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::
How should we IMAGINE tourism now that we have an opportunity to reset the way we do business?
Which CHANGES would you like to see? If any?
What are your CHALLENGES and CONCERNS?
What are your IDEAS and SOLUTIONS to make it through the pandemic AND into a sustainable and innovative future of tourism?
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.
IDEAS
I don't see any problems with the pre-corona tourism-industry, that this initiative could effectively address (exploitation, overtourism, etc.). Generally speaking, maybe concentrate more on regional government and companies to initiate changes. Make tourism more locally attractive to avoid long distance travel. Maybe also put policies (emission tax for flights / subsidize local sustainable businesses) in place to achieve ecologically sustainable tourism (camping is making a huge comeback, while flight destinations struggle). (June, 2020)
Student
Germany
Explore #TourismFromZero perspectives
Different perspectives on the selected topic: ALL
Tourism business representative
Bosnia Herzegovina
Tourist
Singapore
Tourism business representative
Slovakia
#From Instagram
TOURISM MEANS
What I love about travelling is the feeling I get every time, when I’m off to a new trip, and excitement about discovering new destinations, learning about different cultures, meeting new people and escaping from reality and turning off our everyday lifestyle. (May, 2020)
Student
Serbia
CHALLENGES
I have lost my job at a hotel in March at the beginning of the crisis. Now during summer I am going to work at a surfing school and I am not sure if there are going to be enough guests and how it is possible to work there with the students respecting the hygiene concepts. But it was also hard to study during the crisis because we did not have any course at university but only online. It was hard for me to stay focused at these times and not seeing my friends and colleges to get physical support. Furthermore, it was difficult for me that our freedom got limited and we could not move like we usually do. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
CONCERNS
My concern is that after COVID-19 pandemic accessibility to culture and heritage will be limited with negative consequences especially for more vulnerable visitors, including people with disabilities. Too often these visitors are already excluded from their right “freely to participate in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts” (Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Italy
IDEAS
Gov'ts will be facing budget deficits in coming years and tourism programs may be impacted. Right now tour operators are emerging across the circumpolar world. They are often competing against larger, more established operators from the outside. I think it's important to look at eligibility requirements for gov't funding, and that regional funding be directed towards Arctic-based operators, as they are the smallest and most vulnerable. This is not the case in all circumpolar jurisdictions. We should use scarce public resources to support local tourism industries. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Canada
I CAN OFFER
Insights & experience on Asian countries (May, 2020)
Tourist
Singapore
I NEED
Another problem I see in this time is, that students are overwhelmed with work from home, which mainly consists of googling topics on the internet and describe them as i think does not fully take advantage of knowledge and ideas of students at all. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
Summer houses, glamping and cabins nearby are booming. I think that's a good solution for now. (May, 2020)
Student
Denmark
EXPLOITATION
There have been cases I heard of where companies would apply for financial support from the government, even though they where not entitled to get it and had no real need for it. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
Whilst this is major setback for tourism as we know it and many businesses will suffer as a result, I at least hope this will present an opportunity for the industry to change for the better. A more sustainable approach to tourism is needed, perhaps this will kick start it. (May, 2020)
