About

Summary 

Domestic tourism is the largest segment of global tourism and accounts for about 71% of global tourism expenditure. People travel domestically and regionally for all sorts of reasons, whether leisure, visiting family and friends (VFR), or for business, and enjoy all types of tourism including adventure, nature, culture and wellness. As a large, easy to access market, domestic and regional tourists offer SMEs in developing countries good opportunities to diversify from riskier long-haul markets, and support growth as their business recovers from the pandemic.

Acorn Tourism was commissioned by the CBI to undertake thorough research to help SMEs in developing countries to understand and target this valuable market. 

Our Approach 

Acorn Tourism’s study aimed to help the reader understand the domestic and regional markets, and realise its potential as a market in addition to the harder to reach long-haul markets of North America, Europe and Australasia. The research uncovered many joint initiatives and partnerships to boost domestic tourism that could provide best case examples, many of which were successful deployed during the pandemic.

Adapting to the new normal is key for tour operators and targeting easy to reach markets offers particular opportunities. Practical advice to reach the market and ideas to adapt or create new tours was provided, and suitable sales channels identified. Advice on how to identify emerging trends and developments as the domestic and regional markets was also discussed. 

Acorn Tourism has authored a wide range of detailed business guides aimed at SMEs in developing countries. They are commissioned by the CBI, the Netherlands Enterprise Centre, one of Acorn Tourism’s long-term clients.

Outcome 

Acorn Tourism produced an insightful business guide to help local tour operators all over the world reach domestic and regional markets, supporting them to understand the potential and diversify risk from the harder to reach long-haul markets.