How to Create a Great Team Culture in Your Tourism Business
Table of Contents
3. Encourage Collaboration and Open Communication
4. Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development
5.Celebrate Successes, Both Big and Small
6. Foster a Sense of Belonging
9. Create a Supportive Environment During High-Stress Periods
Running a successful tourism business isn’t just about offering memorable experiences to your guests.
It’s also about creating a work environment where your team can thrive.
A strong team culture can directly contribute to the success and growth of your business, ensuring better service, happier employees, and more satisfied guests.
I have created a quick guide on how to create a great team culture in your tourism business, with examples from the industry I thought might help you along.
But before I get started, remember creating a great culture is not set and forget. As business owners life gets hectic and we don't always get it right. I am speaking from experience. However, try and build a team of people you know you can rely on to work on the team culture with you and keep things happening.
Lead by Example
Your leadership style sets the tone for the entire team.
To create a positive and cohesive culture, demonstrate the qualities you want to see in your staff. Show enthusiasm, stay flexible, and approach challenges with a solution-focused mindset. By doing so, you foster a culture of collaboration and dedication.
Also when you don't get it right and you are not a great example, own it. Be authentic and your team will go on the journey with you.
A real life example:
At Aquaduck in busy periods like Christmas and Easter the Admin manager and I would always jump in to help on the front desk, checking in customers and making bookings.
Often we would be a front line team member to support the supervisor or team lead.
Staff always responded well, felt valued and more motivated to provide excellent service to our guests.
Communicate a Clear Vision
Your team needs to understand the bigger picture of your business.
What is your business’s purpose?
What values drive your operation?
When everyone knows the mission, they can align their daily tasks with the broader goals of the company.
Communicate your vision through your actions but also as you talk to your team members.
Communicating Vision at Your Organization
Tourism Example:
An eco-tour operator who prioritises sustainability communicates his vision to the team.
This ensures that guides, marketing staff, and even back-office personnel understand every action. Like using eco-friendly materials or engaging in responsible wildlife tourism supports the company’s eco-conscious brand.
Encourage Collaboration and Open Communication
Promoting open communication and collaboration is key to building a strong team culture.
Employees need to feel comfortable sharing ideas, offering feedback, and discussing challenges.
Implement regular team meetings or use collaboration tools to keep everyone aligned and engaged. Platforms of communication like whats app, slack and the google suite are great options to start with.
A tour company example:
In a tour company, guides often have unique insights into guest preferences and experiences.
By holding monthly brainstorming sessions where they can share these observations with the marketing and operations team, the company can continuously improve its offerings based on direct customer feedback.
Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development
A team culture that supports growth not only retains employees but also enhances their performance.
Offer training, workshops, and the chance for team members to take on new challenges and responsibilities. If you're not sure what to offer your team just ask them what skills would help them improve?
Accommodation Example:
A luxury safari lodge invests in training its staff. Whether it’s offering language classes for staff to assist international guests or advanced hospitality training, this demonstrates a commitment to professional development.
Employees will appreciate the opportunity to grow within the company, which in turn strengthens loyalty and service quality.
Celebrate Successes, Both Big and Small
Recognising and celebrating achievements fosters a positive work environment.
Whether it’s a team win or individual accomplishments, take the time to show appreciation for your employees’ hard work.
This can be done in a group chat or a more formal environment. The key is consistency.
Tourism Example:
A destination management company might celebrate a successful travel season with an all-team event or acknowledge a staff member who received exceptional guest reviews with a personalised thank-you note or public recognition.
These gestures build morale and motivate the team.
Foster a Sense of Belonging
People work best when they feel they are part of something meaningful.
By fostering a culture where each team member feels connected and valued, you create a sense of belonging. Emphasise inclusivity, teamwork, and respect across all levels of the organisation.
8 Tips to Foster a Sense of Belonging
Tourism Example:
A family-run adventure tour company might extend its family-focused approach to staff, creating a welcoming environment where everyone is treated like part of the family. This results in a warm, hospitable atmosphere that guests notice and appreciate.
Empower Your Team
Empowering your employees to make decisions fosters trust and responsibility.
Give them the autonomy to handle guest interactions and take ownership of their roles.
When you do this you need to ensure they know that they are not going to get into any trouble, you have either back without criticism and judgement.
5 Leadership Tips for business owners
Tourism Example:
At a resort, empowering frontline staff to resolve guest issues; whether it’s offering a complimentary meal or providing an upgrade for a special occasion. This helps create an agile and responsive customer service culture. It also enables employees to feel a greater sense of control and contribution.
Embrace Diversity
In tourism, your team likely comes from diverse backgrounds, bringing unique perspectives that enrich the guest experience.
Encourage this diversity by promoting inclusivity, celebrating different cultures, and using diversity as a strength in your marketing and service approach.
Again, if you are not sure how to handle this ask your team for some assistance on how to be more inclusive and celebrate diversity.
Tourism Example:
A cultural tour company in a multicultural city might celebrate the different cultural backgrounds of its team by integrating their personal stories and traditions into the guest experience. This not only strengthens team bonds but also offers guests an authentic, diverse experience.
Create a Supportive Environment During High-Stress Periods
Tourism can be a high-pressure industry, especially during peak seasons.
Building a supportive environment, where team members can rely on each other during these periods, helps reduce burnout and increases job satisfaction.
If you know there are going to be issues, pre plan to address those. Look at what happened last year and highlight the weaknesses so it doesn't keep happening. This will help ensure the team feels supported and prepared for the busy periods.
Tourism Example:
A ski resort may implement wellness activities for staff during the busy winter season, such as yoga classes or group outings, to help the team decompress and stay connected. When employees feel supported during stressful times, they are more likely to remain motivated and committed.
For insights into developing a successful approach, check out this article on How I Developed an Innovative Tourism Business Growth Strategy.
Conclusion
Building a great team culture within your tourism business takes time and intentionality, but the results are well worth it.
By fostering an environment of open communication, collaboration, empowerment, and respect, you’ll create a team that not only works well together but also provides the exceptional service that keeps guests returning. As your team thrives, so too will your business.
By implementing these practices, you’ll be well on your way to building a high-performing, happy, and engaged team that can support your tourism business for the long haul.
As I mentioned at the beginning, this is not just a one day action, it’s continual and important to set aside time each week to work on creating a positive team culture in your business.
Ready to transform your team culture? Start today by dedicating time to these practices! If you need tailored support or additional resources to enhance your team environment, contact us now. Together, we can build a thriving workplace that empowers your team and elevates your tourism business to new heights!
