What happened to tourism industry during pandemic, what are the digital trends that emerged, how do we rethink tourism and what does the future look?
Covid-19 was undeniably a catastrophic event for society as a whole. The event, which continues even today, has shaped our lives and the way we work. Most importantly, it has impacted industries that rely heavily on physical contact. Yes, we are talking about the tourism industry. In March 2020, tourism came to a standstill. After the great highs and record-breaking 2019, it came as a shock to many businesses. After 2019, a lot of investments were made, expectations were high and no one had expected such a crash and a complete standstill. Companies faced the crisis in different ways. Many decided (were forced) to part with their employees. However, some have opted for a different approach, choosing not to lay off employees in exchange for strikingly revising companies’ business models or gravely threatening their financial position.
On the one hand, we know that Covid-19 was a catastrophic event, but on the other hand, we also know that various crises throughout history have proven to be triggering events that cause entrepreneurs and organizations to think about new solutions and try new approaches. After 9/11, airports significantly tightened and improved their security measures. After the financial crisis in 2008, the concept of the sharing economy emerged and companies like Uber and Airbnb introduced new ways of travel and accommodation. We are not yet sure what Covid-19 will bring to tourism in the long run, but we can see some trends that are emerging during the pandemic.
Here you can read more about the digital trends that emerged during the pandemic, about how we are rethinking tourism and what does the future look like in the article here.
