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Canada Association of Tourism Employees

Future for tourism points of interest in 2021 and past mentioned at ATM Digital 2021

Sustainability in travel and tourism has been a major focus of ATMs over the years, but now more than ever, concerns about the travel industry’s environmental impact are becoming one of the defining themes of the sector for future generations.

  • Arival’s survey identified key trends such as online booking, virtual tours and self-guided experiences as shaping the future for tours, activities and attractions
  • The prospects for the sector’s recovery are likely to be hyperlocal and target and segment specific, according to Arival research
  • Zeina Dagher, CEO of Emaar Entertainment, shared where the development, sales and guest experience are going in 2021 and beyond

Valued at $ 254 billion in 2019, the travel, activities and attractions segment in the travel and tourism space is not just the third largest segment of travel. That is why people travel in the first place. During the virtual element of the 28th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Douglas Quinby, Co-Founder and CEO of Arival, shared Arival’s exclusive research with 1,500 respondents on the prospects for tours, activities, attractions and key trends that are shaping the revitalization of the sector Post-COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the study, global gross bookings for tours, activities and attractions were down 80% in 2020, which is no surprise. However, the impact of the downturn has been mixed, as experiences varied across regions and varied from market to market.

Arival’s research found that almost all operators (99%) have taken health and safety measures in place and that online booking technology is fast moving in a sector that was 10 to 15 years behind the travel and tourism industry in digitization were introduced. Virtual tours have also been a popular way for platforms to stay connected with their customers and generate revenue. However, only 16% of operators tried to start virtually, with mixed results. The research also found that self-guided tours and experiences as the journey progresses are a viable alternative to experiences in large groups.

Addressing delegates online during ATM Virtual 2021, Quinby said, “This travel sector will return, as will the rest of the travel and tourism industry. As uneven as the impact of the downturn on the sector has been, so has the recovery. What we expect is that the recovery will be hyperlocal and very target and segment specific. “

Meanwhile, Zeina Dagher, CEO of Emaar Entertainment, who is in charge of strategizing some of Dubai’s top attractions, including the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, KidZania and Burj Khalifa, shared how the attractions have adapted to the downturn and where the attractions develop, distribute and distribute. and guest experience will run in 2021 and beyond.

“2020 was a year of unexpected change and the unknown. As an organization, however, we are strengthened and ready for 2021 and beyond, ”said Dagher. “The speed at which we came together as a team to overcome the crisis was critical to our recovery. We had to completely change the way we work in terms of marketing, operations and pricing in order to get much more value from our attractions and also to ensure the health and safety of our guests. Our diversity is now our strength, and our focus is more on our domestic tourism market and the people of the UAE. “

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