Satisfied employees instead of Human Resources
Dear reader,
Last week, we discussed the fact that employees working in tourism and hospitality service-providing companies, organisations, and institutions are often overlooked in discussions and recommendations for a more sustainable, responsible, or regenerative tourism.
Increasing levels of staff shortages around the world have been the consequence of this, especially after the pandemic. Today, we are providing in our Best Practice Example section a positive example from Canada, how treating staff not as “Human Resource” but as persons you know, like, and trust can lead to a successful business growing in a sustainable way.
In Germany, the Hotel Europäischer Hof (European Court) in Heidelberg has taken the concept even further, and maybe even too far, rating the satisfaction of the employees higher than the satisfaction of the guests.
The Meaningful Tourism paradigm is stating that you need to align – not balance – the interests of all stakeholders, so neither “Customer is King” (or Japanese version: Customer is God) nor closing a visitor centre already at 4 pm because the female employees need to drive home to cook dinner (real case experienced in New Zealand, South Island).
As our regular readers know, the MTC Meaningful Tourism Centre is registered in London; however, our headquarters have been in Kathmandu/Nepal, since last year. Until now, we have been working in an office space provided by the GATE Global Academy of Tourism and Hospitality Education. Indeed, GATE was also the venue for the first Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop last year.
However, the MTC is growing with two additional staff members joining the headquarters this week, and at the same time, GATE is increasing the number of enrolled students and is in need of space for educational purposes for themselves. We are therefore moving to a new office in the coming week, with more space, including training facilities. Nevertheless, we will try to publish the Meaningful Tourism Weekly also in the coming week, albeit with somewhat reduced content.
We are grateful to GATE for helping us set up shop in Nepal, which could of course never have been done without our diligent and engaged current staff, Prakriti and Sweta. We will introduce our new staff members in the coming edition. With the new office, new co-workers, and by now a community of almost 50 certified trainers and a growing number of partners, a new step forward for the Meaningful Tourism movement has been taken.
Thank you to all readers for joining the movement for a better world, a better tourism, and a better sustainable and profitable business, creating benefits and satisfaction for all stakeholders involved.
As always, all best wishes from Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt and the whole Meaningful Tourism Weekly team in Kathmandu and in Manila!
A Christmas card and a visit to the market
Not changing the linen in a hotel is an easy way to combine cost reduction and “green” behaviour. Paying fair wages and offering year-round employment and clear career paths is not so high on the agenda of both academic and industry discourse.
The consequences of leaving out this stakeholder, one of the six recognised in the Meaningful Tourism Paradigm, have become visible, especially after the pandemic. Around the world, staff are hard to find, and young people are more reluctant to enter the industry or enrol in tourism and hospitality university courses.
Two Best Practice Examples from British Columbia at the western end of Canada show how a Meaningful Tourism approach can help to be successful by sourcing locally and by keeping staff engaged from receiving objective benefits and subjective satisfaction.
At Bernie's Supper Club & Cinema, they not only believe that good ingredients make great cocktails, but that great local ingredients make all the difference. They call it the Market Cocktail program. Every week, the bar manager heads to the Kelowna Farmers and Crafters Market with a simple mission: find what’s fresh and in season, and turn it into something exceptional. Their guests value thoughtful ingredients and can taste the difference in what is served. By sourcing from independent farmers and growers right in the region. Whether it’s summer berries, fresh herbs, or stone fruit in peak season, Griff, the bar manager, builds each cocktail from the ground up. As a result, they are not only crafting better cocktails, they are also supporting a stronger, more sustainable local food system.
Nixon Hospitality is a restaurant company based in the same corner of the world. Their credo is taking care of their employees through personal recognition. When asked about their hiring strategies, the owners state that because they have so many great, loyal team members, their first move is to ask the employees if they have any friends or classmates who they think would be a good fit. "We figure that great employees have great circles of friends and acquaintances and they wouldn't suggest anyone that they wouldn't want to work with themselves, since that's what they'd end up doing!"
Nixon Hospitality has been able to provide almost all employees with 12-month-a-year jobs by having some of them move between summer (hiking) and winter (skiing) main season destinations. New restaurants are opened by entrusting the management to employees from the existing properties, providing clear career paths for those looking to move up the ladder.
The owners make it a point to not only know every employee by name; they also take the time to sit down every Christmas to write a handwritten card referring to some positive action or proposal the employee contributed to the success of the enterprise, documenting that their engagement is recognized and not forgotten.
Sounds like it's not rocket science. However, as many surveys show, many companies engaged in hospitality and tourism services move more and more towards seeing their employees as “resources” rather than the key element to make customers happy and turning them into regulars and brand ambassadors.
Like in many industries, the split between restaurants offering no-contact services, where food is cooked and served by machines or delivered, and those providing personalized, customized, and individual contact at a physical location, is becoming the norm. Service providers staying in the middle, exploiting unhappy, often only seasonal, staff and standardising services by humans will not survive.
New office – New staff members of the Meaningful Tourism Centre Headquarters in Kathmandu
The MTC Headquarters is growing: We welcome two additional staff members, Manisha Pudasaini as new Program Manager, concentrating on content development, and Rajesh Badi, responsible for IT, Media, and AI. Both will start working for MTC and for our network, partners, and customers from August 1st, 2025.
In the next issue, we will provide more information about them and how you can profit from their expertise.
The new office is located on the first floor of a traditional red-stone building in the north of Kathmandu, built and owned by a former member of the famous Gurkha regiments of the Nepali Army. Readers who happen to pass through Kathmandu are always welcome for a coffee or tea and a talk.
Venue fixed for the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop in connection with the PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok
One day before the PTM PATA Travel Mart 2025, on August 25, 2025, the MTC Meaningful Tourism Centre will host a special Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop, conducted by the inventor of the Meaningful Tourism paradigm, and founder of MTC, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, together with the Meaningful Tourism trainers for Thailand.
If you are based in Thailand or you are a visitor to the PTM 2025, use this unique opportunity to learn how the Meaningful Tourism approach can enable your destination, company or organisation to survive and prosper in challenging times.
The workshop will run from 9:00 h to 16:00 hours in the Victor Club @FYI Center, 2nd floor of FYI Center Building 1 (directly connected to MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, venue of PTM).
For more information and Early Bird Special fees, please see the Events section below.
Meaningful Tourism Expert Skills and Experiences Matrix Updated
The Meaningful Tourism Expert Skills and Experiences Matrix provides information about the wide range of skills and experiences that can be used for the Implementation Support of Meaningful Tourism strategies in various forms.
Please find the updated version of the Matrix with additional information on the MTC website.
Meet the Trainer for the Meaningful Tourism Transformative Game Workshop
Yuliska Labawo, Trainer for Northern Indonesia
Yuliska Labawo brings over a decade of experience in tourism through her work with the Banggai Regency Tourism Department. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Sam Ratulangi University and a Master’s in Tourism from Udayana University, focusing on sustainable tourism strategy, policy, and economics.
Certified in Sustainable Tourism Management and Indonesia’s Destination Leadership Program, Yuliska is an accomplished speaker, mentor, and interpreter. Passionate about community-based tourism and sustainable development, she is recognized for her leadership, communication skills, and commitment to advancing Indonesia’s tourism sector.
The Meaningful Tourism Weekly asked Yuliska: What is the current situation of tourism in Northern Indonesia, and how can the Meaningful Tourism Paradigm help to support its development?
Her answer:
The tourism landscape in Northern Indonesia—including North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, North Maluku, and Central Sulawesi—is characterized by vast natural and cultural wealth. In recent years, particular attention has turned to Central Sulawesi & Banggai region, encompassing Banggai Regency, Banggai Laut, and Banggai Kepulauan. Destinations such as Piala Waterfall, Paisupok Lake, and Oyama Beach have started to attract international interest, positioning Banggai as an emerging tourism destination.
However, this growing popularity also presents significant challenges. Many of these destinations are gaining rapid exposure through social media and travel networks, yet the capacity of local governments and communities to manage tourism sustainably remains limited. The absence of balanced destination management risks leading to environmental degradation, cultural commodification, and social imbalance, particularly when viral tourism is not matched with strategic planning and community involvement.
The Meaningful Tourism paradigm offers a solution by promoting a development model that prioritizes quality over quantity, focusing on long-term value for tourists, residents, businesses, and the environment.
In the context of Banggai and Northern Indonesia, this means creating tourism experiences that are respectful of local culture, support environmental conservation, and generate equitable economic benefits.
Implementing the Meaningful Tourism approach involves capacity building for local stakeholders, promoting community-based tourism, and ensuring that tourism revenues circulate locally. It also requires collaborative governance, where decision-making involves not only government authorities but also local communities, businesses, and conservation entities.
MTC Certified Trainers
With almost 50 Certified Trainers, many countries and regions of the world are already covered. However, MTC continues to look for professionals with experience in training or lecturing and a passion for sustainable tourism.
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Trainer for the Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop for a country not marked in dark green on the map above, please contact us at office@meaningfultourismcentre.org
Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop
Bangkok, August 25, 2025
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) adopted the Vision Statement A Meaningful Pacific-Asia Tourism Economy with a 100% in favour vote during the PAS in Istanbul in April 2025.
One day before the PTM PATA Travel Mart 2025, on August 25, 2025, the MTC Meaningful Tourism Centre will host a special Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop, conducted by the inventor of the Meaningful Tourism paradigm, and founder of MTC, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, together with the Meaningful Tourism trainers for Thailand.
If you are based in Thailand or you are a visitor to the PTM 2025, use this unique opportunity to learn how the Meaningful Tourism approach can enable your destination, company or organisation to survive and prosper in challenging times.
The transformational training workshop provides an interactive approach and introduces action-oriented tools. At the end of the day, you will understand why PATA chose a Meaningful Tourism Economy as the new vision and why you should follow the same path towards a sustainable and profitable future.
The workshop will run from 9:00 to 16:00 hours on August 25, 2025, the day before the PTM 2025 begins.
There are only 30 seats available, so book your seat now and enjoy the Early Bird discount.
Venue: Victor Club @FYI Center, 2nd floor of FYI Center Building 1 (directly connected to MRT Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, venue of PTM).
Participation fee includes training workshop participation, a certificate of participation, a free VIP subscription for one year of the Meaningful Tourism Weekly, coffee/tea, cookies, and a vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch buffet.
• Early Bird participation fee for bookings paid before August 15, 2025:
USD 175 per person
• Full participation fee for bookings after August 15, 2025:
USD 200 per person
VAT included if applicable.
• PATA members (including PATA chapter members) enjoy a 15% discount.
• Two or more seats booked at the same time enjoy an additional 10% discount.
• Payments are non-refundable. However, a change of participant is possible without additional fee until one day before the training workshop.
For further information and to make your booking, please contact office@meaningfultourismcentre.org
Please visit the Meaningful Tourism Centre stand during the PTM 2025 at booth D13.
Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop at World Travel Market, London
World Travel Market (WTM) in London is one of the must-attend annual events for key players in the tourism industry. The Meaningful Tourism Centre will offer a special Meaningful Tourism Transformational Game Workshop on the day before the start of WTM 2025, on November 3, 2025, from 9:00 to 16:00 hours. The workshop will be conducted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, the founder of MTC.
There are only 30 seats available, so if you already know that you will attend WTM 2025, make sure you arrange your schedule to arrive on time for the training workshop on Monday, November 3, 2025.
Book your seat now and enjoy the Early Bird fee.
Venue: Central London, details to be advised. Transport from/to the hotel or Excel London can be arranged on request at a special rate.
• Early Bird participation fee for bookings paid before September 30, 2025: 175 Euros per person
• Full participation fee for bookings starting October 1, 2025: 200 Euros per person
VAT included if applicable.
Two or more seats booked at the same time enjoy an additional 10% discount.
Please note that payments are non-refundable. However, a change of participant is possible without additional fee until one day before the training workshop.
The participation fee includes training workshop participation, a certificate of participation, one year of free access to all content, including the Meaningful Tourism Weekly Library reserved for paid subscription holders, coffee/tea, cookies, and a vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch buffet.
On the evening of November 3, 2025, there will also be a (self-paid) dinner followed by drinks with an opportunity to network with participants and to meet several of the Meaningful Tourism trainers from different countries.
For bookings, please contact office@meaningfultourismcentre.org.
Bookings will be closed once 30 reservations have been reached. Book today and enjoy the Early Bird fee.
About Meaningful Tourism Weekly
Meaningful Tourism Weekly, published every Thursday by Meaningful Tourism Centre (MTC) - London and Kathmandu, recently partnered with Travel Asia Now, led by Rhea Vitto Tabora. This collaboration enhances the newsletter’s professional production and distribution, bringing added value to our readers.
Each issue features the Meaningful Tourism Weekly Editorial, updates on MTC activities, a Best Practice Example, a portrait of an MTC-certified trainer, news about upcoming events, and occasionally additional op-ed pieces from guest authors. Carefully selected news items, including videos and podcasts, are also included, along with links to their original sources in the Meaningful Tourism News section.
Subscription to Meaningful Tourism Weekly is free, with the addition of a paid content section that includes a library of surveys, exclusive articles, conference presentations, and statistical data, offering subscribers invaluable resources.
Sponsorship opportunities are available for those interested in supporting this initiative.
For more information about MTC's trainings, market research, product adaptation, consulting services, conferences, strategy development, and marketing, visit our website or email us at info@meaningfultourismcentre.org.
