Sustainability And The Way Forward

Prior to the current crisis, there was significant concern around over tourism and the potential environmental impacts of mass travel. Now that coronavirus has forced us all to push pause, is it time to rethink the industry and put sustainability at its centre?

First, Some Good News

It’s the small glimmer of brightness amongst the coronavirus pandemic. The snow capped peaks of the Himalayas are visible from Punjab in India for the first time in 30 years. Lazy lions sprawl on the sun-warmed asphalt of roads through the Kruger National Park. With no cars and no people, the black bears of Yosemite are enjoying their own private natural paradise. And in the Welsh holiday town of Llandudno a herd of long-horned Great Orme goats have taken over the empty streets.

In the face of an unprecedented worldwide lock down, nature has quickly bounced back. All around the world, the air is cleaner and clearer as pollution levels drop. The murky canals of Venice are running clear (though, sadly, the dolphin sightings were a hoax).

We are able to see many parts of the world in a way we never have before and perhaps appreciate their beauty anew.

Making Sustainability Part Of The Rebuild

At the beginning of April, the World Tourism Organization released a comprehensive report that looks at how the industry can manage the current crisis, recover and move forward. “The COVID-19 pandemic has hit travel and tourism hard,” the report states. “It nevertheless offers a rare opportunity for reflection and re-calibration to grow again, and to grow better for planet and people.” There might be ways to look at a crisis as a unique opportunity.

New Zealand is one example of a destination that has been hit particularly hard by the shutdown and one that will feel the effects for a long time. A relatively small nation in a remote corner of the world, almost all travel here requires a long-haul international flight – and at this stage it is impossible to say when that kind of travel will resume.

Rethinking Travel For The Future

Though it may not seem like it now, we will travel again. But it’s becoming clear that it won’t be the same. We will look at the future of travel post-COVID more in the next issue of LuxNews, but for now we have identified three key elements that we believe will shape the industry.

Tourism Optimization

Not all tourists have the same value or the same impact. Coming from a world where mass tourism was bringing new challenges to many parts of the world, destinations may want to rethink their strategies in future. Environmental impact, visitor spend and dispersion within a destination will become key.

Domestic Holidays

While it’s not yet clear when travel restrictions will be lifted, it is almost certain that domestic travel will come first. Many tourism boards (even those that generally focus only on international visitors) have pivoted and are now encouraging their citizens to holiday at home.

Holistic Approach

The current crisis has made it clear that tourism is everybody’s business. Governments, tourism boards, destination marketers and operators will need to collaborate to ensure that the industry remains strong and that all players are working towards the same goal. Issues of safety, responsibility and awareness will come to the fore and require a universal approach.

From everyone here at Luxperience, we hope you are staying safe in these unprecedented times. It may not be ‘business as usual’ for you or your team right now as we adapt to a new kind of normal.
 

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact the team.

Stay safe and stay at home.