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.
EXPLOITATION
Travel companies not allowing for partial or full refunds. It is not as if people wanted to cancel their travel and we cannot deter people from traveling in the future by souring their present experiences. (March, 2020)
Student
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
When I decided to enrol into Faculty for Tourism Studies, I did not think a lot about tourism in general, just the facts that I like to travel and work with people were enough. After a few years, I got a job as a tour representative on different destination and a guide as well. What I loved about it the most is that locals, after some time, start treating you as one of their own and not as a simple tourist, which is something that a lot of people are trying to achieve while traveling. (May, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
The biggest challenge that the crisis brings with it is the economic aspect. Due to the almost global shutdown of the economy, it is not yet certain how bad the economy will be in the future. Tourism has been hit pretty hard, especially in Tyrol, and will therefore have a heavy loss in occupancy and reservations. How bad it actually gets is still unclear. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
CONCERNS
How will I sustain my life in the future? Global crisis will affect us all on the long term, but especially young generations will have to provide some solutions and different approaches in a matter of business. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
IDEAS
Some ideas I have during this time are using media platforms to engage like groups who are in the same situation. Such as making a blog or page for graduating seniors, college students, unemployed of different age ranges, employers in hospitality etc... This way, we can get a group mind to best figure how to navigate the challenges each unique group is experiencing, while also acting as a social outlet providing much needed human interaction. This would help better everyone as whole, and is similar to what Tourism From Zero is doing right now, except all submissions/discussions would be open to the public. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
I CAN OFFER
Resources that each of us can contribute is humanity. It is important that even in such difficult times as these, no one forgets about the other. And because I am still quite young and fit, I can try to help others who are not doing so well as much as possible with all the possibilities I have. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
I NEED
Stay in touch with other researchers, especially as we move out of this. (April, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Canada
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
Criminals phishing company details to claim subsidies entitled for small businesses in various states of Germany. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Germany
OTHER / SPOTTED
We need to raise more awareness about the 'Anthropocene' and the need to move to a form of ecological tourism. (July, 2020)
