Discussion Forum

First, it is important to recognize that it maybe a while before the effects of the current pandemic are diminished to a very minimal level. Even when that happens, it is unlikely that for a considerable period, the comfort level in societies regarding infection prevention, cleanliness, social distancing etc. will go back to the pre-pandemic levels. It is more likely that many of the precautions such as sanitization, control of internal air quality, and other measures will become norm in within the hospitality, travel, and tourism industry. This type of situation is not unique, however. Whenever there is a major change (e.g. crisis or technological innovation such as online booking of hotel rooms; wifi everywhere, smart phones with GPS capability) initially there are changes in service offerings at the premium levels. Over time, many of these changes become part of standard service offered by different companies. So, we should expect that many new services such as enhanced cleaning will become part of the standard operating practice in the hospitality industry as time goes by