RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
DON’T FORGET TO PACK RESPECT
PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES
Anywhere you visit is someone’s home. Never forgetting that and behaving appropriately are the very least a guest can do. Port Aransas, Texas, welcomes guests with important advice to be more respectful on your next trip, wherever it may be.
What's
changing
With so many reports of wildly inappropriate behavior by tourists being shared on the internet, tourism and travelers are getting bad reputations. The problem is worse In destinations where residential homes are adjacent to vacation rentals. Rowdy guests create tension within the community, diminish residents' quality of life, negatively affect other visitors' experiences, and sometimes strain emergency services. As a result, more destinations are experimenting with ways to educate travelers on how to behave respectfully when visiting.
What's already
possible
In Port Aransas the “Respect Our Island Home” campaign, starring an animated turtle named Flynn, is teaching visitors how to be more considerate guests to both the community and the environment. High visitation in recent years has brought increased litter, traffic, parking problems, reports of verbal abuse to hospitality staff and other disruptions to residents’ quality of life. These incidents caused locals to begin to question the value of tourism. Recent polling found that more than 65% of residents were eager to attract visitors who care about the environment and share respect for the local lifestyle.
Seizing
the opportunity
Online and offline content, starring Flynn, addresses parking, trash, beach cruising, kindness toward hospitality employees, etiquette around music volume, and how to leave no trace and protect the coastal environment that sustains migrating birds. Since 2023, campaign messaging has appeared throughout the destination on signs at the beach, window stickers, tote bags, posters and more. Online content includes the destination’s own posts and advertising. Videos play a key role in encouraging better behavior. The city’s police chief is featured (often with humor) in many of the animated videos about golf cart and vehicle safety.
Standout
tactic
Locals and visitors can join beach cleanups to understand the effects of littering on the environment and to alleviate the problem.
How
it helps
The campaign is having an effect. A poll reported that 82% of residents and 66% of non-residents saw the messaging. Many visitors remembered the campaign as positive, which is an indicator that people are recognizing the importance of being a good guest.
Diving
deeper
In many educational campaigns, it is challenging to measure if visitors’ behaviors are evolving to meet residents’ values and environmental goals. In what ways can a destination assess the environmental impacts visitors have and confirm if an education program is effective?
Increasing
impact
Influencing visitors’ behaviors is a common challenge for many destinations, and shifting culture related to travel in a destination is a long-term effort. Collaborative campaigns with neighboring locations could help messages travel further and achieve better outcomes for everyone.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
