As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate the news and restrict movement across the globe, many of us in the travel and tourism industry are wondering: what will happen after this pandemic? While no one can be sure how the industry will change and when it will return to something more familiar, many travel and tourism industry experts are doing their best to paint a realistic picture of what to expect after the pandemic.
Here are some of the articles we found to be the most insightful on the future of travel and tourism.
June 2020
Who’s doing what? A look at the COVID-19 safety measures museums are planning
“Compared to, say, a shopping mall or airport, museums have something of an advantage when reopening does come... It’s easier for them to keep a tight leash on the number of visitors they allow in — though it may be financially straining to do so — and people tend to have a high opinion of the competency of these institutions.”
As cities and countries around the world are lifting lockdown measures, museums and attractions are preparing to open their doors. Skift spoke to venues around the world to get a sense of how they’re getting ready to welcome visitors once more.
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The capacity challenge: Why attractions need to flatten the visitor curve
“With potential capacity reductions and social distance rules being implemented, it will be difficult for tourism businesses to make ends meet if we are only allowed to accommodate 30% – 50% of our regular numbers.”
One of the biggest challenges museums and attractions will face once they’re allowed to reopen is capacity management. Venues will need to focus on how to maintain a steady trickle of customers, instead of relying on a gushing stream of visitors on weekends and public holidays. Digital Visitor shares a few tips on attracting visitors throughout the day and the week.
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May 2020
Tips for reopening after a pandemic: Why museums should be ready to reopen quickly
“Advocates have long claimed that museums are essential to a functioning society. If that claim has any merit, then museums need to demonstrate it in real-time – by being at the front of the line in rebooting activity."
Museums remain one of the best examples of educational entertainment, and that’s why these venues must open their doors to the public as soon as they can. Artnet explains the integral role museums play in society and offers six tips on reopening your venue safely in this article:
A well-backed prediction: Holidays will change after the pandemic
“As a sustainability enthusiast proposing what a New World Order might look like, I’m confident we’ll emerge from this more conscious, conscientious, and sensitive to the health of the people and planet, and we’ll be ready to help the world heal.”
For those of us in the tourism industry, one of the burning questions is what will travel look like after all this? Juliet Kinsman offers her practical, non-sugar-coated answer to the question we’re all asking. The main takeaways are:
- Domestic travel will recover first
- Holidays that involve little contact with strangers will become more popular
- Sustainable travel will take center stage
A peek at the future of air travel: Emirates’ on-site COVID-19 tests
“Magazines and other print reading material will not be available, and while food and beverages will continue to be offered onboard, packaging and presentation will be modified to reduce contact during meal service to minimize the risk of interaction.”
If you’ve been wondering what flying will look like after all this, Emirates’ new regulations offer pretty good insight. From ten-minute COVID-19 tests before boarding to wearing masks in airports and planes, air travel will likely be a very different experience going forward.
All eyes on China: Will this be a case of ‘First in, first out’?
“Many Chinese people will likely not leave the country, as they’ll need to quarantine themselves for 14 days after they return. This will probably mean that any holiday plans for the immediate future will only involve domestic travel.”
As the first country to have suffered the COVID-19 outbreak and one of the first to flatten the curve of the infection rate, China has the global stage. Helena Beard, the founder of Guanxi and an expert in Chinese tourism, shared her take on the current situation and likely developments with Tiqets.
On the tech front: Using contact tracing to curb the spread
“Users will be able to receive alerts if they came into contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.”
Apple and Google have announced a joint effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. How? By using Bluetooth to track people's locations and alert them if they’ve come into contact with anyone known to have the virus. And they’re not the only ones working on contact-tracing technology to fight COVID-19.
