Travel's Renaissance: Smarter, Bolder, Better

Travel is still waiting for a full recovery, but signs of hope are everywhere. 2021 may not have been the breakout year we hoped for, but it sure was better than 2020. Once again travel businesses are hiring (if they can!), posting sales and serving customers. Though the pandemic may never truly go away, there is optimism. Now is travel’s renaissance as it wakens to greater energy and bright possibilities – a time to engage with colleagues, customers and partners with fresh perspective. Considering how hard we have worked to get here, it is imperative to get this moment right.

A big step toward improvement is to evaluate our missteps as well as our successes. Is there something broken that needs fixing? An old habit holding us hostage? Anticipating growth and change is one thing, but charting a course that is profitable, fulfilling and meaningful is another. We must take stock of the past as we refocus our efforts on the next prize – a healthy and safe environment, an improved travel experience, revitalized destinations, streamlined processes, faster response times, and a fair and diverse workplace. Striving for perfection is folly but improving on the past makes us stronger. There is no better time to make good choices, before fully ramping up, as we consider who to hire, how to organize and where to invest.

Along with being stewards of travel comes great responsibility to care for the people and places that keep the industry humming. Doing the right thing for our customers and the environment should not have to be painful. Things may never be the same, and the industry may not fully recover for years. But after surviving all this time, there should be no hesitancy to make bold moves. In the silence of shutdowns and lockdowns, companies have had plenty of time to reassess and ideate. All our experiences – gratifying or troubled, planned or happenstance – have brought us to this very moment. Now is not the time to loop backwards, but to look ahead, breathe deep and dive in. Look at our reflection and see the changes that have taken place, maybe without us even knowing it. Our thoughts and behaviors are different. We are a lot wiser.

Join us at The Phocuswright Conference in November to explore this shift and continue on the path to Smarter, Bolder, Better. REGISTER NOW