With travel having been on pause for the past few months, tastemakers and expert leaders have had some time to reflect and think about the future of the travel industry. But, with many companies simply fighting to survive, will the progress made in sustainable travel before the pandemic hit be lost? Here, for Forbes, I talk to two experts to find out how they define the future of travel.
Greg Miller gets to grips with nature in West Virginia.
Greg Miller, the executive director of CREST (Center for Responsible Travel), says he is hoping that the travel industry sees this as a chance to reboot tourism to a more sustainable and responsible model, combatting issues like over-tourism.
Do you think that the pandemic will have a positive effect on the planet?
The pandemic will have little impact on the planet directly, with the exception of the temporary lapse in human-induced pollution, land and marine habitat alteration, and reduced global greenhouse gas emissions. The massive, negative impacts of the pandemic are directed at, and felt by, human populations. If there is a positive affect from the pandemic, it is on our collective human perception of our impacts and what we can and must do as a society to respond, adapt, and be resilient. Those lessons, while very uneven, should help humanity address the bigger crisis of climate change.
Green travel: Vinales, Cuba
Will we eventually return to how we were travelling before frequently and carelessly or is this a dawn of a new age?
Clearly, there will be a slow emergence of travel, with a focus on safe, closer-to-home alternatives. The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) wants to see significant, enduring change toward quality over quantity tourism, with an individual and societal commitment to responsible travel practices. The economic impacts of Covid-19 have made consumers more aware of how their spending choices impact local communities, and we hope to see that awareness reflected in their travel practices.
CREST is part of a coalition of six global nonprofit organizations that have come together to form the Future of Tourism Coalition with a mission to place destination communities at the center of tourisms recovery. Were calling on destinations, companies, and other tourism stakeholders to sign on to our13 Guiding Principles, which set a bold new vision for tourisms future.
How do countries, which rely heavily on tourism, combat over-tourism, especially when they will be trying to claw back business ?
CREST seeks a paradigm shift in post-pandemic tourism recovery, with a deliberate and strategic commitment from countries to a quality over quantity approach to tourism development. It is the quality of visitation, not the quantity of visitors that countries and destinations need to seek and measure. Tourism development needs to measure what matters for a sustainable future.
Tapping into local cultures is important for the future of sustainable travel.
How do you feel about the future of travel?
I firmly believe that tourism done right, through a responsible travel lens and with a commitment to an equitable and sustainable future, can be a force for good to rebuild a better world. Responsible travel is an essential element to biodiversity conservation, the stewardship of natural and cultural sites and peoples, and the foundation for experience-based economies in much of the world. The future of a robust, healthy human society is inextricably linked to a future of travel built around ourGuiding Principles.
Jessica Hall Upchurch is the vice-chair and sustainability strategist at Virtuoso, the global luxury travel network made up on over 20,000 advisors in more than 50 countries. She predicts that the pandemic will lead to a tipping point where there will be a heightened level of awareness to make sustainability not just good practice, but good business as well.
How will the pandemic affect the future of travel?
Right now, its hard to fully know what to expect in the future, though its safe to say life wont look the same and neither will the travel experience. There are many unknowns and consumer confidence is unsteady because rules and restrictions dont only vary by country, they can vary by county and state. The one thing that does feel certain is that people will travel again; the pent-up demand is there. Our travel advisors tell us the mood started to change about three weeks ago, when the panicked calls of cancellations and postponements shifted to clients calling with enquiries about when and where to travel next. And savvy travelers learned that when youre in the midst of a global crisis, you want a travel advisor on your side.
The andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is rooted in conservation.
Virtuoso recently polled clients to gage their appetite for travel in the future. Roughly one-third said they would be interested in traveling within the next three months, either on a multi-day road trip or a domestic destination a short flight away. International travel will have a longer recovery period, with another 30 per cent of respondents saying it would be six to 12 months before they look to travel overseas.
There are steps beyond having a Covid-19 vaccine that will make people more willing to travel sooner than later, and that includes relaxed cancellation policies. The industry is coming together to try and restore confidence, and organizations, like the World Travel and Tourism Council, are working towards creating a seamless traveler experience.
Will people be moreaware of theenvironment and good practice or will they just want to have a holidayagain at any cost?
There has never been an event, at least in my lifetime, that has so universally affected every inhabitant of this planet. This crisis has touched the lives of everyone in some way, and many have felt it more acutely than others. With every tragedy, though, comes the opportunity to learn from it and we will see that in the travel community as well as many others.
The notion of were all in this together not only pertains to the virus, it also shows how we are all interconnected regardless of geography, culture, language, age and economic standing. We now have a better understanding of how one action, big or small, can impact someone half a world away, and it will change what we want from travel and how we experience it going forward.Therewill be an even greater focus on mindful travel, creating what were calling the conscious comeback.
Embracing nature and dark skies at andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.
How can businesses embrace sustainability as good business practice, not just a goodmoral one?
Companies that engage in sustainable tourism have been waiting for consumers to catch up, and this pandemic has led to a tipping point where the travelers heightened level of awareness makes sustainability not just good practice, but good business as well.
andBeyond, an organization rooted in conservation, has determined that a profitable company with a solid income and business plan creates a steadier stream of support for charitable causes and initiatives. Since CEO Joss Kent introduced this model, andBeyond now brings in more than $1 billion per year.
The three pillars of sustainability we promote within Virtuoso arecelebrating cultures,supporting local economies and protecting the planet. Wildlife conservation has long been associated with sustainability and honoring cultural heritage has as well. The economic impact has not been as closely associated with sustainability, yettravel and tourism is a significant driver in global GDP and its impact on local economies is equally, if not even more, significant. As local businesses were forced to close, we deepened our appreciation for the reliance we have upon them and gained a heightened sense of desire to support our local businesses and local economies throughout the world. A key part of the conscious comeback is feeding tourism dollars back into cities, towns and villages, all of which rely on that revenue to support their citizens.
andBeyond Bateleur Camp is found in Kenya's Masai Mara.
Travel companies not already supporting sustainability should take note. They have an opportunity to rethink how they want to do business in the long-term. While theres no doubt that just getting back to work is front of mind for everyone, looking ahead at how we protect the planet, its people and their cultures and economies, is a way to ensure tourism remains a viable industry for future generations.
While the safety protocols airlines, hotels, cruise lines and local attractions have in place will play a significant role in restoring consumer confidence, the focus needs to be on how this can be done without harsh chemicals. Travel entities are learning from each other and finding ways to sustainably sanitize, a practice that protects the health of staff, guests and the environment. One of the strengths of the Virtuoso network is the ability to share best practices amongst peers and apply them to improve products and services for the end traveler, and thats what were seeing happen.
At andBeyond Bateleur Camp guests can gain insight into local cultures as well as interacting ... [+] closely with wildlife.
Do you think this time of stillness we have experienced will have a positive effect on the future of travel?
Its been beautiful to see is how this pause has allowed some spots under strain to heal. Pollution has declined, urban waterways are cleaner, wildlife is reclaiming land that it was driven from decades ago. While its unrealistic to think it will stay this way, the realization of how were impacting the planet may now better inform our decisions as both citizens and travelers.
The appreciation for nature has never been greater, and travelers want to explore the beauty of national and state parks. Similarly, there is a strong desire to restore mental and spiritual wellbeing, and places that allow people to recharge and escape the realities theyve been facing will also be on the rise.
The return of tourism is crucial to ending poaching, reducing poverty and protecting some of the worlds most beloved sights. The stillness has had positive effects, but pausing for too long could potentially cause long-term damage.
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From The Experts: Will The Pandemic Make Us Care More About Our Planet? - Forbes
