As lockdowns lift and the pandemic slows in many parts of the world, quarantine-weary countries have one question: When can tourists travel again – and where will they chose to go? The answer, like the COVID-19 crisis, will be complex, blending both fact and emotion.
For some countries, such as those in hard-hit parts of Latin America and other areas, it may also depend on an individual country’s ability to control the virus’ spread. Some countries have seen rapid rates of transmission and, in some cases, infections have spread from big cities to small towns. Where countries are planning to reopen to tourists, officials from the World Health Organization have urged countries to reconsider until infections are under control.
Of course, some countries have managed to contain the virus, but these countries will still face barriers to building back their tourism industries given tourists’ new reluctance to travel.
As countries navigate their particular challenges, here are some factors to consider:
Also read: How Bali, a tourist hotspot, escaped becoming a virus hotspot
Understanding travellers’ new needs
A study by Bloom Consulting and D2-Analytics (Data from April 2020) assessed people’s potential behaviours for the coming year by proposing a range of different scenarios for travel. (While this poll was taken in the Spring, the virus continues to bring uncertainty to travellers and will until it is completely eradicated.)
In the first scenario, respondents were told the virus was controlled and has become a part of our lives. Although travel restrictions would not require quarantines when entering chosen destinations, 45% said they still wouldn’t be ready for a leisure trip.
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In the second scenario, the virus was nearly eradicated, but a treatment had been developed. Despite access to the medication, 35% polled said they’d stay in.
In the third and last potential scenario, the virus was fully eradicated. In this case, there was no risk of infection from COVID-19 and no restrictions to navigate. Despite these facts, 15% of all tourists polled said they still would not leave their homes for a trip.
This question reveals a key travel barrier that did not widely exist in the pre-COVID-19 era: Fear. Some are afraid to be in contact with those possibly infected and, given the choice, would prefer to stay safe in their homes. In fact, 64% of those polled said fear was the main reason they wouldn’t travel in the coming 12 months.
As COVID-19 has brought new sensitivities, it has also changed travel preferences. Nearly half (46%) of all respondents who planned to travel for leisure purposes said they may choose a different destination from the original choice they made prior to the outbreak.
Nearly 39% polled said they may choose less crowded or different types of destinations, ones that have extensive hygiene programs (i.e. application of sanitary measures and initiatives monitoring public health). 8% surveyed said they wouldn’t travel unless to visit their families abroad. Still others said they’d wait for a treatment or vaccine.
Thus, the way governments have handled the crisis will play a large role in tourists’ decisions in choosing a destination. More than half of these travellers – 53% – said they’d switch their destination for one that had a good health system. Effective crisis management and low numbers of COVID-19 cases are crucial to these travellers’ decision-making.
Also read: Saudi Arabia, Russia, UK, Germany hope to ‘wow’ citizens with Covid staycations
Government management is key
Keeping these factors top of mind will be key to communicating the measures in place and developing a sense of safety in tourists in the aftermath of the health crisis. As far as we can see, this crisis won’t vanish in a short period of time. Its impact will cut deep for the long term. Until then, Destination Brands and Destination Marketing Organizations [DMOs] must develop tourism offers that are tailored to tourists’ new needs.
Given the significant impact of public governance perceptions, DMOs must work with governments to establish the fundamental elements that will secure a positive country reputation. This must be done in order to manage the current situation, prepare for the aftermath of the crisis, and anticipate future problems.
Here are some of the key strategies and recommendations that can guide hard-hit countries in Latin America, as well as any country facing the challenges of building back its tourism industry given the changing perceptions regarding target travel audiences:
- Plan your crisis management structure. It is essential for DMOs to have a team or a plan in place that is ready to adapt, analyze and respond to a new normal, new scientific developments or any arising crises. The goal is to ensure a long-term, sustainable approach to show people the destination is prepared for any unforeseen events.Moving forward, fear and uncertainty will be the central factors in a tourists’ decisions, regardless of the rate of transmission in a particular country. These concerns must be accounted for since countries unable to respond to new crises will face a tougher road in rebuilding their tourism sector.
Early in the pandemic, Latin America was mostly a spectator, but countries in Central and South America have been battling the pandemic since. The challenges countries face shift quickly and without warning. Countries, regardless of their transmission phase, must remain vigilant to ensure they can control the virus and their fates to rebuild the tourism sector that’s so important to their economies.
José Filipe Torres, Founder and CEO, Bloom Consulting
This article first appeared in the World Economic Forum
Also read: Rs 3,000 crore and 4 lakh jobs, the price Agra tourism is paying for coronavirus
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