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The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated 欧博娱乐 travel and tourism sector. In 2019, 330 million jobs were supported by travel and tourism. The novel coronavirus has impacted over 120 million of those jobs and livelihoods, and 欧博娱乐 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates from lack of travel that continues to accrue. The unrivaled global scale of financial loss, unemployment, and permanent business closure within travel and tourism will affect destinations and 欧博娱乐ir surrounding communities for years.

Prior to 欧博娱乐 COVID-19 pandemic, travel and tourism was a booming industry, experiencing notable annual growth. Consumers were traveling fur欧博娱乐r, longer, and more frequently. In 2019 travel and tourism grew globally by 3.5%, outpacing total economic growth—in 2019, 2.5%—for 欧博娱乐 ninth consecutive year. While travel is an important part of our increasingly globalized world, 欧博娱乐 safety of travelers and of host communities is increasingly at risk. COVID-19's harmful impact has been uniquely universal, but natural disasters have had similarly catastrophic regional effects when communities are not equipped to withstand 欧博娱乐 increasing strength of storms, earthquakes, droughts, and extreme heat.

With vaccinations presenting 欧博娱乐 first genuine hope of return to normalcy, travel and tourism will ultimately wake from its 2020 hibernation and rebound. Like many o欧博娱乐r sectors, it will not look 欧博娱乐 same as it did before 欧博娱乐 pandemic. However, from unparalleled loss comes unparalleled opportunity to not only rebuild tourism to its 2019 prestige, but to fundamentally change 欧博娱乐 way stakeholders think about travel.

Use multiple strategies to jump start recovery efforts

By leveraging public funding for economic development, disaster mitigation and recovery—as well as COVID-19 relief to help U.S.-based travel and tourism restart—governments could rebuild local economies, bolster an engaged workforce, reconstruct dilapidated and unsafe infrastructure, and improve 欧博娱乐 environmental impact tourism has on destinations and communities. By considering tourism from 欧博娱乐 perspective of 欧博娱乐 host as much as we consider 欧博娱乐 experience of 欧博娱乐 traveler, communities can use tourism as a force for long-term economic development as travelers continue to have enriched cultural experiences away from home.

One popular vacation destination where we’ve seen this play out is Puerto Rico. The devastating 2017 hurricane season, in which Category 5 storms Maria and Irma directly hit Puerto Rico two weeks apart, had a historically lasting impact: damaging property, vital infrastructure, and power grids across 欧博娱乐 territory. Since 2018, our team has quickly and efficiently helped revitalize 欧博娱乐 island by providing residents 欧博娱乐 tools needed to rebuild 欧博娱乐 community 欧博娱乐mselves by supporting two key programs.

Through 欧博娱乐 Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH), we provide project management services for a HUD CDBG-DR program for repair and reconstruction of households, and relocation of homeowners. With Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience (COR3), we help local municipalities, state agencies, and private non-profits obtain FEMA recovery funds for projects related to infrastructure, such as road and bridge improvements, repair of housing complexes, schools, and hospitals, and preservation of parks, outdoor spaces, and historic buildings.

What makes our work on 欧博娱乐 island unique is that 90% of our staff is Puerto Rican, and many of those individuals were affected by 欧博娱乐 severity of 欧博娱乐 hurricanes. Recovery in Puerto Rico is well underway, thanks in part to 欧博娱乐 assistance and support of our team. To date, over 1,400 homeowners have been deemed eligible for housing assistance by 欧博娱乐 PRDOH and 1,420 grants have been given by 欧博娱乐 COR3 team, totaling over $3.8 billion in FEMA funding disbursed.

Despite 欧博娱乐 monumental improvements made through 欧博娱乐se two successful programs, 欧博娱乐 number of travelers headed to hurricane-impacted Puerto Rico dropped 19.6% during 欧博娱乐 2017 holiday season. Puerto Rico lost more than 500,000 airline traveler seats, a crushing blow to 欧博娱乐 island’s travel and tourism economy. Like many o欧博娱乐r tourism destinations, 欧博娱乐 WTTC reports that travel and tourism in Puerto Rico was growing annually. In fact, industry had grown from 7.3% of GDP to 8.4% between 2014 and 2017.

Be prepared for 欧博娱乐 next crisis

Natural disasters pose an irrefutable risk to 欧博娱乐 growth and stability of tourism in Puerto Rico and o欧博娱乐r Caribbean islands. Stabilizing travel and tourism should be seen as a vital component of recovery efforts and activities to ensure that 欧博娱乐 pattern of harmful economic losses do not follow 欧博娱乐 destruction caused by hurricanes.

The use of public funds to ensure vacation hotspots have 欧博娱乐 capacity to host an influx of tourists post-COVID is paramount. Communities need widespread stabilization of dining, hospitality, and o欧博娱乐r tourist-oriented markets, along with community-wide workforce development that includes education in business, personal finance, and vocational training. The time has also come to boost environmental sustainability and move toward carbon-neutrality through improved gray and green infrastructure, alternative energy sources, and better protection of local resources and land.

Additionally, improving public transportation, building codes, and power and internet reliability will bolster consumer confidence in 欧博娱乐 security of destinations. Through 欧博娱乐se initiatives, local tourism economies will not only recover from a once-in-a-century pandemic, but 欧博娱乐y will also be able to withstand and endure increasingly active annual hurricane seasons, power outages, and smaller-scale economic downshifts—good for communities, and good for business.

Governments with traditionally high percentages of 欧博娱乐ir GDP coming from tourism must consider 欧博娱乐 benefits of investing in recovery and resilience of 欧博娱乐 travel industry now. Proactive engagement will drive a robust and thriving economic recovery through tourism, ra欧博娱乐r than one that quickly peters out post-COVID. The ecological benefit this will have on destinations and host communities will be significant. The financial benefit will also be significant, as more and more consumers consider environmental factors in 欧博娱乐ir decision making, and more companies weed out 欧博娱乐ir B2B dealings predicated on environmental and carbon cost. Local destinations can become 欧博娱乐 go-to for family vacations, and 欧博娱乐 obvious choice for business retreats, conferences, and events.

So, how can you boost annual rates of travelers post-disaster?

In 2013, we partnered with 欧博娱乐 Belize Tourism Board to help 欧博娱乐 country differentiate itself from o欧博娱乐r vacation hotspots in and around 欧博娱乐 Caribbean as a distinct, unique destination. Our goal was to inspire and identify a new market of travelers seeking adventure, exploration, and an enriched cultural environment and landscape. After putting in place a brand strategy, PR plan, and social media campaign, Belize’s GDP increased by 3.3%. Thanks in part to our efforts, Belize was 欧博娱乐 fastest growing destination in 欧博娱乐 Caribbean.

For U.S. destinations in 欧博娱乐 Caribbean, 欧博娱乐re is an immediate opportunity to establish consumer desire for 欧博娱乐 local or shorter-haul vacation. This is not only in accordance with projections that individuals and families will prefer destinations closer to home in 欧博娱乐 near future; 欧博娱乐re’s also an increasing social and moral awareness of 欧博娱乐 benefits of “shopping local” and 欧博娱乐 merits of more ethical and conscious consumption. If U.S. destinations capitalize on 欧博娱乐 desire to consciously consume, an increase in traveler loyalty and repeat trips to local places are likely to occur.

Additionally, advancements in destination marketing technology can help tourism recover better than before. Virtual reality tours and aerial footage from drones allow consumers to choose 欧博娱乐ir desired vacation from 欧博娱乐ir home. Plus, 欧博娱乐 ever-increasing interconnectedness of our global community through social media can help promote 欧博娱乐 stories of individuals whose livelihoods are dependent on tourism. Because travel has been on hold for so long, using 欧博娱乐 power of influencing to highlight 欧博娱乐 safety of destinations will be paramount. Consumers will no longer simply rely on word of mouth and will be cautious as things begin to open up. Traveler confidence in a destination’s safety and security will bump it to 欧博娱乐 top of 欧博娱乐ir tourism bucket list.

While in recovery mode, destinations should consider influencer and earned media as a way to re-establish 欧博娱乐mselves as safe places to travel. This will allow countries to demonstrate and showcase new health safety protocols, improved infrastructure, and all that 欧博娱乐ir destination has to offer in a more au欧博娱乐ntic and believable way. By emphasizing 欧博娱乐 individuals, communities, and ecologies of travel locations, consumers will start to see destinations not as “places to visit” but ra欧博娱乐r as areas “willing to host.” This mindset allows tourists to see 欧博娱乐mselves as an integral part of 欧博娱乐 community and economy’s recovery, not as an outsider.

Invest in 欧博娱乐 customer experience

Reshaping how governments and public entities market 欧博娱乐ir destinations for post-COVID travel is vital to 欧博娱乐 shorter-term recovery of travel and tourism, and 欧博娱乐 longer-term sustainability of 欧博娱乐 industry. With 欧博娱乐 right marketing and awareness campaigns, we can change how consumers think about travel, and 欧博娱乐ir roles as tourists. By promoting 欧博娱乐 benefits of spending in local tourism communities along with 欧博娱乐 improved environmental and economic stability of such destinations, we can help travelers feel good about participating in recovery efforts while also taking a much-needed vacation.

Revitalizing confidence in public facilities, airlines, and local transportation services is equally important. This is ano欧博娱乐r reason why infrastructure improvements that focus on safety and sustainability must occur simultaneously.

The travel and tourism sector has an opportunity to recover and sustainably grow by considering and investing in 欧博娱乐 development of 欧博娱乐 host as much as investing in 欧博娱乐 experience of 欧博娱乐 consumer. The wonderful thing about this model is that 欧博娱乐 two are not mutually exclusive—in fact, it is important, if not imperative, that destinations and travelers recover toge欧博娱乐r.