To Recovery & Beyond: The Future of Travel & Tourism in the Wake of Covid-19

Abstract

In the span of a few months in the first part of 2020, the world has shifted. First and foremost, the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, has caused incredible tragedy. The number of people suffering from illness, death of loved ones, unemployment, economic impact, health and poverty is overwhelming. Together, we share our heartfelt sympathy for those bearing these burdens and our sincere appreciation for those supporting on the frontlines. More broadly, COVID-19 has altered our way of life dramatically. Our social interactions, our professional dynamics, and our digital relationships are all transformed. The Travel & Tourism sector has certainly not been immune to that transition. Indeed, the Travel & Tourism sector has already been tremendously impacted. Seemingly overnight, hundreds of countries suspended flights or halted international travel. Even domestically, national and sub-national jurisdictions instituted shelter-in place orders. Many businesses were forced to close on a temporary basis, often escalating into permanent closures, unfortunately. While businesses that remained open, only saw limited activity. This all transpired such that at the peak of the crisis, a shocking one million Travel & Tourism jobs were lost daily. Yet, we have also witnessed inspiring commitment and strength among our fellow Travel & Tourism leaders. Businesses are donating food; supporting repatriation; and opening their doors to the homeless, victims of domestic abuse, frontline workers, and those sick or quarantined due to COVID-19. Travel & Tourism workers are undergoing training to provide medical care, sewing masks for the community, and taking pain-staking precautions to keep travellers safe. Accustomed to supporting guests in their day-to-day work, they have truly breathed new life into the term “hospitality.” Moreover, businesses and destinations are seizing the moment to come together and build on their experience to enhance their approach so as to ensure the sustainable and inclusive recovery of the sector. To recover faster, experience has shown the importance of a global coordinated approach with public-private cooperation, the need to enhance the current seamless travel experience, enacting global protocols for health & hygiene, such as WTTC’s Safe Travels Protocols, to rebuild the trust of travellers and embracing the acceleration of technological transformations. At the same time, it will be essential for governments to continue supporting the Travel & Tourism sector throughout the recovery, while removing travel restrictions. As we reflect on these events, we recognise that they could signify only a temporary shift, or they could alter the future landscape of Travel & Tourism. With that in mind, we engaged with top executives in the sector, representing diverse industries and geographies, to hear their perspectives on the impact of COVID-19. Over the course of these interviews, we identified the following trends, which we believe are here to stay for at least the next 24 months.