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The 2020 pandemic and previous years’ overtourism issues showed us both the benefits, the relevance, and the limits of the tourism, hospitality and leisure industries for society. We cannot foresee the future, but we can listen to challenges and start developing solutions.
So far we have received more than 900 responses in which these questions have been discussed::
In the name of the global tourism family, many thanks to every single one of you for the inspiring feedback. Your replies are summarized in the sections below.
Don't forget to share YOUR insights (for the first time or again, with new observations):
The 10 quotes below are updated every few minutes and elephant word-clouds are recalculated regularly based on your new survey entries. You have to refresh the page or revisit us every so often to see the changed content.
Some ideas I have during this time are using media platforms to engage like groups who are in the same situation. Such as making a blog or page for graduating seniors, college students, unemployed of different age ranges, employers in hospitality etc... This way, we can get a group mind to best figure how to navigate the challenges each unique group is experiencing, while also acting as a social outlet providing much needed human interaction. This would help better everyone as whole, and is similar to what Tourism From Zero is doing right now, except all submissions/discussions would be open to the public. (April, 2020)
Means broden horizons, giving experiences, generating new knowledge. (April, 2020)
Challenges I faced had a lot to do with the closing of borders and travel restrictions. It was not possible to travel to other countries even if it feels like your own. For me there was no border between Bavaria and Austria and it didn't feel any different being in Germany. Suddenly there was a border and it was not possible to go hiking anymore where you always went. Also going to your own flat in Italy was not possible anymore. It felt like somebody locked you out of your own apartment. (September, 2020)
That mass tourism and destruction of tourism destinations and local communities will occur again. (April, 2020)
Exploring the world without cars. (April, 2020)
My joy at work in the tourism industry. (June, 2020)
Open borders for travel. Accurate and up-to-date information on new epicenters of infections. (August, 2020)
I am from a small town in Virginia/Tennessee and one of my favorite restaurants has impressed the community throughout this pandemic. They are an upscale restaurant offering foods from sushi and stir fry to burgers and tacos. Tuesday nights are half price sushi nights- the community's favorite. While the dining area has been closed, they are still offering their deals on their respective nights. By offering their special on delivery and to-go orders, they received as much business as a normal day. To my benefit, once they were overwhelmed with the number of orders in the afternoon, they honored the deal prices the next day to those they couldn't accommodate on Tuesday. They even offered their Tuesday deal on Sundays, as they saw the huge success of it. They have even began to sell gallons of beer and margaritas, pints and quarts of their soups, etc. Things that they don't normally do. The greatest help to the community has been the restaurants ability to buy things such as toilet paper, paper towels, sugar, flour, etc. in bulk and sell at a breakeven price to customers. These are things that are sold out in grocery stores and are in high demand. They are able to take advantage of their suppliers and help get the community what they need, even without the desire to make a profit off of it. I know that there are many customers and community members that are impressed with the way the restaurant is handling this crisis and are thankful for their efforts! (March, 2020)
It´s sad that there are so many cheaters who just want to get all the money which is spend by the state to help the little enterprises to survive the crisis, so that those who really need the money, don´t have any chance to work against their problems ... (June, 2020)
We need an organization that will promote international travel. I think people will have a fear of traveling for a long time. (August, 2020)