Covid-19 has transformed the manner of doing things in a number of ways in modern society. The global pandemic has forced different industries to close down based on the measures applied to reduce the spread. Issues of social distancing and lockdowns have forced people to automatically stop several practices. As a result, several industries have been hit hard. The fist industry that has been majorly affected is the hospitality industry. This industry relies majorly on the interaction of people from different parts of people in hotels and events. As a result, the lockdown and social distancing have reduced the business volume rapidly. The hospitality industry has been effected through a reduced number of guests, lack of income, large operation cost versus the income, and the wastage of resources that were already accumulated in the hotels for better service. As a result of the impacts, the industry might change to increased local tourism, automation of services, reduction of workers in the hotels, energy and food saving, and increased protection of the environment.
The advancement of coronavirus pandemic has led to the abrupt disruption of the traveling industry and caused fear in the use of public transportation, such as may thus lead to local tourism. In the wake of the rapid infection rate across the planet, countries across the globe stopped the use of commercial planes to move people from one part of the world to another. In an article published by the OECD organization, the author explains, “Recovery is now expected to start later and be slower than previously foreseen. Travel restrictions and containment measures are likely to be in place for longer, and are expected to be lifted only gradually, with the possibility of reversal should new waves occur” (Stacey). The traveling ban is expected to be lifted slowly; however, the industry remains uncertain. Stacey goes ahead to explain that local tourism is expected to recover quickly. The reduced restrictions within borders in later months in the second half of 2020 will allow members of a given society to explore more. In increasing domestic tourism, the tourism sector will have to make necessary adjustments to account for the important sector of hospitality, unlike in the past. Third world and developing nations which rely on international tourism will reduce notably to accommodate the local tourists.
Similarly, the pandemic might affect the hospitality sector by increasing automated services. The coronavirus pandemic has redefined human interaction by increasing aspects of social distancing. As a result, as the pandemic is controlled, the hospitality industry will have to devise the use of robots and other automated services to reduce human interaction and possibly a second wave of infections. As illustrated in the hotel business daily, “Hotels employ robots to sanitize rooms and common areas, freeing staff from the risk of contamination. Hotels and restaurants can keep their kitchen operational using an intelligent food preparation system, combining automation, robotics, and machine learning techniques” (HBW). The adoption of technology has been visible in certain parts of the world. Even so, the advancement of social distancing has called for more increased acceptance of automated services among consumers. Therefore, in the events after the pandemic, the adoption of technology in the hospitality industry will be somewhat necessary. Reduced interaction with humans will create an aspect of control of the virus; thus, the inability to start a second wave of the virus. The automation of the hospitality industry will become a necessity in the period after the pandemic has been controlled internationally.
Additionally, the downscaling experienced in the hospitality industry will lead to a reduced number of workers in the industry. The coronavirus pandemic has redefined modern society calling for adjustments in the expenditures of hotels and vacation premises. As a result, the hospitality industry has redefined the aspect of essential workers and complementary workers. As explained by HBW, “The sectors will still be constrained by affordance and affordability. Those who can quickly adapt automation may face some challenges from the technical limitations of current applications. Those who are independent owners and operators may find it too costly to come on board.” As a result, the companies will look into the downsizing of the employees. Technology adoption will be expensive for small hotels and premises; thus, the changes will be done on the workers. The companies and hotels are likely to adopt only a few employees at a time who will be expected to multitask in several units. Different industries have seen the rapid reduction of workers in the industries, and the hospitality industry will be no different. Although the hiring of more workers might be viewed in the reestablishment of the industry, in the reopening of the economies and traveling sector, the hospitality employment rate will be at an ultimate low.
Moreover, the covid-19 pandemic is likely to increase the energy and food saving techniques in the reopening of the facilities. In an expert interaction on Hospitality Net, a contributor explains that “This is exactly the time to consider experience design changes to your service delivery and guest activities that will reduce energy and water use, cut food waste and increase guest satisfaction. Rather than simply prune back fixed costs, re-engineer change” (Warren). The current period has been a learning experience for the tourism sector across the globe. The reduced number of tourists and consumers of the hospitality industry has allowed the hotels to reconsider their style of business. As a result, the period has led to the reconsideration of the energy and food usage in the various facilities. In the reopening of the hospitality industry, control and rise in the energy-saving technique are likely to be witnesses. The saving of resources used in the industry will be a necessary consideration to save more for the owners to make profits. With adjustments made in the daily use of energy, saving of water, and reduced food wastage, the hospitality industry will be able to adjust the overall use of energy even after the full recovery of the industry.
Furthermore, the reopening of the hospitality sector will lead to the improvement of environmental practices. The most notable change in modern times during the pandemic is the reduced impacts of humans on the environment. Therefore, after the pandemic, the majority of the hospitality industry players will reconsider their impacts on the environment. As a contributor to the EHL organization explains, “The pandemic has triggered a shift in priorities. We can anticipate that most discussions among business owners, senior managers, and professionals in hotels and restaurants are now shifting to short-term strategic adaptation in alignment with the impact of COVID-19 on their operations” (Martin-Rios). The adoption of sustainable business techniques is becoming a necessity for the majority of businesses in the reopening of the industry. In the hospitality industry, the preservation of natural resources and advanced cleaning of the developed beachfront is among the main areas of changes to be made. The hospitality industry has had time to consider its impacts on the environment. Therefore, the reopening after the pandemic will be geared towards safer and better practices. In return, the saving of the planet will be successful.
The hospitality industry is one of the most affected sectors in the world based on the covid-19 pandemic; thus, the industry is expected to focus on domestic tourism, increase automation reduce employees, and observing better energy preservation techniques. The advancement of the pandemic has led to a period of reconsideration of the necessary aspects of the hospitality industry and the least essential. As a result, the industry is expected to change towards the adoption of better practices for the future. In the reopening of the hospitality industry, several changes will be adopted in the industry for better servicing and avoiding the contamination and reemergence of the coronavirus pandemic. The opening of various industries will be conducted cautiously to ensure no relapse of the pandemic. Generally, the world has been challenged to be better. Better interactions with the environment and resources in use by humans have been questioned. The period of social distancing has allowed the world to rest, which is likely to continue with the reestablishment of the economies and various industries.