With the rise of the Coronavirus and 2020 ending up being the worst year for travelers, we’re all left worried about the future of the travel industry. But most importantly, with that being unknown, we’re also worried about the damage this pandemic has caused the travel and tourism industry. So, how can we save tourism around the world?

But first, Why Do We Need to Save Tourism?

In early 2019, a study by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has shown that the travel and tourism industry was the second-fastest growing industry after healthcare. According to WTTC’s study, the industry grew by 3.9% in 2018, above global GDP growth of 3.2%.

The industry also contributes to global economies by creating endless jobs, as it, in fact, involves many other industries within itself. Those include transportation, lodging, activities, and more. Not just that, but there are many countries that their GDP highly relies on tourism, such as Italy, Mexico, and my homeland, Egypt.

So, why again bother to save tourism? To minimize the loss that could be in billions of dollars and to help people keep their jobs.

6 Ways You Can Help Save Tourism

Visiting Tourism-Reliant Destinations

“Now the travel industry is struggling, it is important for us to try and support those businesses that are suffering the most. Do you have a favorite campsite or hotel you like to visit? Why not go on a staycation? Although it seems like long-distance international travel won’t be happening, or even sound like a good idea in the short-term, we can still help out places and businesses hit by the lockdown closer to home and contribute to local tourism. You can easily take your car and drive up to the coast or the hills for exhilarating hikes and adventures. Stay at family-owned hotels and eat in little restaurants to help revive the area. It would be such a pity if these places would disappear.

But the same is also true for more exotic destinations. Once international travel is on the horizon, again it would be nice to try and travel to your favorite destinations. Especially poorer countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and even Thailand that will have been hit hard due to the travel restrictions. People owning bars, restaurants, and hotels in tourist hotspots have problems keeping their businesses open and even feeding their families. I myself am stuck in Sri Lanka due to the border closure of the United Arab Emirates and I noticed how businesses by the beach are struggling to exist. If you have a favorite city, holiday spot, resort, or even beach, try and visit it when it’s safe to travel again. If people stay away, it might not ever be the same, or worse, it might not ever open up again.”

– Lieze Neven of Glitter Rebel

Supporting Small Businesses

“Several initiatives have been created to enable people to support small businesses that depend on the tourism industry, such as hostels, restaurants, and homestays. For example, through the Adopt a Hostel program, you can purchase a gift card for a future visit at a number of hostels all around the world. On a more local level, Adopt a Restaurant schemes have started up in some cities. In Portland, Oregon, you can purchase a meal from a local restaurant that will then be donated to a charitable organization, fire station, or hospital. That way, you’re not only helping the restaurant to stay in business, you’re also supporting people in need within the community.

My favorite of these “adopt a business” schemes is the Support Your Travel Gems campaign by Gemtrack. Gemtrack’s focus is on small, sustainable tourism businesses that promote eco-friendly travel and benefit local communities. Their website features retreat centers, tour guides, and many other tourism businesses, primarily in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Each profile includes info about various ways that you can support these small businesses in these difficult times. And if you have a favorite “travel gem” that you don’t see on the Gemtrack website, you can sponsor a profile for them. The donation for sponsoring is 20 euros, and this money will help Gemtrack help save tourism by getting the word out about these worthy causes and sharing their stories with a wider audience.”

– Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan

Booking Virtual Tours With Guides

“There are many ways to help save tourism before you can travel again and one of my favorite activities is the virtual tours you can do with tour guides around the world. However, make sure you only practice ethical armchair travel and choose only companies that support sustainable tourism practices.

A few weeks ago, I went on a “Quarantour” to Costa Rica, where I was meant to spend the month of May. Cooee is a great site where local guides all over the world can register to offer virtual tours. While the countries are still in lockdown, the guides will do it from home, showing you how to make a national food or drink, talking about how lockdown is in their country and if you want, talk about future travel to their country. It is a perfect way to get to know the culture and the people of your chosen destination.

There are also other options to go on virtual tours, like online Airbnb Experiences. These include all types of virtual experiences; from cooking classes to meditation and dancing classes, offered by hosts from all around the world.

By joining a virtual tour, you don’t only get an experience of a lifetime, you also support a travel business that needs it.

– Linn Haglund of Brainy Backpackers

Plan a Trip for the Birthdays or Anniversaries That Fell Out

“What better way to support the travel industry during its recovery than to make up for all these missed celebrations with a short getaway or staycation in your hometown? Once you are able to, book a room for a couple of nights with your partner, family, or group of friends and plan to pop the bubbles to cheers for everything that has passed us during the last few months. Invite people to join you and plan a fancy dinner or relaxing weekend by the pool. Or take the kids somewhere fun to make up for those less-than-exciting birthday celebrations they had to endure without their friends.

Many hotels are offering specials to welcome their guests back, including belated birthday and anniversary specials. Have a search online or ring around to see if you can find a package deal that includes drinks and dinner. Make up for all that lost time, and bring much-needed business to our travel industry friends that are doing it tough. “

– Stephanie Perez of Navigating Adventure

Travel Gifts

“Are you always looking for the best gift ideas but end up buying the same boring things last minute? Well, this changes now! There are tons of ways how travel can make a great gift for anyone, even on a budget. And now, it’s even a better idea to help save the industry.

Giving someone a surprise trip for their birthday doesn’t necessarily mean you have to organize a full vacation and pay for all the expenses (although you can if you want to). It can be as easy as buying a gift card from GetYourGuide that your friend can spend on any attraction or activity. You can also choose the right amount that suits your budget. Another option is to buy a tour that includes everything but transfer. So as soon as they get to the starting point, you have them covered, and if you can’t afford airline tickets, it’s ok too. Still, a great and thoughtful gift, especially if it’s to a place your friend always wanted to visit!

The best thing about gift coupons is that they are flexible! When you organize a weekend trip for someone who already has plans for that weekend, it might lead to disappointment. But if you give them an attraction gift card that they can use in whatever next trip they have, chances are high they’ll actually use it. Accommodation services like Airbnb or Hotels.com also have gift card options for you to choose from.

Forget about all those material gifts that are basically just dust collectors and start giving your loved ones memorable experiences instead!

– Juliet of Live Your Dream TODAY

Support Travel Bloggers 

“It is estimated that approximately 10% of the world’s population is employed by the travel industry. Sadly, this industry has been one of the hardest hit by the Coronavirus, and among those heavily affected are Travel Bloggers.  

Travel Bloggers are often seen as having an elusive dream job. However, the reality is that these people work extremely hard. Being a travel blogger often means working for years building and growing a website before you even begin to see any return on investment. Trips are funded out of people’s own pockets, and content is created for passion before the ad revenue and the brand collaborations come in. 

A significant portion of people today use travel blogs when planning and organizing their trips. Why would you rifle through a chunky guidebook to find the answer to a travel query when you can find a blog through Google or Pinterest? Blogs are often updated more frequently than guidebooks and best of all, they are completely free. 

Remember your favorite travel bloggers and content creators during the corona era. Since nobody is traveling, your favorite bloggers have likely lost most of their income. Many are powering through in the hope that travel resumes soon. However, your support is always appreciated.

Some bloggers may set up Patreon accounts where you can donate a dollar or two to help keep their business afloat. Think of it as a thank you for the free guides they’ve provided over the years. Everybody’s economic situation is more difficult thanks to coronavirus. If you are not able to subscribe to Patreon, simply show your support by commenting on their Instagram posts, sharing their articles to your Facebook page, or retweeting their posts. “

– Melissa Douglas of High Heels & a Backpack

If you really are a devoted traveler, it’s your turn to give back to the travel community by attempting to save tourism. If you have any ideas on how we can help the industry recover, drop a comment below!

You might also like:

• The Future Travel Experience Post-Lockdown
• 11 Post-Quarantine Travel Plans to Restore Your Wanderlust

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