TRAVEL TRAVESTY: "The bottom line is this is not a time to look at the bottom line; it is a time to focus on establishing trust and highlighting benefits, as well as keeping current customers engaged and recruiting new ones.".

• Author: Zhou, Zongqing
• Position: GOING PLACES

AS THE TOURISM sector has been hobbled by the pandemic, the industry also has been presented with an opportunity to reevaluate and improve its practices, a necessity if businesses are to attract and gain the trust of both existing and prospective customers.

The impacts of COVID-19 have posed significant challenges to the travel and tourism industry. Airline sales are expected to drop by $314,000,000,000 and hotel room vacancies have eclipsed 50%. For these industries to survive, they rapidly must invest in new initiatives to keep their current customer base engaged while improving conditions for their employees to deliver world-class service. Companies should be investing in updating company pledges, enhancing loyalty programs, prioritizing public safety and security, and optimizing technology use.

The pandemic has made consumers wary of travel--and these companies will need to earn back the trust of their customers. In the Chinese language, the word "crisis" consists of two characters, "danger" and "opportunity." In every crisis, there are opportunities for those who can see them and are able to take advantage of them. The bigger the crisis, the larger the opportunities.

If there is one crisis that fits this bill, it is COVID-19, which has been unprecedented in modem history. This coronavirus has delivered a heavy blow to the hospitality and tourism industry, the likes of which never has been dealt with before--heavier than 9-11 and SARS in terms of lasting impact. Every company, from large corporations to small businesses, cannot simply go back to their old tricks and expect to salvage their old customers. Something must be done before customers, old and new, feel secure and can trust a company's measures to be effective and efficient. So, what is that "something"?

* Sanitation: provide daily thorough professional cleaning of the environment, depending on which industry sectors you are in, including, but not limited to, nontouch temperature checks for all guests and disinfection and sanitizing protocols--and add free room sanitation amenities.

* Food safety: starting from suppliers to the kitchen food preparation, serving, and delivery.

* Basic medical protection equipment: masks, gloves, and sanitizers provided either free or at cost.

* Special cancellation policies: for bookings/orders that already have been made, cancel without any penalty and the credits can be used any time within the next 12 months, and the rates will stay the same...