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.
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
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
Tourism for me means travelling to foreign or well-know places, where I can relax and unwind to forget the everyday life. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
CHALLENGES
The challenges I personally have faced are having to cut hours at the bakery I work at at home. It's challenging when I'm not making an income when I am fully capable of working and would love to work.
I also live in the middle of no where with no wifi so it is a challenge to use my laptop to do any sort of work. (April, 2020)
Local resident
United States
CONCERNS
My biggest concern remains the time after the pandemic. When are we able to return to a "normal life" without masks, with no travel restrictions or the fear of catching the virus? Or are we even able to go back to normal, probably not in the next few years. That's my biggest concern. (June, 2020)
Student
Italy
IDEAS
Higher impact of encouraging green, long-term sustainable tourism activities worldwide, as this is a perfect opportunity to do so. As we were witnesses that even though those actions were encouraged before, still the industry didn't do enough on this topic (cruises pollution in Venice for example). (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
I CAN OFFER
Data on youth travel responses to Covid 19 - now being published with WYSE Travel Confederation. (May, 2020)
Moving forward, I believe all hospitality companies from the executives to the property GM should have a detailed plan on how to adapt their businesses during pandemics. This will not be the last time we face a problem like this. (March, 2020)
Student
United States
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
OTHER / SPOTTED
We need to raise more awareness about the 'Anthropocene' and the need to move to a form of ecological tourism. (July, 2020)
