Six ways the travel industry can come out stronger
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
COVID-19 dealt the travel industry a blow with unimaginable consequences. Although the ripple effect was felt worldwide, as recovery gets underway, Travel Courier talks to a panel of industry leaders to find out what changes can be implemented now to ensure tourism can be a force for good across travellers, wildlife, the environment and local communities.
Is it time for a reset?
In the aftermath of the pandemic, the travel industry, which is collectively responsible for 10% of the world’s jobs and contributes trillions to global GDP, came to a grinding halt resulting in unprecedented challenges and financial turmoil. Beneath the constant cycle of bad news over the past few months, a few stories of hope also emerged from decreased air pollution in India to the resurgence of wildlife around the world like a spike in the number of endangered leatherback sea turtles across beaches in Thailand. Many in the industry are now looking to the future with a renewed purpose — to come out better than before.
Brett Tollman
Chief Executive, The Travel Corporation
During this recovery period, we have received positive feedback that clients and travellers are seeking meaningful travel and they want enjoy local immersive experiences. They will choose companies who support local communities and sustainable travel. We do want to support our valued travel advisors and help reinvigorate the local Canadian economy by offering domestic trips this year, which our TTC brands will be announcing shortly.”
Emphasizing a local approach
During this recovery period, Brett Tollman, Chief Executive of The Travel Corporation, a family-owned company behind global brands like Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Contiki, says the emphasis on all things local will help drive a more sustainable future for the travel industry.
“We have received positive feedback that clients and travellers are seeking meaningful travel and they want enjoy local immersive experiences. They will choose companies who support local communities and sustainable travel,” Tollman tells Travel Courier, but not without first thanking the loyal agent community and partners across Canada for their continued support and collaboration. “We do want to support our valued travel advisors and help reinvigorate the local Canadian economy by offering domestic trips this year, which our TTC brands will be announcing shortly.”
Shannon Stowell
CEO, Adventure Travel Trade Association
Never before has there been such a reset button pressed, whether we like it or not. In short — we need to emerge as more responsible in climate action, racial equity, inclusion of indigenous people into the economic opportunities and healthy capacities of tourism. I think that destinations need to really take control of how they want their tourism to re-emerge.”
Time to emerge more responsibly
Whether we like it or not, Shannon Stowell, the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, says there has never been such a reset button pressed for the travel industry.
“In short — we need to emerge as more responsible in climate action, racial equity, inclusion of indigenous people into the economic opportunities and healthy capacities of tourism,” Stowell tells Travel Courier. “I think that destinations need to really take control of how they want their tourism to re-emerge. As far as possible, the industry should resist the urge to discount — this will make the climb back even longer.”
Similarly, Costas Christ, the Founder of Beyond Green Travel, an entity of Preferred Hotel Group, Inc., says the industry is at a pivotal moment poised to transition into something better.
“We are at a transformative moment to reset modern travel, where the need for economic recovery, embracing diversity, justice and equality align with the core values of sustainable tourism,” he tells Travel Courier. “The travel industry needs to make this the rule, not the exception. Together we can make that happen.”
Lindsey Ueberroth
CEO, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
The current events in our global economy and lives have been a major reset button for hoteliers and travellers alike. The hospitality industry had made great strides in moving sustainable tourism forward the past few years; however, I now see this as the tipping point for our industry to really make the commitment to sustainable practices not only on property but also their destinations and global community.”
Embracing sustainability and eclipsing mass tourism
For Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the current situation has been a major reset button for hoteliers and travellers alike.
“Although the hospitality industry had made great strides in moving sustainable tourism forward the past few years; however, I now see this as the tipping point for our industry to really make the commitment to sustainable practices not only on property but also their destinations and global community,” Ueberroth tells Travel Courier. “Today’s traveller and associates working in this industry will want more purpose and meaning when they travel and the steadfast commitment to the pillars of sustainable tourism are core to meeting those needs. Therefore, I think stepping up now will have a greater impact in the short and long term recovery and success of our industry.”
Across the board, Stowell would also like to see more travel with purpose.
“I’d like to see the passion driven verticals — adventure/eco, culinary, wildlife, spiritual, etc. — eclipse mass tourism,” he says. “I’d like to see the attitude shift in travellers away from tourism as a right to tourism as a privilege. I’d like to see fewer but longer trips being offered and purchased by travellers — reducing carbon footprints and ensuring deeper immersion in destinations vs ticking off boxes. Travel should be meaningful and purposeful, not merely frivolous. And of course we’d like to see the COVID-19 situation sorted to hopefully mitigate or defend against future waves.”
Costas Christ
Founder, Beyond Green Travel
We are at a transformative moment to reset modern travel, where the need for economic recovery, embracing diversity, justice and equality align with the core values of sustainable tourism. The travel industry needs to make this the rule, not the exception. Together we can make that happen.”
A stronger and resilient industry that puts people and the environment over profit
While the travel industry took a hard financial hit in the wake of COVID-19, Tollman says those in the trade need to do business in a financially responsible manner in order to create a sustainable future and not only survive but thrive during these challenging times.
“There has been such massive unemployment across the globe, it’s quite heartbreaking to see but we are stronger together as a resilient and vibrant industry,” he says. “Hopefully, there will be lessons learned such as the importance of not over extending ourselves, always making sure we’ve got a significant cash buffer to see us through hard times like these, and always operating with a healthy contribution margin. Price integrity is also so important and excessive discounting gets one nowhere… Tourism is a force for good and now that we all have had time to pause and reset, it is imperative that we align our post COVID-19 recovery plans in alignment with our sustainable tourism guiding principles.”
Furthermore, Christ says the five keys to the success of sustainable tourism are protecting the environment, preserving cultural heritage, saving biodiversity, providing social and economic benefits to local people and educating guests.
“The travel industry will emerge better than before by making a firm commitment to embrace sustainable tourism in action,” he continues.
Philip Mondor
President and CEO, Tourism HR Canada
Long term, there is a lot of reason for optimism. Many communities, especially outside of large cities, rely on tourism as the economic anchor—to help preserve culture and heritage and as one of the largest job creators. Currently there are major investments being made in enhanced safety and health measures and in new and adaptive business models which will help ensure the sector will be stronger and more resilient.”
Enhanced safety and health measures
In the long term, Philip Mondor, President and CEO of Tourism HR Canada, says there is a lot of reason for optimism.
“Many communities, especially outside of large cities, rely on tourism as the economic anchor — to help preserve culture and heritage and as one of the largest job creators,” Mondor says. “Currently there are major investments being made in enhanced safety and health measures and in new and adaptive business models which will help ensure the sector will be stronger and more resilient.”
Specific to the tourism workforce, he points out that COVID-19 put a spotlight on the important and critical role of tourism employees.
“Many are frontline workers responsible for health, safety and security of the public,” Mondor says. “Workers now require new skills because of the increased complexity of work and changing business models, consumer demands, and service options. Consumer confidence in the sector will depend on the abilities of tourism professionals, and with this a greater appreciation and value attached to the professionals working in the sector.”
The need for optimism
Looking to the future, Tollman would like to see the industry recover as the WTTC forecasts that over 100 million jobs (a decline of 31%) will be lost in Travel and Tourism this year, along with 2.7 trillion US dollars in GDP (a decline of 30%).
“We have all learned that our world needs our industry, and we need a healthy prosperous industry at all levels and across all sectors,” he says. “Hopefully, during this protracted period of shutdown, of all of our respective businesses and each of us on an individual level have also learned powerful lessons and are inspired to lead companies into the future in a somewhat different but meaningful manner. We do need to be more inclusive and diverse, we need to find ways to reduce our footprints, and become carbon neutral as soon as we realistically can.”
Meanwhile, the changes Mondor would like to see include the increased emphasis by governments on prioritizing investments in helping address the labour market challenges in the sector.
“Within the months of March and April, more than 880,000 workers were displaced due to COVID, with only a modest recovery of 83,900 workers in May. Current projections indicate that as many as 600,000 of these workers will not gain back their jobs in the sector for some time — perhaps as much as two years,” he says. “The displaced workers and challenges in reviving a workforce to meet new demands will take resources dedicated to planning, policy change, re-training investments and more. Because the sector is one of Canada’s most important economic driver and job creator in non-urban communities, revival of its workforce is synonymous with economic recovery.”
As terrible as this pandemic and the fallout has been and will be, Stowell stresses that it marks the opportunity to break the mould of how tourism was.
“May we choose wisely our future,” he says.
