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
Deciding which hotel is clean and COVID-19 free is a big decision when deciding where to stay for work during this outbreak. Numerous employers still need their employees to travel for their job, while it may not have to be through airlines, traveling involves the need to stay somewhere for a short period of time. (April, 2020)
Tourist
United States
Explore #TourismFromZero perspectives
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Tourism business representative
Bosnia Herzegovina
Tourist
Singapore
Tourism business representative
Slovakia
#From Instagram
TOURISM MEANS
1) Discovering new people & places 2) Creativity Format 3) Our (potentialy) big market. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
Observance of safety standards when organizing excursions. Frightened passengers who are afraid to travel due to a virus infection. They are also afraid that they will have to be quarantined when they return to their homeland. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
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
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
I CAN OFFER
My willing to make the difference. Make the best of this time, you can’t change it and you have to live with it. You have to rethink about several things and find solutions. Don’t be shy. (June, 2020)
Student
Italy
I NEED
We would need to know more predicitons on the life after. We would need succesfull (guerilla) promotion to (new) markets. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
Given that the country is closed and that people are scared, I don’t see many solutions, and I don’t have good practice yet. I went back to the time when I founded the company. I make reservations for hotels for the citizens of Slovenia, which received a tourist voucher from the state. At the moment, this is the only way I pay all the costs of the company. (July, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
EXPLOITATION
VIPs saying we're all in this together to promote themselves. (April, 2020)
Student
Germany
OTHER / SPOTTED
Maybe finding financial solutions or funds for those who are now in existential crisis. I also think everyone who is working in culture sector or any other art branch is fearful of the future situation. I think we should really support those and find a way to make their lives easier. After all, art is what define us, makes us humans. (April, 2020)
