Source: kearney.com
TOURISM
Figure 7. Hundreds of millions (even billions) of dollars are being dedicated to the tourism sector.
An immediate measure identified in the South African Tourism Recovery Plan to protect the supply-side capacity of the sector is transformation via a Tourism Equity Fund. One of the five pillars of this strategy focuses on transformation, rural and township tourism development, enterprise development and investment. As a combination of grant funding, concessionary loans and debt finance, the fund will cater to the specific needs of black-owned businesses to acquire equity, invest in new developments or expand existing ones.
in immediate need. Singapore has also launched a public awareness campaign, using cartoons to communicate safety procedures to people of all ages, and is giving key updates via WhatsApp. The South African government has devoted a special Covid-19 section on their website with daily updates on the virus count. The site provides information on our alert system, information for households, travel, work, vaccines as well as other resources. STAGE TWO: RECOVER Get the industry back on its feet Recalibrate the plan New travel behaviour will emerge after the pandemic has been suppressed, based on which destinations and source markets no longer pose a health risk, travellers’ willingness to take new trips, and their financial ability to do so. Those in the “resilient” category – businesspeople, millennials and seasoned wealthy travellers – are likely to return earlier. As for types of travel, domestic tourism is typically the first to tip back, followed by lower-cost regional trips within areas at a similar level of recovery, and then long-haul journeys (for example, a travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia; a travel bubble between Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; and talks of a potential travel bubble between China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea). The Indonesian government has identified domestic tourism as vital to countering the impact of Covid-19 on its tourism sector and has set aside millions of dollars to encourage citizens to visit the country. In Australia, the government is planning to launch a $7-million marketing campaign to draw back visitors from Japan, the US and New Zealand. Rebuild tourist confidence Once ready to reopen to visitors, extra safety protocols will be needed to eliminate a new outbreak. This means continuing to monitor the domestic and international situation to make sure inbound journeys do not pose a health risk to their destination. All touchpoints along the tourist journey will need to be safeguarded, for example: • Managing visa procedures online to reduce physical contact • At airports, tracking flights to and from areas of outbreak; putting
social distancing barriers and markings in place; providing mandatory hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment (PPE) to staff and travellers, and carrying out health checks or tests where needed; routine disinfections and deep-cleaning • On aircraft, allocating seating in accordance with social distancing regulations; reducing in-flight services; installing high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters; routine deep-cleaning • At accommodations, rules for common areas to meet social distancing regulations; revised standards for food storage, handling, and catering plus ventilation and cleaning Once the measures are in place, destinations should employ effective marketing to let the world know it is safe to visit again. The Indonesian government will spend almost 72-billion rupiah (US$5-million) on a social media influencer campaign to promote its tourist hotspots, while Australia plans to launch multimillion-dollar campaigns targeting its domestic and international tourist markets. Attract new and returning visitors With travel confidence having taken a knock and many countries trying to reignite the industry at the same time, competition to regain lost ground will be fierce. Clever marketing techniques and incentives will be needed to persuade tourists to choose a particular destination. These could include visa changes (such as waiving or relaxing visa requirements and extending permitted stays), announcing new flagship events to attract visitors, or giving people a helping hand where they might appreciate it most – their wallet. Malaysia, for example, plans to offer travel discount vouchers, and income tax relief for domestic tourists. Other incentives could be a reduction in visa fees or vouchers for popular attractions. Identify new opportunities The pandemic has unleashed a huge wave of innovation. In the future, countries might consider acknowledging efforts to fight the disease with landmarks, museums or scientific and educational facilities. Some museums are building coronavirus collections (for example, collecting personal items from citizens with Covid-19 to detail their crisis).
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