Good news in travel & tourism February 2022
Good news in travel & tourism” wraps up a month of “Good Tourism” & “GT” Travel news, insights, and experiences.
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“GT” Insights: Informed perspectives on the industry
The “Good Tourism” Blog publishes informed opinions on the issues facing the travel & tourism industry, everyone’s business. “GT” Insights are diverse perspectives written by, for, and about our sector. Here are the latest from the month that was:
Tourism’s common challenge: How do we create ‘community shared value’?
Are there needs, wants, and desires common to all (or most) individuals within your community? How might travel & tourism serve them? K Michael Haywood explores the challenge all destinations face if they wish to create ‘community shared value’ in “Tourism’s common challenge: How do we create ‘community shared value’?”
You can’t furlough an elephant: How Laos’ ECC is surviving the COVID crisis
What would you do if revenues dried up but you had dozens of elephants to look after? The Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) faced this situation as COVID-19 lockdowns and travel bans bit in March 2020. ECC’s Sébastien Duffillot shares what they did in “You can’t furlough an elephant: How Laos’ ECC is surviving the COVID crisis”.
Lessons in resilience: Binna Burra’s rise from the ashes
Despite a devastating wildfire in September 2019 and the global pandemic that followed, Australia’s Binna Burra Lodge is open for business. Drawing from that recovery story, Jonathon Day shares five lessons in resilience that any tourism business can apply in “Lessons in resilience: Binna Burra’s rise from the ashes”.
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“GT” Travel: Informed inspiration for travellers
The “Good Tourism” Blog’s young sibling The “GT” Travel Blog publishes informed inspiration and top tips for travellers from tourism insiders. Here is the latest:
Memories of Jordan (and celebrating the ‘bucket list’)
“[W]hile the economics of tourism is often viewed as a dull, or even uncompassionate consideration, it is arguably the most fundamental for many local residents. For this reason, I am celebrating my return to ticking experiences off my ‘bucket list’.” _ Melanie Kay Smith in “Memories of Jordan (and celebrating the ‘bucket list’)”.
Good news from friends
Good news in travel & tourism from the wonderful organisations that make “GT” possible. Here is some of what happened this month in the “Good Tourism” network:
Laos reopening to foreign tourists off to a slow start … But it’s a start!
WeAreLao’s Bernie Rosenbloom has questioned Lao TAs and DMCs about the reopening process that commenced on January 1. The eight respondents cite “confusion and bureaucracy for stalling a smoother, more robust rollout” but they also offer constructive suggestions for improvement.
Vietnam set to reopen on March 15
“Vietnam is reopening on March 15, 2022,” Khiri Travel reports in a tweet. “We eagerly await more details on the inbound protocols.” Khiri Vietnam.
WTACH observes US Black History Month
The World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage (WTACH) will run a series of five Five in Five interviews next week, February 21–25, in conjunction with the (US) National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative. (Five-in-Five refers to five questions in five minutes.)
Sophie Hartman leaves ASSET‑H&C
Not good news, as such, for ASSET‑H&C; Sophie Hartman has left the IECD project to take a well-deserved break and spend time with her family in Belgium. Your correspondent found Sophie to be an engaged, engaging, and highly conscientious counterpart in a very fruitful “GT” Partnership to date. I would highly recommend her to any prospective employer. (If you would like an introduction, ask me.)
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