Tourism in our country has to reinvent itself. Traveling is already inherent to everyone, it has ceased to be a luxury, and in our opinion, as this challenge presents itself, recovering the industry will necessarily have to go through no longer being so and open its doors to the local traveler - with many fewer resources than the traveler from abroad -and with other desires.
But, are we going to encourage the usual internal tourism, that consumerist, devastating, disorderly, overwhelming tourism and forget about the lessons learned that Covid-19 is leaving us? It is certainly the opportunity to change and in that there is a great responsibility in the sector.
From our platform we have always emphasized the promotion of Conservation Tourism and Rural Community Tourism, especially. Until before the pandemic, both were not part of the tourism universe that the vast majority of operators contested, except for very other experiences, -by the way successful-. Now that we are translating domestic tourism and we are quickly turning to rural and nature tourism as a possibility, we agree with Lieve Coppin that our country has many ingredients to evoke sustainability and collaboration in its destinations and generate transformative experiences; but you don't have to cook them. How to make them visible and attractive. 
This new normal is the opportunity to do so, to look inward and develop those many pending issues, not only in infrastructure, but also and above all, in local human capital. Hopefully we can take advantage of it. Reinvent yourself, there is no other way.
Due to the total closure of borders and the quarantine order imposed in most countries in the world, one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic generated by Covid-19 is travel and tourism. According to Lieve Coppin, Dean of the Faculty of Administration in Hotel and Tourism Business at Le Cordon Bleu University, this situation offers a unique opportunity for the sector as it allows the current development model to be rethought, establishing new priorities that will drive the sector forward.
However, to face this new, unprecedented challenge, it is first necessary for all the actors involved to understand that we are not going to return - nor should we - to what we have known until now as normality.
The second key point, according to Coppin, is to understand that a paradigm shift is required. “For some years, there has been a debate on the exhaustion of the model based on a linear growth in tourism, that is, seeking more tourists and more foreign exchange while the needs of local communities remain neglected. Tourism, as it is currently proposed, is generating greater environmental and social problems in destinations. Mass tourism has already become the greatest threat to sustainability, well-being and even coexistence in European cities that attract the largest number of visitors, such as Barcelona and Venice. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that changes are required ”, indicated the Dean.
Lieve Coppin points out that the transformation of the sector must take place at its roots and conscientiously. This implies reconnecting with our surroundings and working more in harmony with nature, involving communities and their resources as an essential part of this reconstruction. This will help create more resilient value chains and more diverse and inclusive products or services.
To answer the question about how we make that change, the spokesperson points out that there are no magic or precise formulas because we do not know the duration or depth of the crisis we are experiencing. However, it identifies three central axes that can serve as a guide.
Destinations that prioritize sustainability and collaboration:
It is necessary, first, to start working on a joint vision of the destination that ensures the participation of all, both public, private, civil society and academia. We have to understand what it means to build a destination and how to start from a bottom-up vision, which will give us a north to plan that destination. The second thing is to promote the quality of jobs within the sector with fair wages and conditions for professional growth since it is the workers who are in direct contact and those who give quality to the tourist experience, that must be taken into account. Lastly, it is vital to foster resilient ecosystems and understand that we are all linked and dependent on each other. Therefore, we must incorporate tools that effectively aim to generate sustainability, such as the circular economy, regenerative development and new technologies.
New business models:
For companies, one of the central axes must be to conceive and strengthen new models and practices. Consumers and travelers will respond to different profiles. They will be more aware and concerned about their health and the environment. Companies, in addition to seeking economic benefits, will have to ensure positive impacts and be transparent, providing concrete solutions to social and environmental problems. Likewise, there will be a strong commitment to the automation of processes, artificial intelligence and the intensive use of technologies.
Generation of transformative experiences:
The pandemic will bring with it new generations of travelers with new expectations. Beyond experiencing exotic destinations, the traveler will seek to reconnect with people, places and nature, generating a local impact. Proximity trips will have a special relevance, linked to the maintenance of networks of friends, family and work and, in the long term, could even become networks of citizen activism. Market niches will emerge with more force, such as wellness tourism, health tourism, family tourism. etc. An example of this is the movement called “Slow Tourism”, which originated in Italy and seeks to generate responsible and conscious tourism that delves into tradition and the local community, knowing its products and consuming what is produced in the region; closely linked to the organic trend. Work is already underway, but the idea is to keep improving and turn it into an opportunity in the face of the crisis.
“Peruvians are characterized by their great entrepreneurial capacity, capable of responding to new challenges; It is not the first time that the tourism sector has faced a crisis. Therefore, I consider that it is a unique opportunity for young people, students and professionals, to be part of the reconstruction of society as we understood it until today and contribute to the development of a new tourism for Peru ”, concludes Lieve.
Due to the total closure of borders and the quarantine order imposed in most countries in the world, one of the sectors most affected by the pandemic generated by Covid-19 is travel and tourism. According to Lieve Coppin, Dean of the Faculty of Administration in Hotel and Tourism Business at Le Cordon Bleu University, this situation offers a unique opportunity for the sector as it allows the current development model to be rethought, establishing new priorities that will drive the sector forward.
However, to face this new, unprecedented challenge, it is first necessary for all the actors involved to understand that we are not going to return - nor should we - to what we have known until now as normality.
The second key point, according to Coppin, is to understand that a paradigm shift is required. “For some years, there has been a debate on the exhaustion of the model based on a linear growth in tourism, that is, seeking more tourists and more foreign exchange while the needs of local communities remain neglected. Tourism, as it is currently proposed, is generating greater environmental and social problems in destinations. Mass tourism has already become the greatest threat to sustainability, well-being and even coexistence in European cities that attract the largest number of visitors, such as Barcelona and Venice. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that changes are required ”, indicated the Dean.
Lieve Coppin points out that the transformation of the sector must take place at its roots and conscientiously. This implies reconnecting with our surroundings and working more in harmony with nature, involving communities and their resources as an essential part of this reconstruction. This will help create more resilient value chains and more diverse and inclusive products or services.
To answer the question about how we make that change, the spokesperson points out that there are no magic or precise formulas because we do not know the duration or depth of the crisis we are experiencing. However, it identifies three central axes that can serve as a guide.
Destinations that prioritize sustainability and collaboration:
It is necessary, first, to start working on a joint vision of the destination that ensures the participation of all, both public, private, civil society and academia. We have to understand what it means to build a destination and how to start from a bottom-up vision, which will give us a north to plan that destination. The second thing is to promote the quality of jobs within the sector with fair wages and conditions for professional growth since it is the workers who are in direct contact and those who give quality to the tourist experience, that must be taken into account. Lastly, it is vital to foster resilient ecosystems and understand that we are all linked and dependent on each other. Therefore, we must incorporate tools that effectively aim to generate sustainability, such as the circular economy, regenerative development and new technologies.
New business models:
For companies, one of the central axes must be to conceive and strengthen new models and practices. Consumers and travelers will respond to different profiles. They will be more aware and concerned about their health and the environment. Companies, in addition to seeking economic benefits, will have to ensure positive impacts and be transparent, providing concrete solutions to social and environmental problems. Likewise, there will be a strong commitment to the automation of processes, artificial intelligence and the intensive use of technologies.
Generation of transformative experiences:
The pandemic will bring with it new generations of travelers with new expectations. Beyond experiencing exotic destinations, the traveler will seek to reconnect with people, places and nature, generating a local impact. Proximity trips will have a special relevance, linked to the maintenance of networks of friends, family and work and, in the long term, could even become networks of citizen activism. Market niches will emerge with more force, such as wellness tourism, health tourism, family tourism. etc. An example of this is the movement called “Slow Tourism”, which originated in Italy and seeks to generate responsible and conscious tourism that delves into tradition and the local community, knowing its products and consuming what is produced in the region; closely linked to the organic trend. Work is already underway, but the idea is to keep improving and turn it into an opportunity in the face of the crisis.
“Peruvians are characterized by their great entrepreneurial capacity, capable of responding to new challenges; It is not the first time that the tourism sector has faced a crisis. Therefore, I consider that it is a unique opportunity for young people, students and professionals, to be part of the reconstruction of society as we understood it until today and contribute to the development of a new tourism for Peru ”, concludes Lieve.
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