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
As a current employee in the hospitality industry, I have been forced to stop working due to the coronavirus. I was working to complete my field study at the Inn at Virginia Tech, which I was enjoying so much. Now due to the virus, I am no longer able to work and I am unsure whether I will be able to return to work in the future. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
United States
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
Tourism is a way to see our society (and ourselves) differently. (June, 2020)
Researcher, academic
China
CHALLENGES
I love my home country Austria and all the peculiarities, but I also miss going abroad and have some time to relax far away from the everyday stress. But the biggest challenge is to stay calm and sit in the home office and there is nothing you can do against the virus. But all after all that's only complaining on a high comfort level. I should be happy that all of my family members are healthy and nobody lost the job or anything like that. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
CONCERNS
My biggest concern is whether I will be able to find a job after college. Everybody knows that the hospitality industry is one of the main industry's that is feeling the effects of COVID-19. I am really worried that as a graduating senior that I will have a tough time finding a job when the economy is in a recession. The uncertainty of this virus has forced the hospitality industry into a hiring freeze. Due to this I am unsure how long it will take me to find a job after I graduate this May. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
IDEAS
I would like to think that the C19 will be a change for the overall economic, environmental and social reset. As a humanity, we have shown that, in spite of the quest for profit, we are willing to sacrifice economy to save lives. Hopefully, we might realize that the long time live-saving will be to invest in building better societies and taking care of each other and the planet. Tourism can be one of the tools that we use to this end. However, if the pandemic is over, if there is no second wave and if we recover relatively quickly, I am afraid that the opportunity for 'reset' will be lost. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Croatia
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
We need tourists. Or help to find a digital way of earning money on what we do. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Sweden
SOLUTIONS
Rather than always relying on trustful recources and trying to keep cool in such times I don’t have more solutions to offer. Life is always a tough place and I admire all the people who still try their best in those times. I think everyone of us should try to make the best of their lifes whether circumstances are good or bad. Only this way, we can move forward. (October, 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
I think that the fact tourism is highly affected is not that big of the problem. Yes it’s true that people won’t travel during the epidemic, but when everything is over, people will travel again, they won’t just stop. Maybe this is a great chance for everybody to see how much we all can do to help restore Earth, not just in tourism, but in the whole industry sector. (March, 2020)
