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.
TOURISM MEANS
Traveling is said to be the only thing you can buy that brings you happiness. That feeling of waking up and realizing you will finish your day in a new country where everything will be yet to explore is just crazy. Usually when I try to think of events that happened in the past in some particular time period I always use travel to navigate easier in my mind. For example, what have I been up to in September 2018? I know it's been a great month because I spent 7 days in Greece! Anything else I remember without thinking hard besides that week? Not really... What I am trying to say is that traveling is very impactful. Every journey changes you a bit and adds something to your life. That is what I love the most about it. (April, 2020)
Student
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
It is my biggest hobby and motivator, spending most of my time & money on exploring the world (May, 2020)
Tourist
Singapore
CHALLENGES
As an inbound adventure tour operator, the ban on international challenge presented the most immediate challenge with booking cancellations and postponements. Now, as we prepare to relax lockdown restrictions, the challenge is to provide travel experiences that enable guests to travel with us safely and to ensure the continued safety of the communities we visit. (May, 2020)
Tourism business representative
United Kingdom
CONCERNS
The struggle many face either because they become so dependent on travelling (for ex. bloggers, vlogers etc) or because of it (people in small places that have no other means to survive, or have forgotten the struggles of life because tourism was the easiest thing to do).
The idea that nothing will be the same "easy" as before.. The idea of adapting, inovation...the idea of not knowing what will happen. (April, 2020)
Tourist
Slovenia
IDEAS
Start virtual tours or experiences (September, 2020)
Tourism business representative
India
I CAN OFFER
Relationships with Japanese art-tourism practitioners.
Networking to Japanese service researchers.
Collaborative (virtual/ real) place with industrial association people. (June, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Japan
I NEED
Surveys, how to apply sustainability in a ski resort. (April, 2020)
Local resident
Italy
SOLUTIONS
Everyone can show everyone that renunciation is possible and necessary in this situation. Meanwhile, you can put your money into small businesses to keep the economy running, even if it is only for one take away dinner. (April, 2020)
Student
Germany
EXPLOITATION
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)
Student
Germany
OTHER / SPOTTED
Even if everything in tourism sector has stopped for a while that should not mean everything must be completely cancelled. People should promote themselves through social media and share their ideas. They can still connect with others and with that they show that they care and are still trying to come up with something. (March, 2020)
