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.
EXPLOITATION
Criminals phishing company details to claim subsidies entitled for small businesses in various states of Germany. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Germany
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
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
It will be impossible to keep the distance in airplanes, airports and trains, so many people will for a while not use these transport modes because they are afraid. People who do, risk at spreading the virus. (May, 2020)
Student
Denmark
CONCERNS
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)
Student
United States
IDEAS
I don't see any problems with the pre-corona tourism-industry, that this initiative could effectively address (exploitation, overtourism, etc.). Generally speaking, maybe concentrate more on regional government and companies to initiate changes. Make tourism more locally attractive to avoid long distance travel. Maybe also put policies (emission tax for flights / subsidize local sustainable businesses) in place to achieve ecologically sustainable tourism (camping is making a huge comeback, while flight destinations struggle). (June, 2020)
Student
Germany
I CAN OFFER
I can speak about my experiences in tennis coaching and mountainbike guiding while the crisis. All the points you have to note before starting the training and how you have to handle the customers. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
I NEED
I think that in the current situation we need in particular some workshops on current topics in tourism, as well as mentoring. Of course, the opportunity to gain experience in tourism companies. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
The best solution in my opinion is, that we have to digitize the workflow and learn to handle the e-progress. (December, 2020)
Student
Austria
EXPLOITATION
Lots of people lose their jobs do to this crisis. Employees have to get rid of a lot of job places because they need to safe money and the people who are still working for this company get less paid than before. Lots of employees in Austria exploited the "Kurzarbeit" because they got money from the government but the workers in this company still worked the same amount of hours than before, but they got less income. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
Allow free travel insurance, people are afraid to book because they feel the risk to have their trip cancelled. (April, 2020)
