The tourism sector lost between 70% and 80% of its turnover in 2020 due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Losses amounting to more than 20 billion euros. As the arrival of vaccines fuels new hopes, it is recognized that traveling will never be so easy again … Analysis with Houida Ayari, Operations Manager , travel and touring specialist at Nocturnal Touring and Rooted Productions Ltd.
Interview by DBM
Since the start of the pandemic, the airline industry has been deeply disrupted. After few months of recovery, Europe is back in lockdown, what are the consequences for the airline sector?
The pandemic has been catastrophic for our sector. Tourism and transport sector but also the event industry has been badly affected by the COVID19.
We saw flights suspended by airlines, what can you do if planes are grounded? What ’s the future for our industry then? This generated loss of thousands of jobs
A company as British airlines for example lost more than 10 000 employees, this highlighted also the fragility of this sector.
We saw also hotel closures, etc… so Indeed for us COVID19 had and still has a huge impact on our sector in term of financial loss but also job security.
This has been traumatic because we have never experienced anything like that before. We can’t travel anymore, as we would want. we can’t do anything about either
Same for the Event industry…recovery won’t happen anytime soon. The virtual events, is that a real alternative for the sector?
Indeed, the event and touring industry might be the last one to get back to a « normal activity”. and despite the hope of the vaccine, realistically we can’t keep waiting. It is time to adapt and find alternatives. Keep the industry alive until a full recovery
There have been virtual events or hybrid events, corporate companies have successfully using these virtual conferences, I think hybrid events are here to stay, combining a live-in person and virtual online component is the right answer now, events people will have to learn again, develop skills, that involve technology to deliver these events, more budget for production etc.… this is all positive
However, these events won’t replace live shows. festivals or weddings or corporate travel but it is new way to do events, business meetings.
How is your company which depends to the events and air sector manages to curb the crisis?
Firstly, lots of travel advices … We have been assisting a lot our clients and collaborators and offering our expertise, and, because each country has its owns restrictions and processes moreover, these are constantly changing.
some business travel and artist performance are allowed under certain conditions.
Secondly, we also had to adapt by offering more production service like “live streaming “. If the clubs or festivals haven’t re opened – show must go on while respecting the COVID measures imposed by the governments for of course (like rapid COVID PCR test before having access to the venues etc. …), an exceptional partnership with defected
we have developed private trips, by recommending domestic trips, try to travel national, discover the country by renting car when this is allowed indeed etc. …
We have a very international clientele so we must stay informed. Obviously, the government support has contributed during total lockdown period.
We are eager to the recovery of our sector, we will still need to adapt, sometimes start things from beginning bit we need to stay positive.
