Question and Answer Session was conducted during 12th lecture organized on 30th May 2020 by the experts Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas and Dr Hassan Refaat . Some of the questions remained unanswered during the lecture here are the replies to those questions:
Q1. How sustainable tourism can begin uprooting this epidemic?
Answer: Sustainable tourism practices can be a very effective tool that to support the recovery of the business and at the same time will help in not spreading out the pandemic but it will not be able to uprooting the epidemic as the only issue that will uprooting this epidemic is to come up with a Vaccine or a drug for this epidemic
Q2. Future of Mass tourism after the outbreak?
Answer: Hygiene, Safety and security are now considered the key words for tourism sector and even post-coronavirus phase, mass tourism will minimize the chances and competitive advantage of the destination simply because mass tourism is competing over numbers. Mass tourism will go against one of the most important percussions that has been adopted to avoid spreading out Coronavirus which is to keep the social distancing, and with mass tourism of course it is difficult for the customers to keep the social distance. This means that the destination will lose it competitive advantage and this will make the majority of the tourism destination all over the world to start thinking to promote alternative tourism style that define sustainability and quality as priorities. Especially if we take into consideration that the behavior of the tourists will be totally different after Covid 19, There are significant search volumes for phrases like “off the beaten path” and “alternative” destinations, “hidden gems” and “undiscovered” paradises” . This give us a clear evidence that there will be less interest to promote mass tourism
Q3. Can heritage tourism help in achieving sustainability in tourism at regional level?
Answer: Yes of course, because Heritage tourism Defines sustainability as a priority, as it take into consideration the social and economic benefits of the local community, the experience of the visitors as well as making a positive contributions to the conservation of the natural and cultural resources
Q4. How to optimize the carrying capacity after the Covid?
Answer: We have to set the rules and regulations that enable us to maintain the carrying capacity of a destination or a site like for example:
· Increase prices
· Limiting access to a particular time
· Limit some activities
· Limiting parking time
· Publicize alternative sites
· And of course we have to do research to determine the optimum carrying capacity for each destination and attraction.
Q5. What marketing strategies can be adopted to promote less popular areas?
Answer: The most important issues when it comes to the less known destination is to spread more information about it in order to generate demand on these less-known attractions and increasing its publicity . then the two marketing strategies can be used for marketing these less know attraction which are the P2P where we market these attractions through the tour operators and travel agencies as well as P2C where we Market it to the customers directly. I think the virtual reality guided tours are very effective tool to spread information about these attractions and increase it publicity which will increase the demand on these less know attractions when this situation is over.
Q6. In many countries like India, where people are reluctant to follow COVID safety rules? How can destinations manage these type of tourists who are mostly domestic in nature?
Answer: Awareness and regulations, as we have to aware the locals about how important to follow COVID 19 safety measures through the traditional media as well as through social media. The second issue that we have to do is to put the regulations and make sure that it has to be applied so for example we can set the rules that permit the entry to the touristic places for those persons who are wearing face masks
Q7. At a place as Agra where it's hard for people to follow covid19 norms, will the heritage tourism at my place especially Taj Mahal will be affected? Please mention New Normal keeping in mind the local people?
Answer : Any destination that won't take all the measures to ensure that all the safety measures are applied will be negatively affected as the tourists will never think to travel to a destination (regardless how famous is the this destination) where the infection possibility is high . as I have mentioned the Hygiene , safety and security are the key words for tourism business during the post Coronavirus phase. The destination has to inform the tour operators and travel agencies as well as the end customers about the safety measures that has been taken to reassure them and create a demand on the destination. it is needed also has to run a campaign to raise the awareness of the local community about the safety measures that have to be followed and on the other hand to take all the steps to ensure the adherence to these regulations
No comments:
Post a Comment