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
We are considering how to mitigate the damage as much as possible. We have expanded our product range. (July, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Slovenia
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
Traveling is said to be the only thing you can buy that brings you happiness. That feeling of waking up and realizing you will finish your day in a new country where everything will be yet to explore is just crazy. Usually when I try to think of events that happened in the past in some particular time period I always use travel to navigate easier in my mind. For example, what have I been up to in September 2018? I know it's been a great month because I spent 7 days in Greece! Anything else I remember without thinking hard besides that week? Not really... What I am trying to say is that traveling is very impactful. Every journey changes you a bit and adds something to your life. That is what I love the most about it. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
CHALLENGES
To cheer the tourism industry up. (October, 2020)
Student
Italy
CONCERNS
Initially, there was a fear. Then a question of the summer season, on which not only many Croatians depend income wise, but also the financial health of the country (large share of BDP). Now, it seems that there will be some tourist activity over the summer season, but the restrictive measures were relaxed in such a short time that many fear of the surge in number of sick once international visitors arrive. This is at this very moment, but situation still changes very quickly and next week it might be that we would face entire new set of issue. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Croatia
IDEAS
Making a bigger point on tolerance. On accepting that this horrible thing has happened and that there's no going back. Therefore we need to be tolerant of eachother and experts trying to find new ways to bring tourism back to us. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
I CAN OFFER
From co-creating new stories, writing them down, connecting the partners, implementing ideas into the practice, organizing activities, discussing with media, public presentations and networking. (March, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Slovenia
I NEED
Another problem I see in this time is, that students are overwhelmed with work from home, which mainly consists of googling topics on the internet and describe them as i think does not fully take advantage of knowledge and ideas of students at all. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
For the individual properties, it came down to providing refunds and vouchers for another stay to guests who had already booked for the next few months, as we know they won't be allowed to come stay due to state laws. As a company, we want to keep our employees safe and healthy as well, so telling the ones who can work to work from home. Keeping honest and open communication between the higher-ups and the employees about the status of the company, their working timeline, and honestly anything they have questions and concerns about. (April, 2020)
Tourism employee
United States
EXPLOITATION
Assistance with tourist vouchers only to accommodation facility. Travel agencies were largely excluded because hoteliers do not confirm shared reservations. (July, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
OTHER / SPOTTED
I support the initiative, but I am afraid we cannot save tourism until the virus spreads. (August, 2020)
