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ItalianoDue to the current epidemiological situation, winter tourism is facing changes, which are being recorded with the help of the research project of the Centre for Social and Health Innovation (CSHI) at the MCI in Innsbruck. One thing is certain: COVID-19 safety will be a central component of all tourism offers in the 2020/21 winter season and living with the virus and alternatives for accommodation providers should be considered in the future. Preparations for this are being systematically driven forward.
In the study, tourism regions, cable car companies, accommodation providers and many more were surveyed in order to identify a standardised approach that can also be used profitably and to create standardised solutions for health and the economy. more than 90% of those surveyed would like to see standardised risk management in all areas of tourism. "We need to rethink at this time and also find alternatives for winter tourism. For example, accommodation establishments could be used for home office premises," explains Siegfried Walch, project manager at the MCI.
The Austrian hotel and catering industry has made exemplary preparations for the winter season and is now in favour of the safety measures drawn up by the government and WKO as soon as circumstances allow catering and tourism businesses to reopen. A Europe-wide regulation is still pending.
QUALITY THROUGH SAFETY ON WINTER HOLIDAYS 2020/21
- Accommodation establishments
In the second online survey, the group of accommodation providers is particularly well represented. The evaluation within this group shows a high level of approval for proposed measures for COVID-19 prevention in the area of "catering". The introduction of online reservation systems is perceived as particularly useful. Changes to the infrastructure to guarantee weatherproof outdoor operations and to be able to serve guests outdoors are also perceived as sensible by two thirds of accommodation providers and prompt implementation is largely demanded.
- Catering
In the catering sector, mandatory seating, registration and the rule of a maximum of six people at a table have created the conditions for minimising COVID-19 risks in ongoing operations. In addition, over 80% of the accommodation establishments surveyed in the CSHI survey consider it sensible to set a maximum number of guests for catering establishments in accordance with the legally applicable minimum distance (at least 1 metre) and are in favour of prompt implementation.
The results of the survey show that the majority of accommodation establishments consider the prevention proposal of separate catering for à la carte and overnight guests to be sensible, but a clear majority (80.1%) are against the possibility of exclusive catering for overnight guests.
- Employees
In the "Employees" topic area, suggestions were presented regarding the categorisation of employees into teams for work and leisure. Structuring teams that work separately is seen as sensible by the participants (75.3%). A categorisation of employee accommodation based on these groups was also rated positively (63.1% approval rate "sensible").
- Networking
Furthermore, the regular networking of tourism stakeholders, the sharing of practice-relevant ideas and the implementation of these ideas with other interest groups are focussed on, show a high level of agreement in the second evaluation and, according to the accommodation providers surveyed, should be implemented promptly.
- Risk management
Even in the first survey (August), more than 90% of respondents wanted standardised risk management in all areas of tourism. There is potential here for initiatives such as , which aim to facilitate standardised nationwide safety management that goes beyond statutory regulations.
- Cable cars
At the end of August 2020, the professional association of cable car companies of the Austrian Economic Chamber issued a This contains a comprehensive list of measures that ski resorts can use to prepare individually for the coming winter season, including the recommendation of passenger guidance systems to regulate the queuing situation. In October, 85% of the cable cars consider the equalisation of queuing situations and visitor flows through physical guidance systems to be sensible, and over 75% would like to see this implemented in the near future.
FUTURE PROSPECTS
Sars-Cov-2 - the coronavirus is now part of our everyday lives
The COVID-19 risk is now part of our everyday health risks, just like many other health risks. COVID-19 safety can be established with simple behavioural measures: Observe AHAs (social distancing, hygiene, mouth and nose protection) and avoid THREE Gs (confined spaces, crowds, groups). However, implementing these simple principles in the complex environment of a tourist region requires new operating concepts.
Possible alternatives for accommodation establishments
The establishment and expansion of home office models has been introduced or accelerated by many employers internationally due to the effects of the pandemic (). It is to be expected that this trend will continue to rise due to the increase in COVID-19 infection numbers in recent weeks. This sometimes poses many challenges for employees, such as access to a suitable workplace, and creative rethinking could seize opportunities and utilise synergies. Even during the lockdown, hotel rooms were offered as "hotel offices" for booking by the hour, day or week (; ). In view of the international increase in working from home (), these models could continue to exist as an option for hotel businesses and offer opportunities for reorganisation or supplementation. This could be a particularly attractive offer for the urban population because, as an Italian study shows, the availability of a balcony, terrace, access to the garden and a beautiful view in the living or working space contributes to health and well-being.
International examples such as the "" in California, USA, show how hotels, motels or flats can be turned into affordable living space that is available in the long term during the pandemic. This raises the question of whether a new use for properties currently used for tourism can also be found in Austria in line with demand on the housing market The entrepreneurial discourse on corresponding operating and financing concepts must first be conducted in conjunction with a political discourse on possible financing and associated rental regulations in order to link possible default scenarios for this winter with entrepreneurial solutions.
EUROPEAN COOPERATION
As long as a risk assessment is not supported by all member states, the respective travel warnings, testing strategies and quarantine regulations will continue to be characterised by national standards. For example, travellers returning to Germany are subject to the corresponding quarantine conditions.
With the measures that came into force on 19 October (curfew from 22:00) and 3 November (curfew from 20:00), measures have now been taken throughout Austria to break the second wave. However, the extent to which the current measures to contain the spread of infection in Austria and the federal states will reduce the associated risk of infection remains to be seen.