Chief Executive of Marriott International Arne Sorenson has provided a stimulating performance in support of the tourism industry in the Future Hospitality Conference in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking in front of a global audience he argued that, the impact of the virus would be contained and by redefining the desire to travel.
He said, one thing that gives him sustaining optimism is that there is no doubt in his mind that the virus will get behind in the future.
Furthermore, he said, when it will happen, the leaders who have driven growth in travel and hospitality for decades will come back.
He added that we cannot ensure exactly when this will happen, or when it will reach the level which was seen by the industry leaders in 2019. But we are confident travel will come back.
The UNWTO recorded approximately 1.6 billion international trips in 2019, where industry experts gave different opinions about when the hospitality sector might reach heights again.
Earlier, World Travel & Tourism Council Chief Executive, Gloria Guevara argued it could be possible by 2022, if the global authorities are able to coordinate their actions.
On the other hand, the International Air Transport Association has warned that recovery could take another four years.
Focusing on business travel, Sorensen said he has no concerns about the long-term health of the sector.
The UNWTO recorded approximately 1.6 billion international trips in 2019, where industry experts gave different opinions about when the hospitality sector might reach heights again.
Earlier, World Travel & Tourism Council Chief Executive, Gloria Guevara argued it could be possible by 2022, if the global authorities are able to coordinate their actions.
On the other hand, the International Air Transport Association has warned that recovery could take another four years.
Focusing on business travel, Sorensen said he has no concerns about the long-term health of the sector.
He mentioned that he is not worried about the future of business travel.
He also added that with the explosion of technology after the 9/11 recession in the economy, business leaders predicted that the travel industry would never return, but that did not happen.
In this conference, he also mentioned, “We’ve heard that working from home was as ‘good’ as working from the office, but the more we get into a crisis, the harder it becomes for us to say it.”
Afterward, he added one more thing that, “There is a drive for us to be together – as we plan for the future and work out which questions it is we need to answer.”
The Marriott chief also pointed out that the covid-19 situation which slowdown the travel industry but technology played a positive role to come out of it.
We use digital tools for connecting with customers, as well as checking in and opening room doors, which has accelerated dramatically, he said.
He added that this technology was available before the pandemic, but its use has now been accelerated.
He said, this will bring satisfaction, as guests are able to bypass the front desk.
He joked, we’ve faced some resistance against it, among business travelers, who probably don’t want to give up that interaction while working at a desk in search of a room upgrade!
In the session, Sorenson was able to sound an optimistic note.
He shared his opinion and said that I think overwhelmingly, when you listen to folks across the world, on the personal side you hear people want to get out of their residence, they also want to meet friends and family members.
It will drive folks back out to gather the experiences that one can only get through travel.
During the Covid-19 period businesses who face loss will come back and lead the business forward.
Sorensen was speaking at the Future Hospitality Summit, a hybrid virtual conference developed to explore big ideas and address the challenges facing the hospitality industry, and will be held in Riyadh over the next two days
The event, which promises to be one of the foremost impactful gatherings of the hospitality community, is going to be delivered on a cutting-edge event platform from Bench Digital.
This will provide an immersive live experience, as well as a virtual exhibition, one-to-one video networking, and also integrated chat feature to all or any participants.
More Information
The Future Hospitality Summit was organized by the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the G20 Saudi Secretariat as part of the international conference program honoring the G20 Saudi Presidency 2020.
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