Besides economic loss, the COVID-19 pandemic will have an impact on traveller behaviour and service standards of products and destinations. This will lead to changes across the entire ecosystem of travel chain, and service and product providers will have to rework on their strategies to stay competitive and ensure top of the mind recall.

Commenting on this, Dr. YK Pang, Chairman, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), says that this health scare will reshape the tourism landscape once lockdowns and border restrictions are lifted. He is of the opinion that this period is the ideal time to review strategies and improve service quality.

He said, “In the post-pandemic world, we will see a shift in preference and behaviour among travellers – the public health conditions of destinations, and the hygiene standards of transportations, hotels and other tourism facilities will become a top priority; people will prefer short-haul breaks and shorter itineraries; wellness-themed trips will become a new trend. It is in fact an ideal time for us to review and rethink Hong Kong’s position in the global tourism market and elevate service standard.”