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.
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
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 traveling is not the destination itself, but the feeling during the trip as well as the people you travel with. Although I visited some destinations several times, each time it was different. Friends, the time spent with them and the anecdotes that remain are what I love the most about every trip. (May, 2020)
Student
Serbia
CHALLENGES
Deciding which hotel is clean and COVID-19 free is a big decision when deciding where to stay for work during this outbreak. Numerous employers still need their employees to travel for their job, while it may not have to be through airlines, traveling involves the need to stay somewhere for a short period of time. (April, 2020)
Tourist
United States
CONCERNS
I'm worried about losing my job - some co-workers have already been fired, some are still at home waiting for work.
The financial crisis that awaits us at the end of the pandemic and which will certainly have a negative impact on international travel. (September, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
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
Insights & experience on Asian countries (May, 2020)
Tourist
Singapore
I NEED
Some resources I may need are contacts and a good platform to build upon if I wanted to put my ideas to practice. I don't know if a preexisting site would be best or something new, so I would need guidance from a lot of people! (April, 2020)
Student
United States
SOLUTIONS
The best solution in my opinion is, that we have to digitize the workflow and learn to handle the e-progress. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
EXPLOITATION
I think it is insane that you have to pay over €90 to get tested for COVID 19. There are a lot of people who cannot afford it especially when they were put on "Kurzarbeit" or lost their job. I think everyone should be able to get tested for free. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
Prepare for the opening: prepare a protocol. How will you welcome your guests tomorrow; which standards will you have to follow to guarantee safety; how will you adapt to the »new reality«; where will you put the hand disinfection gel? These are some questions to answer to make feel the guest secure and safety at your place. (April, 2020)
