Latest news:
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.
Three travel startups response to COVID19
The article highlighted on how these three big travel agencies Get Your Guide,Omio and Travel perk are responding to the Covid19 pandemic.All the three agencies reported a major drop in bookings combined with customer cancellation and reschedule of the travel plans. The three founders of this agencies described there is sudden revenue crunch with high levels of uncertainty due to the pandemic.Get you Guide agency copied to the situation by re-routing resources to service more on near-term customer needs through improved flexibility of cancellation of bookings and refunding systems .Omio and Travel Perk, the two agencies decided to reflect on duty of care. This is focused on supporting its customers,employees with safety measures and are taking the time to research on which investments they can engage or pull out at the current moment.
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/13/three-travel-startups-tell-us-how-theyre-responding-to-the-coronavirus-crisis/ (April, 2020)
Tourism is the act of exploring the world or parts of it to gain a better understand of culture, history, and way of life of other people, as well as to experience natural environments different from where we live. (April, 2020)
Such as Japanese government, we need to avoid the following “Three Cs”; (https://www.kantei.go.jp/jp/content/000061935.pdf)
C1: Confined spaces (with poor ventilation)
C2: Crowded places (with many people nearby)
C3: Close contact (with people)
I thought the challenge/ essential impact during/ after COVID to tourism/ service industry is the avoidance of “Three Cs” in contact points between service provider and user. That affects facility use restrictions for the former and expectation alteration by going-out restriction throughout my three perspectives in T0. (June, 2020)
I am concerned for my housekeepers and frontline staff safety and health. They will be interacting with guests that could be sick or cleaning rooms that could contain the COVID-19 virus. Employee safety is a must, and with this face mask shortage prioritizing medical facilities, hotel owners have no priority to receive this essential item to keep frontline employees healthy. (March, 2020)
A seemingly easy solution is a better distribution in destinations, places, tourism products. For example: when I was in Zakynthos, Greece, everyone one the island had the infamous »shipwreck« beach on their minds. Everyone wanted to go there (as you can see in the picture, me included). It's really something. BUT, just a few minutes away there was a stunning, picture-perfect hidden beach with white sand, exceptional views and no people. Exactly, NONE. I hope I made my point clear. I am still really happy I got to see that beach, I will never forget it. (April, 2020)
Usually local operators have partnerships with other local operators - we stick together and support each other. This is true in the Northwest Territories, Canada. (April, 2020)
According to superiors, we can afford such poor business this year, but if the crisis continues and travel continues to be impossible, and if the state does not provide additional financial assistance, we are promised layoffs. (September, 2020)
Given that the country is closed and that people are scared, I don’t see many solutions, and I don’t have good practice yet. I went back to the time when I founded the company. I make reservations for hotels for the citizens of Slovenia, which received a tourist voucher from the state. At the moment, this is the only way I pay all the costs of the company. (July, 2020)
Social media influencers using it for attention; politicians making speeches to further their own agendas and blame various other parties instead of taking responsibility. Others whom are price gouging, being rude and inconsiderate, unfortunately this list goes on and on and on. (March, 2020)
I think that every organization/company... should start to prepare some kind of plan. They should try to adapt and work from home, come up with alternatives so they don't completely lose costumers/visitors...For example many museums started to offer virtual tours. (March, 2020)