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
There are changing travel conditions and challenging times if you want to travel. But there are also cuttings in your personal life, like the university life. I haven't seen my colleagues from university since February. The learning from home is challenging because no one could tell you how you should do it, its new for everyone. At work, we had short-time work for about half a year, and we still don't know what happens next. (October, 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
Joie de vivre. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
To travel free & wherever you want is still not possible and also not sure when it will be possible again. I work as a receptionist during the holidays and we are facing many challenges right now. The government frightened the people of travelling especially guests from other countries. Right now we have to put double or tripple the effort to generate new guests to get as many guests as possible to keep our hotel alive. (June, 2020)
Tourism employee
Austria
CONCERNS
Hotel and hospitality businesses do not have the cash flow to continue before the pandemic is over. I expect many to go out of business. This is terrible for existing stakeholders and may potentially be opportunity for newcomers. (April, 2020)
Student
Japan
IDEAS
Gov'ts will be facing budget deficits in coming years and tourism programs may be impacted. Right now tour operators are emerging across the circumpolar world. They are often competing against larger, more established operators from the outside. I think it's important to look at eligibility requirements for gov't funding, and that regional funding be directed towards Arctic-based operators, as they are the smallest and most vulnerable. This is not the case in all circumpolar jurisdictions. We should use scarce public resources to support local tourism industries. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Canada
I CAN OFFER
I can keep people company or help them with basic info about how to use electronic devices to keep in touch with friend and relatives. (April, 2020)
Trying out all sorts of different applications and never stop being curious. (April, 2020)
Student
Germany
EXPLOITATION
There have been cases I heard of where companies would apply for financial support from the government, even though they where not entitled to get it and had no real need for it. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
Whilst this is major setback for tourism as we know it and many businesses will suffer as a result, I at least hope this will present an opportunity for the industry to change for the better. A more sustainable approach to tourism is needed, perhaps this will kick start it. (May, 2020)
