COVID-19 and Tourism
How COVID-19 has brought tourism to its knees, and the ideas to bring it back.
COVID-19 slowed tourism to a crawl in 2020, will it come back?
The tourism industry has never known a situation like the one we find ourselves in today with COVID-19. Tourism locations around the world are closed, transportation halted, hotels and lodging empty... Countries that depend on tourism are wondering what to do while others are debating if this is the end of mass tourism altogether, and if so, can we put a better system in its place. There will be short and long-term impacts on the industry, many negative, but with some potentially positive new ideas birthed from this difficult time.
Video: Exploring America's national parks digitally
How new technology is helping people enjoy far away destinations from home, and how to deal with video call fatigue.
Video: Global tourism and COVID-19
The global tourism industry is feeling major pain during this unprecedented crisis.
Video: Paris feeling impacts of COVID-19 tourism downturn
How Paris is feeling the effects of the pandemic situation.
Video: Mass tourism in Venice
Reflecting on mass tourism and its limits in Venice. Is it time to question this economic model?
Audio: A Florida winter without Canadians
COVID-19 restrictions are limiting the movement of Florida's "snowbirds," retirees who come from colder climates to spend the winter in warmer temperatures. Listen here.
Audio: Virtual experiences let people "travel" during the pandemic
A look at alternatives to physical travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen here.
Reading: The future is not mass tourism
Thailand's challenge to balance rescuing the tourism industry while preventing a new round of environmental onslaught from mass tourism. Read more here.
Reading: Overtourism in Prague
Has Prague found a secret recipe to combat "overtourism?" Read more here.
Reading: How Europeans are preparing for Christmas and New Year 2020
Governments are having to make tough decisions on whether to ease restrictions in time for the holiday period. Read more here.
Vocabulary: Important terms to know
Listen to vocabulary pronunciation here.
- Overtourism
- Masses
- Abandoned
- Countless
- Standstill
- Restricting
- Symptoms
- Pandemic
- Impact
- Immunity
- Quarantine
- Social distancing
- Proximity
- Contagious
- Infectious
Reflection: Questions and opinions
Here are some important questions to reflect upon in having to do with this session's subject:
- Do you believe the lost jobs in the tourism sector are temporary or permanent?
- With the closure of famous locations and sites, are virtual tours and visits a good solution for people who love traveling? How about for the students and schools who visit these sites to learn?
- For countries and regions that depend on tourism, are there any solutions outside of government aid?
- Is this the end of mass tourism as we know it? Crowded locations, airports, cruises, etc…?
- Will the impacts of COVID be felt more in the short term or long term?
- What are some “small tourism” solutions that can be adopted in the future as alternatives to mass tourism?