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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::
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.
What I love about traveling is not the destination itself, but the feeling during the trip as well as the people you travel with. Although I visited some destinations several times, each time it was different. Friends, the time spent with them and the anecdotes that remain are what I love the most about every trip. (May, 2020)
Tourism means a lot to me, as it's a way of learning about a new culture, seeing a destination and also a way of introducing our destinations and culture to tourists visiting. (April, 2020)
Interacting with guests and other employees without social distancing efforts in place due to it being a workplace. It is physically impossible to check a guest in with being six feet away from them. Also, housekeepers need their list updated and need to be handed lists and other items. Common items like hand sanitizer seem to always go "missing" when placed into the lobby. Guests always steal the hand sanitizer bottles within the lobby, which is another major challenge we face with the shortage. (April, 2020)
The unemployment rate is extremely high during the COVID-19 period. This industry may prefer employees with decades of practical experience instead of graduates with a high-level educational background, let alone in the pandemic period. Such a phenomenon arouses people's bias in working in this industry - job discrimination existed - In many Asian countries, parents won't suggest their kids work for a hotel (not a "decent" job + low salaries/wages) comparing to studying engineer/medicine/CS, etc. (April, 2020)
Hotels should offer COVID-19 packages for an additional fee that includes small packages of disinfectant wipes, small hand sanitizer bottles, and even alcohol wipes. This may create additional revenue and help guests reassure their safety. (April, 2020)
Knowledge from being a general manager in a huge hostel. Project Management in a digital association. Online Marketing. Connecting technologies and trends to use them for business models for growth strategies. Motivation, enthusiasm and a "never give up, your survival is just an idea away" mentality! (May, 2020)
Undisturbed places in the forest where I can swim in the forest, so to speak. Where I can relax and recover from everyday life. (June, 2020)
Everyone can show everyone that renunciation is possible and necessary in this situation. Meanwhile, you can put your money into small businesses to keep the economy running, even if it is only for one take away dinner. (April, 2020)
It´s sad that there are so many cheaters who just want to get all the money which is spend by the state to help the little enterprises to survive the crisis, so that those who really need the money, don´t have any chance to work against their problems ... (June, 2020)
Home entertainment by the hand of tourism enterprises
This article explains that many tourism enterprises are keeping the contact with their clients, creating activities for kids and adults to help them go through these hard quarantine times. But, why do they do it if it is not their job?
The idea is keep in touch with the clients, even if they are not going to book anything with them right now, to remind clients that they will still be there when the things get stabilized, clients will remember them and start booking again. It is a long view strategy, but I think it is a smart movement from tourism enterprises instead of being just observers of the disaster.
See the original file here: https://www.hosteltur.com/135925_entretenimiento-en-casa-de-la-mano-de-las-empresas-turisticas.html (April, 2020)