Travel and Tourism Recovery from global pandemic, future growth and development 

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has identified investments as one of the key priorities for the world travel and tourism industry recovery, for its future growth and development. The time is now for innovative and new solutions, going beyond the old school ways of traditional investments. Probably an underestimated and underrated force of economic growth and progress for the world economy, with tourism and green investments, they can be a force of change and example for the world, as we battle climate change, as well as many other challenges that the world is facing ahead. 

This is a collective effort by the whole world, for the whole world. We, as a world united together, can only be stronger and better adapt to face the looming key climate challenges ahead.  

TGH Photography exploration with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II

I have been actively exploring locally in Singapore with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II, producing local visual storytelling using TGH Photography x Canon EOS R6 Mark II Explorer Series Production. From wildlife, arts, heritage, culture, community events, conferences, wedding and portraiture shoots with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II, the photography adventures had been diverse and interesting.  

However, I realised that I am not doing enough on the sustainability and environment segments that I had written down earlier to work on more in-depth. Therefore, I would make and set aside the time for more nature, outdoors and environmental photography and awareness with my Canon EOS R6 Mark II for Q4 2023, and to balance out my photography work, documentation and visual storytelling next year 2024 and beyond.

Sustainability, Environment, Social, Governance and Responsible Travel

The areas of sustainability, environment, social, governance and responsible travel have gained priority and importance for the whole world, not just pertaining to certain industries. Everyone in this world has a part to play, no matter how big or small. 

Being one of the co-hosts of #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter community chat, I had been networking with like-minded travellers and travel industry professionals around the world every Tuesday. We learnt from each other, exchanging notes, tips and practices on the world travel and tourism industry during our regular #TTOT Travel Talk on Twitter community chats. The topics of sustainability, environment, social, governance and responsible travel are some of the key messages that the #TTOT community are advocating strongly.   

As I am making a comeback into travel photography and travel visual storytelling on World Tourism Day 2023, the areas on sustainability, environment, social, governance and responsible travel would have more focus and feature. 

Making a comeback into travel photography and travel visual storytelling

On World Tourism Day 2023, I am making a comeback with more travel visual storytelling and travel photography content. It’s been a few years since my last trip overseas, the global pandemic situation doesn’t help. A sector that I tried to enter, I wasn’t successful, met with a number of obstacles that I would not go into detail. I am working on my travel visual storytelling and travel photography content again, finding my own travel journey, building up networks and opportunities.  

My travel writing style has evolved as well, it’s time for a new era of TGH Travel Visual Storytelling version 2.0.

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Looking back at World Tourism Day 2021 and World Tourism Day 2020, how would be we approach World Tourism Day 2022, rethinking tourism and its future, from both demand (consumers) and supply (providers) perspectives? How can the world rethink tourism, make the necessary changes and transform world travel and tourism for the future of Mother Earth and human race? What is the future of tourism and travel that we want, beyond just consumerism and capitalism?

Rethinking tourism, there are a number of areas/issues on hand that the world travel and tourism industries are looking into. Personally, the areas/issues that I am interested in are on sustainability, eco-friendly and community-based tourism. From a travel photographer/travel writer perspective, and as a co-host for TTOT (Travel Talk on Twitter) chat community, I believe that we consumers can play an integral part, we can be more responsible and prudent in how we consume resources.  Everyone can and must play a part to make the changes and transform, from the consumers/customers to the tourism and travel providers.

Community-based tourism is an area that I would like to explore further, how we can help and benefit this sector that might not fully benefit from the growth and boom of tourism growth over the decades.

On 27th September 2022, World Tourism Day 2022, as the world is Rethinking Tourism, what is the future of travel and tourism, and what do we want for our future generations, in a post pandemic world? 

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Special Theme Q2 2022 – Fully Restarting Tourism 

Why such a theme “Fully Restarting Tourism”? This was a follow up from my June 2021 article on “When Can We Restart Tourism”, at that particular period in time, the world was still caught in between opening up and managing the global pandemic situation.

Fast forward three quarters into Q2 2022, the global pandemic situation is under better control and getting more stable, although the world is not of the woods yet. We can start to see more countries opening up their borders and restrictions, the activities have started to kick in, with tourism organisations ramping up their publicity, awareness and marketing campaigns, along with many other industry players from the travel, tourism aviation and hospitality industries. 

That’s how I personally view it, “Fully Restarting Tourism”, finally! However, my personal analysis are that while we are absolutely delighted in fully restarting tourism, this is not an immediate change/recovery. Things and changes are going to take a bit of time to get up to speed, from both demand and supply side of things, my personal estimation is that it would start to peak in Q3 (June school holidays) or Q4 2022 (year end school holidays, year end Christmas festive season). 

Call for media pitches from travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality industries 

For my special theme Q2 2022 – Fully restarting tourism. I am inviting a call for media pitches from travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality industries around the world, not just from Singapore or from regional countries.

Whether you are travel industry players with forecasts and insights, destination travel and tourism marketing companies/agencies, travel stories for your community tourism. For the Singapore market, I am open to discussions/collaborations with inbound tourism or outbound tourism industry players too.

The deadline for my pitches is 30th June 2022. This special theme “Fully Restarting Tourism” would be my key topics for Q2 and Q3 2022, with a possible extension into Q4 2022, depending on how the world travel and tourism industries move during the next few months. 

Wanderlust Dreams, Hopes, and Plans

During this period, I hope there would be opportunities opening up again either for travel photography/writing assignments/commissioned work. However, I won’t mind familiarisation media trips too if that opportunity arises. 

I have a number of countries that I would like to visit again soon. For short haul travel trips, I might start off with regional countries Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. As for long haul travel trips, I would visit Japan first before planning other countries with Europe likely my next destination. 

For all fellow travel writers, photographers and wanderlusts, I think it is safe to say that we are fully restarting tourism. 

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The ongoing global pandemic has caused massive economic and financial impacts to the world tourism and travel industries. I wrote, shared and published an earlier article on “When can we Restart Tourism?” in June 2021. I was cautiously optimistic, however the world situation didn’t go according as planned with the Delta variant causing havoc and further disruptions towards many countries plans to reopen their economy, as well as their tourism and travel industries. On World Tourism Day 2021, this would be my follow up article that I published earlier in June 2021.

Looking back at my travel adventures over the years, I am missing it a lot. During this ongoing global pandemic period, my wanderlust for travel has also made me reflect a lot on the future of travel as it would never be the same again before the days of COVID-19. 

First and foremost, I will now always remember these words of wisdom, travel may be a privilege for some of us, not everyone can get to travel out overseas. This ongoing global pandemic could have further widen this gap between those that can travel and those who can’t.

When the time arrives whereby we can Restart Tourism, travel overseas safely again, this would be the time to add on more travel photography adventures to my TGH Photography travel portfolio, Flickr travel photography collections and travel explorer stories here on my TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

I am keen to work on two areas when the world travel and tourism industries reopen – community based tourism and nature based/conservation/sustainable tourism. As we are preparing for the eventual reopening and recovery of the world travel and tourism industries, I am reaching out to the travel and tourism worldwide networks on collaborations and partnerships.  

While this global pandemic situation has caused massive impacts to the world tourism and travel industries, this is also an excellent opportunity for a “reset”, to address and change some of our tourism and travel industry standards, operating procedures, practices, mindsets, habits etc etc, to make a change for the better, for the future. 

Let’s help to restart the world tourism and travel industries again when it is safe to do so, sometime down the road, hopefully soon. Meanwhile, do support your local/domestic travel and tourism industries too. This is the time for inclusive growth. 

Meanwhile, when can we restart tourism again? A number of countries have started to open up their tourism markets in small and at specific destinations. Some countries have started to open up more than other countries. We are all taking steps towards reopening the international tourism and travel industries.

Till the day when we can safely #RestartTourism and travel overseas again, take care and be safe! I look forward to meeting my travel and tourism network friends when I get the opportunity to travel and visit them in their countries! 

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Looking back at some of my travel adventures below, they brought back many great memories, friendships, learning and understanding, beyond my travel photography and travel stories writing. A picture/photo speaks a thousand words. 

For many of us who are unable to travel internationally for our leisure trips, this would be the time to explore our own backyard, your own domestic tourism sector. Countries small in size such as Singapore, may not have the domestic tourism sector like those countries with big land space. Nevertheless, there are things to do, explore, learn and have fun in Singapore. With SingapoRediscovers, I hope to share more photos and stories of various locations in Singapore for fellow Singaporeans to explore and have fun, this would also serve as a guide for future travelers visiting Singapore when the Covid-19 situation is under control with a vaccine in place. 

Through my interactions, discussions and chats with fellow travelers on social media, such as Travel Talk on Twitter (TTOT), we travelers are reflecting, thinking and planning about the future of our world travel and tourism. This global pandemic Covid-19 has brought massive impacts to world travel and tourism industries, this would also be the time for a reset and reboot, for a better and more sustainable future, for Mother Earth, our society and future generation. 

I would write and share more in-depth views and analysis of the world tourism and travel sectors down the road. For all fellow travel wanderlusts, let us celebrate World Tourism Day 27th September 2020 by reflecting, rethinking and planning for a new future. 

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