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.
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
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
Providing other people new and exciting destinations for reasonable prices. (October, 2020)
Student
Croatia
CHALLENGES
During my studies I have been constantly working in the tourism industry. While working, I was gaining valuable experiences in a lot of different fields of tourism and in the meantime I was enjoying what I did, I really found a passion in making people feel welcomed and helping them do interesting things on their travels. So the challenge I am facing in this hard situation is not being able to do what I love and I know a lot of people right now who are feeling the same way. (March, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
CONCERNS
When it would be able to travel; the flight prices during/after the pandemic; would hotels be safe to stay; (May, 2020)
Student
United Kingdom
IDEAS
It would be an idea to buy gift cards for several hotels and tourism regions in whatever country you want to travel. When the crisis is over you can easily redeem your gift card. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
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
I NEED
Up to date news in the industry, also some news related to employment/replacement (May, 2020)
Student
United Kingdom
SOLUTIONS
For the individual properties, it came down to providing refunds and vouchers for another stay to guests who had already booked for the next few months, as we know they won't be allowed to come stay due to state laws. As a company, we want to keep our employees safe and healthy as well, so telling the ones who can work to work from home. Keeping honest and open communication between the higher-ups and the employees about the status of the company, their working timeline, and honestly anything they have questions and concerns about. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
United States
EXPLOITATION
Global airlines and hotels holding back payments or only providing credits to customers, yet laying people off, and seeking bailouts. (April, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Canada
OTHER / SPOTTED
I am really curios about how the Covid-19 pandemic will change our world and our society. I think we can learn a lot of things from the crisis and reorient new. But I am also concerned about how the world will change and which developments are going to happen in the future. I hope people think careful and learn from the crisis. (June, 2020)
