TOURISM MEANS

For me, tourism has just as much to do with locality as with business. I believe that we need to discuss tourism not only from a touristic point of view, but rather from a perspective where local businesses, infrastructure, cultural institutions and the local societies in total is taken into consideration as the foundation for all tourism. Since tourism affects all parts of a local community, tourism development should work bottom-up, where locals are involved to ensure that development follows up on the locals values and needs for their own society. With this approach, tourism can add to sustainable growth and welfare, contribute to increased cultural understanding and respect and be a part of the environmental solutions. (May, 2020)

Tourism or convention office, event organizer

Norway

CHALLENGES

To travel free & wherever you want is still not possible and also not sure when it will be possible again. I work as a receptionist during the holidays and we are facing many challenges right now. The government frightened the people of travelling especially guests from other countries. Right now we have to put double or tripple the effort to generate new guests to get as many guests as possible to keep our hotel alive. (June, 2020)

Tourism employee

Austria

CONCERNS

I am not concerned about tourism in general. I do however worry about small businesses and tour guides who are already dormant during the winter months and are waiting for the summer season to accumulate their earnings, which likely will not be possible this year. They are in great danger of going out of business, but overall at the macro level, tourism should return to its old path. How long this will take is extremely difficult to predict. A week ago, the WTO predicted a 3 % to 4% drop in global travel, yet today we are already at a 30% drop. Jobs are definitely at risk. What I can say with confidence is that this crisis will bring some changes. There will now be a lot of room for innovation and adaptation of current work processes. I do not think tourism will die, but it will evolve. (April, 2020)

Student

Slovenia

IDEAS

Country should provide more support for all tourism related companies in this times.

Tourism should open only when the science could confirm we are ready till that time support for tourism industry from countrys - in this time I think it is more important to wait and not to make long time damage if we open tourism too soon. (April, 2020)

Tourism employee

Slovenia

I CAN OFFER

A vaaast information on local stories, a good network of local and regional stakeholders (Maribor, Slovenia) and a bit of crazy innovativeness that comes with our formats. (April, 2020)

Tourism business representative

Slovenia

I NEED

I need a guideline on the best way to position myself to find a job once companies in the hospitality industry start hiring again. (April, 2020)

Tourism employee

United States

SOLUTIONS

Restrict AirBnb accommodations to be only available in high season months, limit the maximum commisson for OTA like Booking.com and Expedia. (April, 2020)

Tourism or convention office, event organizer

Slovenia

EXPLOITATION

Some companies, especially in the medical and hygiene sector, have certainly been able to use the pandemic to their advantage. (October, 2020)

Student

Austria

OTHER / SPOTTED

I think that the fact tourism is highly affected is not that big of the problem. Yes it’s true that people won’t travel during the epidemic, but when everything is over, people will travel again, they won’t just stop. Maybe this is a great chance for everybody to see how much we all can do to help restore Earth, not just in tourism, but in the whole industry sector. (March, 2020)

Student

Slovenia