Tourism has been brought to its knees by the COVID-19 pandemic, to the point of becoming the sector most affected by the health crisis, which has major repercussions as it represents 10% of global GDP. If you want to know more how this epidemic is affecting the economy in the tourism industry, then you can have a look on workengo.it.
The future will be marked by many complex challenges, which must be addressed according to a model of change. We must focus on technological innovation, customer service, and a reasonable price for services, to ensure sufficient profit margin and finance renewal.
The Current Situation In The Tourism Sector
This is undoubtedly a worrying scenario for tourism-related businesses. The forecasts for the sector are indeed alarming. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, up to 50 million jobs could be lost over the next few months, with a massive economic impact on Asia, the United States, and Europe.
The companies most affected are airline and cruise lines, with damage requiring up to 12 months of recovery to return to pre-crisis levels. The hospitality industry also suffered notable losses, although overall lower compared to others.
Many structures have responded to the call to help society as a whole, offering rooms and services to cover the needs of the various national health services. This choice demonstrates the maturity of the sector and such actions could be rewarded by clients when the situation improves.
Potential Future Scenarios For Travel And Tourism
Many countries have now passed the peak of the emergency, leading some governments to enter a slow and difficult phase two. The gradual reopening is an extremely delicate process that requires an in-depth analysis of the activities capable of restarting, as well as careful monitoring of the situation.
According to experts, the coming months will be a period of great uncertainty, during which will follow phases of easing interrupted by a sudden return of restrictive measures in the event of an increase in the number of new cases. The future, therefore, remains complicated, especially for companies that cannot plan long-term investments and strategies.
The most likely model will focus on local tourism, with short trips over short distances, and valuing the quality of services rather than prices. Hotels, transport companies, travel agencies, and airlines need to ensure social distancing, frequent sanitization, and more flexible booking systems.
Tourism And Hospitality: Post-Covid-19 Opportunities
The tourism and hospitality sectors will be profoundly transformed in the coming months and years. It will therefore be essential, not only to adapt to the new requirements of a post-COVID-19 society but also, and above all to increase profit margins to have the necessary funds to face any future health crises.
At the same time, it is fundamental to invest in services to the population to ensure an adequate environment for overnight stays, transport, and the enjoyment of tourist experiences. Technology will play a key role, and tourism businesses need to take a step back from OTA platforms to establish a direct relationship with their customers.
To do this, they need to update their website, social media profiles, and communication and marketing strategies to create multi-channel structures, optimized for each browsing device. Using data and analytics through artificial intelligence software will be vital in understanding customer requirements and providing them with the services that best meet their needs.
The technology offers a multitude of options, from advanced CRMs to virtual and augmented reality systems. CRM systems like Salesforce Sales Cloudrepresent a fundamental tool for hotels and accommodation providers, as access to a complete set of data facilitates understanding of customer preferences and thus enables tailor-made solutions to be offered.
It is also crucial to improve customer service to make it more immediate and dynamic. It is important to respond to customer requests as quickly as possible by email and phone and social media. The ideal solution is a multi-channel platform like the one offered by Salesforce, which allows simple and personalized management of all customer requests.