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.
OTHER / SPOTTED
Thank you so much for putting this together it is truly amazing and I hope it makes a difference. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
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
Travelling takes you out of your comfort zone. It makes you see the world differently, not just out of your own little box. It makes you grow as a person. You are never the same after you have experienced the soul of another place and it's locals. And I think that is the magic of travel. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
After COVID-19, we will face challenges in rebuilding trust within our markets that it will be safe to travel again. There might also come other travel trends that do not pay our region the attention. Companies will be economically weaker and might not be able to develop their service and competence, and we might loose the momentum we had where companies were eager to work with sustainability. Many companies might drop prices and stop caring about which clients they get, as long as they get clients. This can be challenging for the general quality level of tourism business in our region. Higher unemployment can lead to emigration from our region, with the result that it will be challenging for the local places to attract new people and for companies to find the right competence. There might be less willingness to contribute to development and marketing of tourism from the public government's side, as they might loose faith in tourism. (May, 2020)
Tourism or convention office, event organizer
Norway
CONCERNS
I didn't really had any concerns until now, as I didn't suffer any financial losses from the crisis and also hadn't any private impacts. I was just asking myself questions like how long will the crisis last? What will be the future impacts on the economy and our private life? (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
IDEAS
Using VR Technology: Now that people are home for a while, it might be worth considering using VR technology to showcase your accommodation services. In tourism we are faced with a very large number of intangible activities and thus the clients buy a cat in a sack. VR technology could somewhat reduce this intangibility. In addition, people are now in the pre-purchase phase of daydreaming about a new trip. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
I CAN OFFER
My love and support; I would love to donate money to help and do more but I can barely support myself right now. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
I NEED
It would be nice to hear more ideas and support from professors at my institution as well as other institutions that are leaders in hospitality/tourism and/or business in how to react in these times (i.e. Cornell, HBS, Michigan State, etc.). (April, 2020)
Student
United States
SOLUTIONS
Protect the resource at all costs. If communities and the attraction (I'm thinking here wildlife) isn't benefiting then it's time to re-consider new options. (April, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Canada
EXPLOITATION
Global airlines and hotels holding back payments or only providing credits to customers, yet laying people off, and seeking bailouts. (April, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Canada
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)
