TAO Guides: Hate To Protect

Every year, more and more tourists visit the world. There were 25 million travellers in 1950 compared to 1.5 billion in 2023 according to the World Tourism Organisation. That is 60 times more than 70 years ago. This growing influx will have terrible consequences for hundreds of places still preserved from any human presence: ecosystems will be disrupted, species threatened, natural sanctuaries destroyed. For all these reasons, Guides Tao, the first travel guides committed to sustainable tourism, decided to act by launching the "Hate To Protect" operation.
Agency: TBWAParis

The objective is simple: to protect fragile natural sites from tourism by making them undesirable. When choosing a destination, most travellers rely on Internet reviews. To discourage tourists from visiting these places, we have trolled their online reputation by posting negative reviews on the most popular review sites. We have selected natural areas that are likely to be exposed in the coming months to a large influx of tourists, which could cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and endemic species. We also ensured that the targeted locations were free of economic activity and that our operation would not penalise any trade or employment. Far from simply discouraging travellers, the operation also serves to redirect them to sustainable destinations and addresses that respect the Guides Tao’s charter. In this way, travellers are advised on destinations that are suitable for them. To further expand the campaign, the HateToProtect.com platform was set up to create a community of haters. Users can leave a negative review or suggest sensitive places that need protection. They can also discover and sign the charter of the committed traveller proposed by the Guides Tao.