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
The current inability to meet physically will place a future premium on face to face meetings, especially if these decline in frequency. We wil probably see a rise in digital meetings (particularly now everybody is on Zoom), and people will start to use physical meetings not just as a way to have face to face experiences, but also to escape the tyranny of omnipresent digital meetings. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Netherlands
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
I can't describe tourism just with one word, for me its very complex and not all about a business sector. As I'm from Austria, I know that tourism is one of the biggest player in our country and we couldn't live this comfortable life without all the tourists that are visiting us during the year. But at the same time I'm a tourist as well, when I visit other countries or cities, so I can see both sites and think in a world like this we all know both sites and we barely think about the consequences we cause, by traveling this much and "fast". To cut a long story short, tourism means freedom to me but in the same way it can stress me out, as I'm living in Vienna with a lot of ignorance tourists all day long. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
CHALLENGES
We are currently reorganizing our work, as there are currently fewer employees in the agency. We are also developing new excursions that would attract the domestic market. (September, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
CONCERNS
When will hospitality pick up again and what is going to make people feel safe about traveling. If we are able to flatten the curve by people staying inside how will we know this won't happen again. I feel hotels, cruise ships and restaurants are going to have to do a lot of marketing and convincing to put faith back in people it is safe to stay and eat in their establishments. Additionally, with so many people losing their jobs and incomes being low even once it is safe to travel and explore when will people have the extra funds to do so. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
IDEAS
I like the idea of starting a very much different way of tourism after this and a lot of other things. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
I CAN OFFER
Data on youth travel responses to Covid 19 - now being published with WYSE Travel Confederation. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Netherlands
I NEED
Some resources I may need are contacts and a good platform to build upon if I wanted to put my ideas to practice. I don't know if a preexisting site would be best or something new, so I would need guidance from a lot of people! (April, 2020)
Student
United States
SOLUTIONS
Let’s think sustainable, responsible, ecologically and “boutique”. Definition of boutique: authentic experiences in the countryside, connecting local providers, non-mass tourism, uniqueness, local identity, local stories, inclusion of ethno-animation. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
EXPLOITATION
Tourist vouchers should also be redeemable in travel agencies, restaurants, museums and national parks. Now some providers are earning a lot, while others are in red numbers.. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
OTHER / SPOTTED
Great to see initiative to re-think and evaluate tourism during the pandemic. Thank you. (April, 2020)
