Could this be the end of tourism as we know it?

This may sound like some apocalyptic story or the work of Francis Fukuyama but it is a thought that has haunted me now for the past month, ever since the governments across the world decided to reopen corridors and create travel bridges for the adventurou

Travel and tourism are activities I believe in, that I have researched and which I am studying and which, for me, represent that socio-cultural activity which brings so many benefits for communities and countries. But the old normal that stopped abruptly last March was far from sustainable, definitely not responsible and caused horrific examples of over tourism. So I ask again, could this be the end of tourism as we know it?

It has often been cited and stated that: “Tourism is like a fire, it can cook your meal but it can also burn your house down.” Unfortunately no one ever really appreciated what this meant and we all carried on with our old normal – governments continued to exhalt the growing numbers of tourists arriving each year, they glowed at the sight of increased revenue figures and they were enthralled by the number of bed-nights tourists spent in the country. We had turned this wonderful experience, called tourism, into a monster, an industry that ravaged every character, every corner of the destination, indeed we had seen that fire that burnt bright full of hospitality and service go out of control through sheer greed and irresponsibility. Indeed we did not even stop and think, when we had the chance last March, to reflect, redevelop and restore a sustainable activity – we charged into the foolish strategy to open corridors, simply to passify the businessperson! But like the ghost of Christmas present and Christmas future, we are experiencing just how ill-conceived that strategy really was. Last Sunday, in the local papers was an interview with local hoteliers, but instead of a positive image of growth and resilience we read about despair and gloom and like Ebenezer Scrooge we shuddered; that same week I read about the situation in LA, that vibrant and glitzy strip of desert that is usually coated with wealth and entertainment – again a prediction of a gloomy future for this town. But then I thought, what is it that made other businesses survive the last 100 years (including iconic hotels and retail outlets) through a global pandemic, wars and economic turmoil? Why is it that now we lack the “guts” to resist these challenges?

Perhaps it is time we re-created travel and tourism as that sociocultural experience that enthralled people for hundreds of years, from the Grand Tourist to the intra-war years, those times when travel and tourism was not about looking for bargains, focussing on price and availability but more on experiences, on seeing the unique cultures and histories of places as entertainment not looking at entertainment based on sun, sea and staged-authenticity. Perhaps we need to learn what it means to be hospitable, what it means to host a traveller, we should appreciate what service actually is and know that there is no such thing as “bad” service, because bad service means no service.

Travel tourism may end but out of these reflections, out of our commitment, trust and synergy to deliver a sustainable activity that is responsible and adds value to the socio-cultural experience we can and will benefit. Let us rekindle the fire, control the flames but dance in the glow of true hospitality and service – only then can we make this happen.