Has the Pandemic modified Tourism?

MP Bezbaruah commends the Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to revitalize tourism in the country and shares its opinion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector and further developments in the changing times.

Just as the tourism industry saw a glimmer of hope at the start of the new year, the pandemic has returned with greater anger. Things are back to first place, so to speak. But even in this unfolding darkness there is optimism: With the majority of the population covered with vaccinations and higher herd immunity, the pandemic will calm down in a few months and tourism can be revived.

With that optimism, now is the time to carefully plan the resuscitation. Will it be as usual for tourism or have things changed? Surely the numbers have changed. So has attitudes and preferences of the consumer. While the numbers can be rebuilt, it would be wise to take note of the noticeable changes.

As for the numbers, COVID-19 has brought tourism to a complete standstill. International tourism is back to the level it was 30 years ago. The effects of tourism were spread across many activities, causing so-called “ripple effects” across the economy. This overall effect has not yet been assessed. However, the UN-WTO (World Tourism Organization) points out what it is about – 100 to 120 million direct jobs, a loss of up to $ 1.2 trillion in international visitor spending, and a loss of $ 2 trillion in global GDP .

The UNWTO has highlighted some of the general changes in trends that are likely to be more established in the future. Health and safety measures, as well as cancellation policy, are the main concerns of consumers. Such concerns result in their primary preferences for sustainability, authenticity and “locality”. Travelers are placing more emphasis on making a positive impact on local communities and are increasingly looking for authenticity. Nature, rural tourism and road trips have emerged as popular travel options due to renewed interest in sustainability, travel restrictions and the search for open air experiences off the beaten path. Travelers are also aware of their responsibilities and expect a similar awareness from the host communities. Domestic tourism has shown positive signs in many markets as people tend to travel closer. Travelers go on vacation or vacation near home. Due to concerns about health and safety, the recovery from travel was stronger in younger segments. “Mature” travelers and retirees are likely to be the most affected segments in the future.

In 2015, when the world passed the SDGs – a 2030 Agenda for a Transformational World – tourism was only mentioned in Goals 8, 12 and 14, but it was found that tourism can contribute directly or indirectly to all goals. The pandemic is believed to seriously jeopardize the achievement of the goals, but it also provides an opportunity to re-emphasize the overarching need for sustainability in order to save the only planet we have. According to the UNWTO, Covid 19 is “a turning point in aligning efforts to preserve tourism-dependent livelihoods on SDGs and ensuring a more resilient, more inclusive, climate-neutral and more resource-efficient future”.

No wonder that the UNWTO recently issued the Tbilishi Declaration, in which it reaffirmed its commitment to work towards a sustainable recovery in tourism. It was defined that future plans and strategies should put people first so that tourism can safely restart, accelerate economic recovery and bring hope to millions of people.

In India, there is no doubt that the first impetus to revitalize tourism will come from domestic tourism. Even during the brief lull in the pandemic, when travel and movement restrictions were relaxed, the pent-up demand had filled resorts and destinations near metropolitan areas. India has huge tourist attractions of very great diversity – nature, wildlife, mythology, history, culture, heritage. Even when tourism was absent, the Ministry of Tourism kept the campaign for domestic tourism – “Dekho Apna Desh” – in full swing. In order to make domestic tourism a motor for inclusive growth, much effort must be made to create appropriate infrastructures such as communication facilities that make travel easy and affordable, accommodation that meets health and hygiene standards, imaginative roadside facilities and sustainable Development of travel destinations. If the local community is to benefit economically, local handicrafts, cuisine and culture must be integrated into the development of the travel destinations. Authentic and effective storytelling is also essential to creating a good experience. Trained local guides can fill this gap. It is encouraging to note that the government’s draft tourism policy has established professional destination management involving the local community as a priority area.

Responsible tourism that aims to create a sustainable experience and safe hygienic goals is possible when responsibility is shared in partnership by all stakeholders – government, local community, tourists and service providers in the private sector. This responsibility brings with it some elements of accountability. In August 2014, the Ministry of Tourism introduced the Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) for the housing, tour operators and beaches, backwaters, lakes and rivers sectors. It is necessary to review these criteria in the context of a changing situation and find ways to implement them properly.

The only thing that can be said with certainty about the future is that nothing can be said with certainty. According to the UNWTO, the recovery prospects remain cautious. The expert group assumes that the revival will take place in 2022 at the earliest. 43% of experts expect a return to 2019 levels by 2023, while 41% believe this will not be the case until 2024 or later.

“When the sea is rough, the wise fisherman repairs his nets,” says the fishing community in the coastal areas. There is much wisdom in this common sense.