Jonathon Day

Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

The global spread of Covid19 and its impact on the tourism industry have taken place with such speed that there has been little time for thoughtful analysis. Nevertheless, the last few weeks bring issues of risk and resilience to the forefront.

 

Tourism must recognize the risks we face as an industry. Covid19 is a reminder of the importance of system thinking in tourism. In an interconnected world, the impacts of covid19 are playing out through the tourism system, in both anticipated and unanticipated ways. As a global industry, many of our most significant challenges will come from external issues that will impact the whole tourism system. In the past, it has been more common to have to deal with local issues – natural disasters, etc. Today, it is clear that Tourism must prepare for external shocks of a global scale, like climate change, pandemics, even economic downturns, and build resilience to continue through these challenges. We are all more interconnected than ever before.  Destinations and communities that rely on tourism must recognize the volatility and possible risks associated with the industry. We must remember that the easiest “adaptation” for any issue – from the threat of disease or changing weather -  is for the consumer to stop traveling.

 

I am also reminded by some wisdom I was given early in my career about crisis management. The truth is  “you don't get to define the crisis; the public defines the crisis.” The pleas from our industry leaders to consumers to continue traveling for rational reasons like “the chances of contracting the disease are relatively small” are largely ineffective. Consumers, whether they are correct or not, will determine their responses to the perceived threats. But there is an opportunity for the industry to support those travelers that are traveling. For the leisure travelers that have chosen to travel this season, and the US spring break just around the corner,  we must reassure them that we are committed to their safety. They are worried, vulnerable, and want to have permission to let down their guard and have some fun. Frankly, while I realise that the cruise industry has faced unprecedented circumstances in the last month,  the experiences of the cruise passengers reflect poorly on tourism as a whole.  This is the time for the tourism industry to show its commitment to care for their guests. I hope that I am soon reading in the press about tourism and hospitality organizations that are not just doing the minimum but are demonstrating “over the top” care,  through hand sanitizing stations, adding cleaning staff to wipe surfaces in public spaces, etc. This is an opportunity to build trust and long term relationships with our customers by exceeding their expectations.  

View all 21 views in this viewpoint