, locals are able to share their little slice of paradise with people from around the world, seeing the place they love so much through fresh eyes day after day. It’s an incredible life for those who can handle the jandal. There certainly is a lot of work involved, but an equal amount of reward as well, if not more.  

 

Where you come in

As a tourist, you are far more than just another nameless face. If you don’t come to the area, book activities, stay in accommodations, eat at restaurants and buy things from the shops, operators in these towns won’t be able to stay in business. Not only would that be sad for them and their families, but it would also be unfortunate for other tourists, who would miss out on what these businesses have to offer. Essentially, visitors like you keep things running. Turning up and relying on local services and expertise brings money into the community that allows it to thrive for future visitors to have experiences of their own, thus bringing in more cash to the area, and so on. It’s a beautiful dance of paying it forward, where operators and tourists take turns waltzing to the harmony of a successful travel destination. 

 

Briefly dropping into a tourist town is terrific when it involves a courier driver. Unfortunately, it’s the exact opposite when it comes to travelling. The goal of any business is to earn a profit, right? More coming in than going out is necessary to continue operating and meet basic living needs. Well, short stays increase costs to businesses trying to maintain competitive prices. So, the next time you plan a trip – to Glacier Country, for example – keep in mind that the longer you stick around, the better it is for the economy of each hidden treasure you choose to visit. Besides, it’s better for you as well, remember?   

 

Tune in for part 4 of this Slow Travel series, coming soon.

 

Until then, take it slow.

 

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Mike Bilodeau is a content writer for eco and sustainable tourism operators. He’s an advocate for Slow Travel and is slowly making his way around Europe with his furry companion, Koru.