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.
CONCERNS
One of my biggest, personal concerns is about my grandparents getting infected with the virus. Yet, the shutdown brings enormous economic consequences with it. In my estimation, my generation will be premanently affected by it. Moreover, we are facing the largest amount of unemployment since World War 2, this really makes me anxious about our future. (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
Once someone said that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer, and I couldn’t agree more. Because, to me, travel means to live fully, to accept others, to learn in every area you can and to allow the world to shape you into the best person you can truly be. (April, 2020)
Student
Bosnia Herzegovina
CHALLENGES
During the pandemic I followed the trend of the COVID data and read various articles referring to the forecasts for an economic recovery. I found interesting ideas from Croatian, Italian, Slovenian, Austrian and English articles. Each state had visions but in reality no one has a crystal ball to predict the future. For the moment it will be very difficult to start again. People are divided into two groups, those who are so afraid and would like everyone to stay at home and those who want to go out and continue living normal life as before- (May, 2020)
Local resident
Italy
CONCERNS
How long does it take me to close the agency and where to find a new source of income. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
IDEAS
One idea I had was to offer a "babysitting service" for parents who had to stay at home and work. Because that would keep people who are out of work busy and it would relieve the parents for a few hours who are stuck at home with them all day.
The service would include doing homework with the children and going outside as getting infected was less likely outdoors.
Another idea I had (which other cities and countries are doing already) was to offer more home delivery services. I think in Innsbruck we lacked take away/delivery services not only from restaurants but also from bars and pubs. But also companies which normally do not offer delivery services could have adapted quicker, for example: books (Tyrolia/Wagnerische/Thalia) or wool and fabric from small shops in town. Pretty much anything that would have kept you busy and sane during lock down. Which would have also created more jobs during this crisis. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
I CAN OFFER
The best resource I can offer to others is the power to brainstorm new ideas to improve the service processes in our tourism facilities. Just with a lot of innovation and new ways of service it is possible to reach the end with a success and not become a victim of it. (June, 2020)
Student
Italy
I NEED
Government help, compensation for cancelled events, financial support for digital transformation. (April, 2020)
Tourism or convention office, event organizer
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
A very cool best practice I found is placed in Alta Badia. In this summer every hut and restaurant in the mountains is offering the possibility to take away the lunch in a picnic basket. With this service, you don't have to sit down on a table but you can join your meal on a meadow. (June, 2020)
Student
Italy
EXPLOITATION
Travel companies not allowing for partial or full refunds. It is not as if people wanted to cancel their travel and we cannot deter people from traveling in the future by souring their present experiences. (March, 2020)
Student
United States
OTHER / SPOTTED
We need to rethink and build a more sustainable and transparent system. (June, 2020)
