As we all know that COVID-19 is a nightmare of human being. We are on the era of all changes from mindset to habits. Cost and lost that are caused by the pandemic are really bad effects to economy and society. Estimated by World Tourism Forum Institute (WTFI), the global tourism industry is set to incur losses of $1 trillion from the coronavirus outbreak. Stressing the virus’ spreading speed and its effects on the sector. 50 million people working in the sector may lose their jobs, (Bulut Bagci, 2020). Therefore, this time is the decision making for us to reestablish the history of tourism industry at transcendent value with a real respect to environment. The following solutions will be effective keys to succeed for responsible tourism.
Rethinking the concept Seller
The concept seller provides types of stay for tourists. It is the place where tourists can experience during their journey. It is started when tourists are away from their house moving to another place. The place means where tourists stay in train, plane, bus, ship. Also, the place means they stay in hotel, resort, or site, ect. Therefore, the seller who gives these services is integrated among stakeholders of tourism supply chain. It can be in accommodation group (seller). On the other hand, it can be in travel agencies which are thought as buyers including means of transportation.
Rethinking the concept Buyer
The one who has the most power to decide buying an experience is the tourist. It can be independent individual or group of people. In the other hand, the buyer comes from seller or input supplier. For example, farmers who provide raw materials for restaurants can be tourism customers. A sale man who provides oil for transportation can be a tourism buyer. Accordingly, we are sellers and buyers together.
How to make a sustainable life circle through responsible tourism?
To meet sustainable tourism development, we have to start from the concept of responsible tourism. It means all tourism actors being aware of how to organize and enjoy the achievement from sustainable tourism. The achievement brings the human back a respected natural life. We, ourselves, are beneficiaries from what we sow.
How to manage responsible tourism for ourselves?
First of all, tourism sellers have to produce all sustainable services, products and experiences. For example, a hotel needs to base on clean and green concept with all facilitations, equipment, amenities which made from respected nature material. They are not harmful to environment and people when used. Hotel industry should have a common declaration on the value of environment health when it is operated. Moreover, clean water system, green energies, healthy foods are made from real input quality suppliers. For instance, the requirement of quality should be ensured from the health of resource labor force such as farmers, workers, middle men even hotel staff to produce quality input products. Moreover, we focus more on mental factors of producers who are well cared of physical and spiritual value to give birth a perfect tourism product. Furthermore, hotel industry should be an actor to maintain what they used. For example, if they use bamboo for the concept of hotel, they have to grow or give fund for more next bamboo generations. Otherwise the bamboo is destroyed. It will harm to the environment. As a result, accommodations will have plenty of responsible services for customers such as healthy gastronomic hotel, green energy hotel, resort for nature, etc.
In addition, sellers from travel agency groups should design responsible customized tours or journeys. Travel companies, tour operators partner with suppliers of stay, restaurants, transportations who have the same value of responsible products. For example, no carbon flights that are strictly required using clean fuel. And the airline company has a history compliance with environmental values such as not transferring within 700kms among destinations. Actually, travel companies are almost final sellers of the whole tourism supply chain. Therefore, they have power to choose which suppliers will stand with them for a responsible journey. The process is started from the beginner of input suppliers such as farmer, fisher, planter, ect., to form a sustainable journey. Travel companies set marketing content of responsibility mindset into all channels for sale. It makes sure that customers will receive the message and help them to decide.
Responsible buyers
Responsible buyers give responsible consuming habits. Smart consumers from tourism sellers will acknowledge what they choose for a responsible journey. Smart consumers from other channels are also aware of their responsibility for environment during the journey. Their social values are determined when they join such a tour. On the other hand, responsible tours bring opportunities for customers practicing responsible spirit, and useful lifestyle. Tourists are willing to pay a high price for a journey that can help them to improve for living values and dedicating for environmental protection. The demand of responsible tourism grows higher, it will push responsible produce.
In conclusion, post COVID-19 opens a new era of living value awareness. Useful habits are formed such as keeping hygiene, keeping clean, keeping green, choosing zero carbon products, healthy foods, especially mental treatments by yoga and meditation. Human being should repay for the nature a value of its used to be via new living standards and conditions. We have to reline up of consume needs. Respects to the nature from now on for a healthy tourism earth is a message for responsible tourism in post -pandemic.
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Hanni TranDirector of Asia, Global Tourism Forum
