No 101 Corona and Resilience in Tourism (06/2020)
For many years, observers have been predicting that crises - caused for example by climate change or geopolitical turmoils - will be the dominant factor for our travel decisions. This was a long-standing trend, but Corona turned this prognosis into reality from one day to another.
The future is now! For most of us, regardless if we are working in tourism or just love travelling, it sounds like a nightmare, that the current present should already be the new future. And it is not! Because we still have it in our hands to shape this future and to transform tourism! But we cannot wait until tomorrow. We have to start now.
It is more than obvious that most parts of the tourism industry, which for ten years had seen nothing but growth, has failed to use this good years to develop and implement crisis-proof and really sustainable business models. In our overview article on resilience and the reports from India and Iran, we show how prepared some communities are already to cope with various crises and what tourism industry and destinations around the world could learn from them. Our article about South Africa shows, how accomodation providers do not resignate, but try to master the crisis in a way, that also contributes to broader well-being. And while countries such as Germany use billions of Euros to save large corporations, we describe how these recovery programs must be designed if they should not only serve as rescue packages, but become a future program on the longer run.
The summer vacations in Europe are just around the corner. We hope that our articles on virtual trips and on the end of the global travel warnings will give you inspirations - especially if you canceled a long planned and awaited trip to the Global South.
Tourism As A Viable Livelihood?
Due to the corona-crisis, the tourism industry is facing enormous challenges. The pandemic shows which providers and entrepreneurs are more resilient than others. A report from India.
Together In Crises
Iran is not only fighting COVID-19. Political crises, trade sanctions, environmental disasters and a weak economy are pervasive. How do local tourism initiatives react?
Unsustainably Resilient?
Resilience is the new buzz word. It is more than just returning to the old tourism models - which were neither sustainable nor resilient - but to learn from the crises to be better prepared for the next one.
For a new and just economy in tourism
In many countries public programmes are trying to stabilize the tourism sector. Against the background of already existing problems of the sector, how can such programmes transform tourism.
Helpers in need
The platform Ubuntu Beds offers hotel rooms to medical workers in order to reduce the spread of the virus and losses in tourism. An interview with its founder Kim Whitaker.
The end of the global travel warning in Germany
While most European countries are about to re-start tourism, the German government extended the travel warning for countries of the Global South. What does this mean for the destinations and how can travellers act in solidarity?
Virtual traveling
Virtual travel experiences can help tourism providers achieve a low income in times of crisis and give access to places and encounters – even without being on site.
Two guides for respecting workers rights in the COVID-19 crisis
According to the latest ILO Report on COVID-19, a number of key economic sectors are suffering from a drastic fall in outputs. How to respond to the challanges that the workers in food and accomodation service face?
World Heritage Watch Report 2020 released
While sustainable tourism is implicit in the idea of the World Heritage, unsustainable tourism is increasingly morphing into a threat to the sites.
