Since the beginning of the pandemic, tourism has been one of the sectors most affected by the crisis that has directly affected millions of lives and the global economy. According to Sebrae research on the impacts of vaccination in the resumption of activities of small businesses, the Brazilian tourism sector should only in 2022 return to pre-pandemic levels, even if 100% of the population has already been vaccinated by December this year.
Besides the sector depending on the mass vaccination of the population, entrepreneurs will have to adapt to the new preferences and needs of customers. To better understand this context and define the opportunities in this new normal, the study shows the main trends in tourism in Brazil, also revealing the preferences of the Rio de Janeiro public in relation to tourism.
The study says that companies in the sector that want to gain tourism revenue again will have to adopt security protocols and adhere to new technologies to give customers more confidence. Among the suggested innovations there are the inclusion of digital check-in and check-out, digital identification, contactless payment, internet of things, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence.
In the pre-COVID period, tourism represented 3% of the GDP of the State of Rio de Janeiro and was the number one destination for 40% of the domestic travelers. To escape the crisis, the entrepreneur must find the best strategies to differentiate his/her business. The approach to the client; the diversification of the portfolio; training on good practices; the adoption of mechanisms that guarantee the client’s health security; the use of technologies that enable Low Touch; the implementation in their business models and services of trends such as workation, ecotourism and experiences. Everything that allows dealing with the need for postponements or cancellations of reservations should be a “must” option.
This research also emphasizes that luxury tourism has strong demand and indicates paths to companies that want to enter this niche. For example, culinary tourism, providing exclusive wellness services, renting suites for micro-celebrations or entire venues, and offering personalized tours. Charm tourism is also a good opportunity to attract tourists.
It’s indicated that entrepreneurs who invest in proximity tourism and ecotourism may take greater advantage of the resumption of activities. According to the research, tourists want to explore cities in the interior of the country, travel by car or by plane with a maximum duration of three hours, and are attentive to the protection measures adopted by the companies.
With the coronavirus pandemic, national tourism in Brazil will have to be reinvented to gain tourism revenue again. People have been looking to travel to closer places, with natural resources, beaches, waterfalls, reserves, and parks. Furthermore, social impact actions can be a point of attraction for new tourists.