Latest news:
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::
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 faced had a lot to do with the closing of borders and travel restrictions. It was not possible to travel to other countries even if it feels like your own. For me there was no border between Bavaria and Austria and it didn't feel any different being in Germany. Suddenly there was a border and it was not possible to go hiking anymore where you always went. Also going to your own flat in Italy was not possible anymore. It felt like somebody locked you out of your own apartment. (September, 2020)
For me tourism is about: exploring new cultures and places; Learning to see the world through new perspectives; getting away from it all; life-long memories; meeting new people; relaxing, speaking other languages, happy times with family and friends. (May, 2020)
Interacting with guests and other employees without social distancing efforts in place due to it being a workplace. It is physically impossible to check a guest in with being six feet away from them. Also, housekeepers need their list updated and need to be handed lists and other items. Common items like hand sanitizer seem to always go "missing" when placed into the lobby. Guests always steal the hand sanitizer bottles within the lobby, which is another major challenge we face with the shortage. (April, 2020)
That the whole world is becoming more and more virtual and many companies only rely on the online market. (December, 2020)
I like the idea of starting a very much different way of tourism after this and a lot of other things. (April, 2020)
As a tourism student, I can currently contribute to the renovation of tourism by helping with various tourism-related projects where I feel I can contribute. (April, 2020)
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)
Not specifically, but it's crucial to use the right psychological procedures (right words, slogans, music, messages) in marketing purposes. The goal of that would be managing crowds of people (tourists) in order to diminish their anxiety, fear of other people and travelling around. (April, 2020)
https://www.ft.com/content/19d90308-6858-11ea-a3c9-1fe6fedcca75 - link to the article written by Yuval Noah Harari that I find curious, as it opens many cotroversial questions and dilemas for the future - as the author states amongst other emphases - a shift from “over the skin” to “under the skin” surveillance, with the use od biometric data. (April, 2020)
Great to see initiative to re-think and evaluate tourism during the pandemic. Thank you. (April, 2020)