Rebuilding Travel Survey Results
COVID 19 has been forcing the global travel and tourism industry to its knees. Organizations including UNWTO, WTTC, ETOA, PATA, US Travel, and many others announce their own path to a solution, but very few approaches are hands-on and believable.
The truth is, no one has a solution at this time. No one knows what is next for our industry. The tourism industry will not restart without many different countries, many different organizations, and voices singing in a quire.
Tourism bubbles, regional tourism are all good ideas, but they are temporary. Such initiatives may minimize the danger of catching the virus when traveling, but there is no guarantee.
The truth is the industry is on a path to disaster, bankruptcy and human suffering. Voices from those involved in this industry want to work, they want to get back to normal, but is this really possible?
Europe is reopening their borders as of today to allow travel between EU countries and approved overseas destinations. A quick survey eTurboNews in Germany did show most people asked on the street prefer to stay home this summer.
It’s understandable that destinations, airlines, hotels, travel agents, tour operators, bus and taxi companies are getting desperate. They all know the only way to relaunch travel is to guarantee safety for travelers. Travelers need to be encouraged to get on a plane and must feel comfortable doing this.
Protocols to sanitize aircraft, hotel rooms, and shopping malls is great. Keeping your distance on the beach, the pool, in bars and restaurants, or in shopping malls is necessary, but does it make travel really safe and desirable?
United Airlines and American Airlines today went a step further and are again selling their middle seats. Social distancing is simply not possible on an aircraft – and airlines know it. It’s not possible with a middle seat open either.
Some countries try to guarantee safety, Corona free zones, or other initiatives. Just today Turkey announced a “Safe Tourism Program“.
Every destination, every hotel, every airline making such promises know clearly that safety simply cannot be guaranteed at this time. Until we have a vaccine any guarantee of safety is a hoax and will remain a hoax.
