Ready to Re-open? Four Essential Steps to Consider

The Covid-19 crisis forced tour and travel operators into an all-consuming focus on survival. Now, with containment efforts appearing to work, many businesses look forward to re-opening. But operating in a Covid-19 world will not be business as usual.

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Ready to Re-open? Four Essential Steps to Consider

From ziplines to water parks, walking tours to art museums, understanding the next steps toward the New Normal is complicated. There are neither government regulations nor industry standards to offer a path to re-opening, and no single set of guidelines can effectively apply across the board. Nevertheless, no matter the service or product, a uniform set of re-opening challenges involves regulation, staffing, communication, and operation.

1) Regulations: More than social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizers?

Most countries are re-opening in stages, Tourist activities like theme parks and museums may have to wait for later stages. Still, there’s a wide range of operators, including guided tours, cooking classes, and equipment rentals, that may only be limited by group size. Regardless of when you’re permitted to open, there may be required criteria for entry, such as face masks and social distancing.

Local tourist boards are the best source of information but don’t expect much further guidance once the green light is given. Trade associations and private industry groups will likely step up to fill the void. But to alleviate fear and build confidence, erring on the side of caution may be the safest choice all around, as well as save further modifications down the road.

2) Staffing: Who do you need? What training plans and safety procedures to implement?

Some governments offer crisis assistance with operations, including employee retention. But furloughs or no, the reality is that staffing will need to be reorganized. Previous positions may be replaced by other functions that need to be filled, such as more security to handle crowd control, more tour guides and drivers due to smaller group sizes, and more janitorial and custodial staff everywhere.

Decisions should be made based on exposure levels, especially with vulnerable staff and potentially non-essential positions like volunteer docents and guides. Admin staff whose functions are no longer needed may need to shift to take on more front-line positions. Regardless, all employees require ongoing training in Covid-19 protocols ranging from proper sanitizing techniques and crowd management to spotting potentially ill guests. Also, updates from legal, HR, and insurance representatives about new rights, obligations, and liabilities related to exposing employees to the general public is imperative, as the pandemic has already brought changes to laws and new precedents to be set.

3) Communication: How to reassure your offerings are enjoyable and safe? How to ensure customers follow protocol?

Once a re-opening has been planned, what’s next? Much attention has been paid to selling to the domestic market. Less documented is what to say once guests commit to a visit. They need reassurance that their experience will be clean and safe. They need to be advised on topics from general travel restrictions down to site-specific regulations, including permitted arrival windows, is PPE required or provided, is health screening mandatory upon entry, what they’re allowed to carry inside, and how long they’re permitted to stay.

In addition to direct guest communications, distribution partners should be updated. Concierges and OTAs will need to abide by timed ticketing. A review of all their public-facing information is required. Brochures may need to be reprinted.

Beyond the daily flow of information, this is when a crisis communication plan is essential, especially for a successful re-opening. Contingencies should be in place for everything from a social media response to a negative review regarding your safety techniques to how to manage communication if a public-facing employee becomes ill or a breakout is traced to your facility. Strategic public relations and communications are vital, like never before.

4) Operation: What’s the best way to bring everything together for a smooth experience?

The prevailing industry wisdom is that re-openings will start with capacity limits selling only pre-purchased timed entry tickets. This can be accomplished using either existing ticketing software or some simple aftermarket options.

Once the guest arrives, challenges multiply exponentially. Is the experience now touchless? Are safety protocols in place to protect visitors and employees? How will traffic through the facility be regulated and enforced? Is seating removed? Should explanatory signs be put up everywhere? Should apps be developed to replace handouts? What cleaning equipment is needed, and is the supply reliable? Do you continuously clean, or periodically close throughout the day for a thorough cleanse? What’s the magic 72 hours, 165 degrees, and 13 feet?

The questions seem endless, and even the answers from reliable sources are sometimes conflicting. The process will evolve over weeks, months, and years–safety and hygiene will now need to be an ongoing formal part of your operations plan, sales pitch, and even continuing professional education.

The New Normal demands preparation, anticipation, flexibility, cooperation
Re-opening a tour or attraction requires significant planning and interdepartmental collaboration. The entire process can last from weeks to months. It may involve multiple revisions based on changing goalposts, as well as coordination with outside organizations as diverse as construction crews, sanitation suppliers, and lawyers.

This is new territory for everyone, so patience and flexibility are key to successfully surviving the transition to operations in a Covid-19 world. Guests and employees will set the bar high for operational responses to potential risks while expecting an excellent experience. Every tour and travel business should see the benefit of providing the highest standard of safety possible to elevate the industry and accelerate winning back the trust of travelers as they venture back out to see the world.

About the Author

Jon Peahl is the founder and president of SanSee Systems, which is developing safety protocols for tour and activity operators in a post-Covid environment.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonpeahl/

Website: sansee.travel/

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The Affluent Experiences Traveler

Who they are, what they want, and why they’re so important to operators and sellers of tours, activities & attractions. By: Anne Failing, Douglas Quinby & Janelle Visser

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WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARIVAL | ACTIVATE EDINBURGH AND ARIVAL 360 | VALENCIA AND WHICH SHOULD I ATTEND?

Since 2019, Arival has hosted one major event in Europe each year. For 2024-2025, we’re thrilled to offer two exciting events: Arival 360 | Valencia and Arival | Activate Edinburgh. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide which event to attend—or why you might want to come to both:

Arival 360 | Valencia (28-30 April 2025)
  • Scope: Flagship European Event with a global reach; up to 30% of attendees from outside Europe, including the U.S., Middle East, LATAM, and APAC.
  • Audience: Experience creators, tech and distribution companies, and industry professionals from around the world.
  • Arival Theater Content: Global topics including: over-tourism and sustainability, technology, distribution, European consumer and operator trends.
  • Breakout Sessions: In-depth workshops on operational best practices, product expansion, AI, channel management, marketing tech, a Spain-specific track and an Innovation Showcase highlighting the most tech-savvy companies in our industry.
  • Networking: Connect with leading OTAs and distribution companies, and build valuable partnerships.
  • Location: Valencia, a stunning coastal city offering rich cultural experiences.
  • Attendees: Approximately 800, providing extensive networking opportunities.
Arival | Activate Edinburgh (23-25 November 2024)
  • Scope: Regional focus on the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic regions.
  • Audience: Operators and industry professionals from the region.
  • Content: Gain insights on regional topics like technology, distribution strategies, and hear from top regional tourism leaders.
  • Breakout Sessions: Experience hands-on learning at Edinburgh’s top attractions and tours, with sessions on visitor experience, digital journeys and innovative tour development. In-depth sessions for companies at the beginning of their digital journey and more advanced sessions for people and companies looking to elevate their experience.
  • Networking: With a more intimate setting. you’ll have more time to build deeper connections and create more meaningful interactions with your current and future partners including distributors, tech companies, DMOs and more.
  • Location: Edinburgh, known for its stunning architecture and historic charm
  • Attendees: Approximately 400, fostering an intimate peer-to-peer learning and networking environment.
Key Differences:
  • Global vs. Regional Focus: Valencia is a global event with an international audience, while Edinburgh is a regional event focused on the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions.
  • Event Size: Valencia hosts about 800 attendees, providing broad networking opportunities, whereas Edinburgh’s 400 attendees create a more intimate, focused environment.
  • Content and Sessions: Valencia features global themes and advanced topics, whereas Edinburgh provides region-specific insights and hands-on experiential learning.
  • Location Experience: Valencia providing a coastal escape and Edinburgh offering historic and iconic attractions.
  • Who Will Be There: The most valuable part of Arival Events is the connections you make and the partnerships you build to grow your business. At Arival | Activate Edinburgh, you’ll engage with key industry players in the UK, Ireland, and Nordic regions. If your business focus is on these areas, Edinburgh is where you need to be. For those targeting broader European or global markets, Arival 360 | Valencia offers the ideal platform to network with international leaders and innovators. 
Why attend both?

With limited opportunities for business development, learning, and networking in our industry, attending both events is a strategic move. By participating in both Edinburgh and Valencia, you maximize your exposure to diverse markets and influential contacts. 

However, if budget constraints or a specific regional focus dictate your decisions, choose the event that best aligns with your primary business goals. Join us in Edinburgh for regional insights or Valencia for global perspectives—or better yet, attend both to fully leverage the potential of Arival’s expansive network.

For service providers such as a restech or ticketing platform, distribution company, or other services including marketing, AI tools, etc., attending both gives you access to attendees from both markets to connect with your current customers and to meet new ones!

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At Arival, we believe travel can make the world a better place. Our mission is to establish and inspire a diverse community of individuals and companies in the In-destination Industry by providing opportunities to gain insight, share knowledge and build connections. To make it possible for true collaboration, creativity, innovation, and idea exchange to thrive, we are committed to facilitating a welcoming and respectful community for all. This Conference Code of Conduct shares our community expectations and applies to all attendees, employees, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and other participants at Arival- produced and sponsored events. We empower all participants in our community to actively engage in creating a friendly, inclusive and safe environment for all.

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