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
For me, tourism has just as much to do with locality as with business. I believe that we need to discuss tourism not only from a touristic point of view, but rather from a perspective where local businesses, infrastructure, cultural institutions and the local societies in total is taken into consideration as the foundation for all tourism. Since tourism affects all parts of a local community, tourism development should work bottom-up, where locals are involved to ensure that development follows up on the locals values and needs for their own society. With this approach, tourism can add to sustainable growth and welfare, contribute to increased cultural understanding and respect and be a part of the environmental solutions. (May, 2020)
Tourism or convention office, event organizer
Norway
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Tourism business representative
Bosnia Herzegovina
Tourist
Singapore
Tourism business representative
Slovakia
#From Instagram
TOURISM MEANS
For me, tourism has just as much to do with locality as with business. I believe that we need to discuss tourism not only from a touristic point of view, but rather from a perspective where local businesses, infrastructure, cultural institutions and the local societies in total is taken into consideration as the foundation for all tourism. Since tourism affects all parts of a local community, tourism development should work bottom-up, where locals are involved to ensure that development follows up on the locals values and needs for their own society. With this approach, tourism can add to sustainable growth and welfare, contribute to increased cultural understanding and respect and be a part of the environmental solutions. (May, 2020)
Tourism or convention office, event organizer
Norway
CHALLENGES
The challenge is to adjust the travel offer. Previously, we mainly organized longer trips to other continents, but now we are forced to prepare new products. We are preparing one- and multi-day trips around Slovenia, but after such trips there is less interest from our guests. They mostly travel around Slovenia alone. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
CONCERNS
[Professor] That we might get back to normal too quickly without learning from the pandemic for future crises. Moreover, I think that tourism underestimates the risk of a second wave and is too much focused on getting back revenues after the first wave. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Germany
IDEAS
I would suggest a more sustainable tourism, maybe even limit the amount of leisure flights to one per person and year, promote train and bike travel and stop the subventions and tax releases for airtravel, work with hotels and destinations on their sustainability. (April, 2020)
Student
Germany
I CAN OFFER
Information on travel safety in various countries, which are currently open to foreign tourists and integrated travel organization. (September, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
I NEED
Information. Lots of information. We need to know what we can do to improve the situation and to help other people. (June, 2020)
Student
Italy
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
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
It is my opinion, that now we have time to prepare fresh trip ideas and new routes, for ourselves or for others, if we work in a travel agency and so when all this is over, we will be able to offer something new, innovative and different to tourists. (March, 2020)
