Planet Happiness has partnered the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED) to strengthen excellence in destination management and the necessity of the sector to deliver destination well-being.
Under the partnership, Planet Happiness and CED will work together to promote mutual understanding of each other’s work among their networks and partners. They will engage on a range of topics related to excellence in destination planning, host community well-being and the imperative of the sector to respect and preserve living culture and cultural heritage.
By promoting destination well-being, the partnership aims to deliver solutions for host communities, governments, businesses and tourists.
François Bédard, director of CED, said: “Destination resilience depends on the industry’s ability to promote inclusivity, improve the quality of life of host communities and directly engage local residents in the tourism recovery effort.”
Amid this time of tourism collapse, with job and income losses punctuated by evolving realities in the wake of the pandemic, the partnership recognises the heightened importance of measuring host well-being in tourism destinations, said the companies in a joint press release.
As destinations move towards Covid-19 recovery, among many priorities, attention will inevitably be drawn to profound changes in host well-being and new normal pathways to rebuilding the quality of life, it added.
“Destinations at the forefront of the Covid-19 recovery curve need to be seen to be making clear, inclusive and informed decisions,” said Paul Rogers, co-founder and director of Planet Happiness, a project of the Happiness Alliance, an NPO specialising in happiness and well-being measurements.
He added: “Destinations need to promote their sites, ensure attractions and excursions are safe and responsible, and foster healthy and welcoming communities. This implies listening to the needs and concerns of industry employees and businesses, as well as the voices of the wider destination community. The Planet Happiness approach enables and facilitates dialogues that deliver win-wins and the strengthening of destination well-being.”
The Happiness Index survey, promoted by Planet Happiness, measures individual and destination well-being. Currently available in 24 languages, it includes indicators for health, standard of living, satisfaction with life, community engagement, as well as access to nature, the arts and life-long learning and other important contributors to well-being.
