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.
I CAN OFFER
I'm a soccer coach for kids. Maybe I can create a practice where they still keep distance, so that we can play again. (June, 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
For me, tourism means coming out of your comfort zone seeing new things and places and experiencing new adventures. (October, 2020)
Student
Austria
CHALLENGES
Apart from disrupting tourism activity, it has also disrupted our research activities (i.e. we are conducing bi-annual national survey of visitor motivations, activities, satisfaction and expenditure that was launched just before the C19 lockdown), it has a bearing on our consultancy services with contracts suspended, delayed and tasks redrafted, as well as on slowing down implementation of EU projects. (May, 2020)
Researcher, academic
Croatia
CONCERNS
To get a job (because I work in the gastro and all big events are cancelled), everyday concerns for the welfare of the family, terrors of a second wave, probably no vacation outside Europe possible this summer, how long does it take to get everything back to normal. (June, 2020)
Student
Germany
IDEAS
Hospitality is the most personal human interaction industry. I don't see how the hospitality industry will be able to become virtual like most industry's are becoming due to the coronavirus. That being said, I think the hospitality industry should shift a lot of focus to nature based tourism. This would allow people to practice social distancing and enjoy beautiful places in nature at the same time. An idea would be to establish an open air outdoor hotel in close to great hiking spots, where the hotel would serve as a base camp. This way tourists can go hiking all day then comeback and enjoy the services usually provided by a hotel, while still enjoying being outside in the fresh air. (April, 2020)
Student
United States
I CAN OFFER
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)
Tourism business representative
Canada
I NEED
We need a virus vaccine as soon as possible. We need to stop the spread of the virus so that we can travel and live as we once did. (August, 2020)
Tourism employee
Slovenia
SOLUTIONS
Summer houses, glamping and cabins nearby are booming. I think that's a good solution for now. (May, 2020)
Student
Denmark
EXPLOITATION
Travel companies not allowing for partial or full refunds. It is not as if people wanted to cancel their travel and we cannot deter people from traveling in the future by souring their present experiences. (March, 2020)
Student
United States
OTHER / SPOTTED
I would suggest that at the end of this current crisis, as many organizations come together and try to help one another. Maybe one at that moment has more financial resources, the other more employees and thus support each other, because that is the only way for the states, organizations ... to recover. (March, 2020)
