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.
TOURISM MEANS
A chance to learn about new things, meet new people, see different way of living and find a new part of yourself. (May, 2020)
Student
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
Enjoying unforgettable time away from home, relax and forget everyday life for a few moments, days or weeks. Spending time in another region where I support the local industry and economy with my expenditures I take there. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
CHALLENGES
After COVID-19, we will face challenges in rebuilding trust within our markets that it will be safe to travel again. There might also come other travel trends that do not pay our region the attention. Companies will be economically weaker and might not be able to develop their service and competence, and we might loose the momentum we had where companies were eager to work with sustainability. Many companies might drop prices and stop caring about which clients they get, as long as they get clients. This can be challenging for the general quality level of tourism business in our region. Higher unemployment can lead to emigration from our region, with the result that it will be challenging for the local places to attract new people and for companies to find the right competence. There might be less willingness to contribute to development and marketing of tourism from the public government's side, as they might loose faith in tourism. (May, 2020)
Tourism or convention office, event organizer
Norway
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
IDEAS
Each government should state real laws in terms of sustainability, even help enterprises, now that the nature is giving us the perfect second chance. And stop giving them the option of paying high fines instead of doing it properly. They should be tough with every enterprise, and help the ones with the lower incomes to become more sustainable, but for real. (April, 2020)
Student
Spain
I CAN OFFER
My skills, my willing to make the difference and my passion towards tourism. I think that nowadays ecotourism should be the key to success. (May, 2020)
Tourism employee
Italy
I NEED
Personally as a student of tourism studies, the main source of resources would be produced from the faculty itself as in this action it would reach to many other students that are able to produce benefits to solution to the problem itself. Probably it would be very productive to create some "brainstorm" activities in classes themselves, and that would also be considered when grading a student. For the whole education system it would as well be good as you said it yourself, we have a very good opportunity to change tourism industry for good in a good way for all of us, and i think that the school system is forgetting about inovative thinking of students. (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
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
Even if everything in tourism sector has stopped for a while that should not mean everything must be completely cancelled. People should promote themselves through social media and share their ideas. They can still connect with others and with that they show that they care and are still trying to come up with something. (March, 2020)
