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
For me tourism means exploring new countries and places. Personally I don't refer to myself as a tourist when im going to other places. I would say im more like a visitor. I feel like being a tourist has some kind of a bad stigma. I know how it feels if you see more tourists in your city than locals. Thats why I try to not to behave as a tourist when im on vacation. Tourism also plays a big role in the creation and conservation of jobs. So in some way it also feels like a secure and steady income source for a lot of people. (September, 2020)
Student
Austria
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
Tourism means that people from other countrys, or this country or even locals are exploring things they usually don´t do in their every-day-life. And for me and my company tourism means everything, if we dont get any guests we can´t run our business. We don´t have any other leg to stand on, tourism is everything. (April, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Sweden
CHALLENGES
With the situation at hand the challenge is to rethink the way we do tourism. The way it impacts all involved. (April, 2020)
Tourist
Slovenia
CONCERNS
With the current situation, concerns certainly come. I am most concerned about how the tourism industry will recover from the current situation, as COVID-19 has hit the tourism sector the hardest. As a tourism student, I am worried about getting a job during and after my studies. I am also concerned that tourism companies will not allow students to gain corporate experience. At the same time, I am concerned about the direction in which tourism will develop. Whether we will be able to decrease the negative effects of tourism after the epidemic and also if we can develop tourism into a responsible industry. (April, 2020)
Student
Slovenia
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
I CAN OFFER
I do not have any resources at the moment, as I do not see adequate resources in this situation to save tourism. (July, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
I NEED
Global trends including European tourism ones
Advanced cases on sustainable tourism coping with COVID (June, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Japan
SOLUTIONS
Take care of your employees, customers, and business partners, foster an atmosphere of trust and use the time to foster a growth mindset as well as offer (cross-)trainings, webinars, explore ideas of your employees (May, 2020)
Tourism business representative
Germany
EXPLOITATION
I think it is insane that you have to pay over €90 to get tested for COVID 19. There are a lot of people who cannot afford it especially when they were put on "Kurzarbeit" or lost their job. I think everyone should be able to get tested for free. (June, 2020)
Student
Austria
OTHER / SPOTTED
Locals: we all find out plenty of local farmers and other stakeholders in our area in those days. Connect with them, think how to include their products in you offer and how to support your local community in those days. Be an active member and make small actions to help. We are all members of the same destination and together we are stronger. (April, 2020)
