What I Know: Authenticity Sells

As I continue this new-found journey of writing about "What I Know," I find myself inspired by my recent trip to a magical place—Portugal. Yes, I know... I may be talking about this beautiful country a little too much, but honestly, I can't help myself. The experience was incredible, and I keep coming back to it because it reminds me of what tourism should strive to be—not just in Portugal, but here in Canada, in Alberta, and really, anywhere.

Yes, I know Portugal is older than Canada. Yes, I know it's older than Rome. Yes, I know it has an ocean and incredible weather. But none of those are the real reason it left such an impression on me.

The reason comes down to one word: authenticity.

Visiting the home of the Pastel de Nata - Pastéis de Belém - created in 18th century

Portugal knows exactly who it is. It doesn't try to be somewhere else or pretend to be something it's not. It embraces its history, its architecture, its food, its wine, its music, its culture, its people, and its landscapes. It proudly tells its own story.

That's the lesson.

Don't fake who you are. Embrace it and build from it.

Duoro River and Winery Tour (DailyTours Portugal) - visiting Quinta d’Azinheira Winery - owner standing in back left, our musical tour guide sitting front left

The same can be said about us as individuals. Sometimes we spend so much time trying to become someone else that we forget who we already are. Tourism is no different. If every destination tried to be the same, we'd all become forgettable.

When I planned my trip, I wanted a little bit of everything. I wanted somewhere authentic. Somewhere the ocean met the land. Somewhere with viewpoints that made you stop and think. Somewhere I could walk instead of constantly driving. Somewhere that took pride in its architecture, food, drinks, history, culture, music, and people.

Portugal delivered on every one of those things.

With one of the owners at Restaurante O Trigueirinho on Food Walking Tour - Oh! My Cod Tours

To be fair, I believe every destination can do exactly that if it stays true to who it is.

Once you've found that authenticity, then what?

That's where tourism really begins.

Now it's about finding the people who can tell that story. The people who create the experiences, operate the attractions, welcome visitors, and make them feel exactly what I felt in Portugal.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying Alberta, Canada, or other destinations aren't already doing this. I know we are. I've seen some incredible operators across this country.

What I am saying is that every community should keep asking itself the same question:

What makes us uniquely us?

We don't need to invent something we're not. We need to harness what already exists. Build experiences around what makes our region special. Share our stories. Celebrate our people.

Sometimes I think destinations spend too much time chasing the next shiny object.

Maybe the object isn't new at all.

Maybe it just needs a little polishing.

Once you've polished it, don't stop there. Work with the businesses around you. Build a collection of authentic experiences. Create itineraries instead of individual stops. Encourage visitors to stay another night because there's one more thing they have to experience.

Tourism isn't about competing against your neighbours.

It's about succeeding together.

We're stronger together. We're louder together. And we're much better at telling the story of our region, our culture, and our heritage when we tell it together.

Before you go too far, though, one of the most important questions you need to ask is:

Is your business export ready?

In other words, are you truly ready to welcome and sell your experience to international visitors? Is your product marketable, professionally packaged, operationally ready, and something tour operators and travel advisors can confidently sell?

This is where industry experts make a real difference. They can evaluate your experience, identify the gaps, and help you understand what's needed to meet industry expectations. Becoming export ready is about much more than having a great idea and putting it up for sale. International tour operators, wholesalers, receptive operators, and travel advisors look for businesses that meet standards for safety, reliability, booking systems, pricing, marketing, customer service, and operational consistency.

Becoming export ready is an investment in your business. Having an experienced tourism professional guide you through the process can position your business for long-term success in both domestic and international markets.

Once your business is export ready, the next question becomes just as important:

How do visitors find you?

It doesn't matter how incredible your experience is if no one knows it exists. How do you convince someone from another province—or another country—to spend $100, $1,000, or even $5,000 on your tour, attraction, restaurant, or unique accommodation? Better yet, how do you encourage them to stay another day and spend even more in your region?

Planning my trip to Portugal answered that question for me.

There were countless ways to book experiences. Expedia. Airbnb. Tour booking platforms. Local operators selling directly. It was exciting, but it was also overwhelming. I spent a lot of time researching before finally booking three experiences ahead of my trip.

Every one of those operators communicated well before I arrived, delivered exactly what they promised, and a few even followed up afterward to thank me for choosing them.

That's good tourism.

It reminded me that creating an amazing experience is only half the job.

The other half is making sure people can actually find it.

Being visible is just as important as building a great product. Work with your local Destination Marketing Organization, whether that's Explore Edmonton, Tourism Red Deer, Tourism Calgary, or your regional destination organization. These organizations exist to help promote local experiences, connect operators with visitors, and create opportunities through marketing campaigns, visitor guides, attraction passes, and travel trade partnerships.

Provincial organizations like Travel Alberta also play an important role, showcasing experiences through consumer marketing, travel itineraries, and online directories that reach visitors from across Canada and around the world.

Then there are the online travel marketplaces—Expedia, Airbnb Experiences, Viator, GetYourGuide, Booking.com, and many others. Yes, they charge commissions or booking fees, but they also put your experience in front of travellers who may never have found you otherwise.

Don't overlook local partnerships either. Hotels, conference organizers, attractions, other experience operators, and regional tourism associations can all become valuable referral partners.

What I Know, at the end of the day, your goal isn't just to create an experience.

It's to make sure the right people can discover it, book it, enjoy it, and leave wanting to tell others about it.

Because that's what great tourism really is.

It's authenticity, shared with the world.

Clube de Fado - the authentic music of Portugal

What I Know: Building Reasons to Visit

The Visitor Economy