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.
I CAN OFFER
A vaaast information on local stories, a good network of local and regional stakeholders (Maribor, Slovenia) and a bit of crazy innovativeness that comes with our formats. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Slovenia
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
When I decided to enrol into Faculty for Tourism Studies, I did not think a lot about tourism in general, just the facts that I like to travel and work with people were enough. After a few years, I got a job as a tour representative on different destination and a guide as well. What I loved about it the most is that locals, after some time, start treating you as one of their own and not as a simple tourist, which is something that a lot of people are trying to achieve while traveling. (May, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
I love my home country Austria and all the peculiarities, but I also miss going abroad and have some time to relax far away from the everyday stress. But the biggest challenge is to stay calm and sit in the home office and there is nothing you can do against the virus. But all after all that's only complaining on a high comfort level. I should be happy that all of my family members are healthy and nobody lost the job or anything like that. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
CONCERNS
Hotel and hospitality businesses do not have the cash flow to continue before the pandemic is over. I expect many to go out of business. This is terrible for existing stakeholders and may potentially be opportunity for newcomers. (April, 2020)
Student
Japan
IDEAS
Because staying at home all day and scrolling through old photos of your travels increases your desire to travel even more, I came up with an idea to virtually travel to the destination you have always wanted to go! On one website we would combine the countries, cities, attractions, etc. who have the technology to present themselves in a virtual way so they can show their product or experience to the wider public. Attractions could also market their products and offer the customer to buy a voucher for future visits to help with the financial crisis they are facing. The slogan would be something like this: Don't stop traveling, travel in a different (virtual) way! With this idea we also aim to encourage as many tourism business owners as possible to put their businesses in a virtual form to ensure that they can be seen even during these hard times. It gives them a chance right now to target more people and to improve their engagement. And when this crisis is over the site would still be active for fulfilling the same purpose - to give a chance to the providers to represent themselves in a virtual way. (March, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
I CAN OFFER
During this time, our company is continuing to do a little "catch-up" and behind the scenes work. This includes spicing up our website (and the property's websites) to attract guests for after quarantine and freshening up our restaurants' menus. Corporate employees are also brain-storming special deals and offers for after quarantine as well. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
United States
I NEED
We need people who will not be afraid to travel. People who will want to travel. Abolition of travel restrictions. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
https://www.wunderpen.com/ - we sent some letters in the name of our hoteliers and it boomed. The guest wrote personal answers and were very happy. (June, 2020)
Student
Germany
EXPLOITATION
Lots of people lose their jobs do to this crisis. Employees have to get rid of a lot of job places because they need to safe money and the people who are still working for this company get less paid than before. Lots of employees in Austria exploited the "Kurzarbeit" because they got money from the government but the workers in this company still worked the same amount of hours than before, but they got less income. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
It is my opinion, that now we have time to prepare fresh trip ideas and new routes, for ourselves or for others, if we work in a travel agency and so when all this is over, we will be able to offer something new, innovative and different to tourists. (March, 2020)
