How Can Tourism Support Refugees?

This month we explore these kids of questions in our new global theme: #TMTourismChallenges. Chosen by our Berlin Chapter, monthly global themes invite our community of innovative thinkers and change-makers to share and engage online, offline, and at events. Here are some questions and thoughts to prepare you for the upcoming Berlin Travel Massive meet up. 

On October 27 in Berlin, Travel Massive is hosting an event to explore the question of

How can tourism support refugees?

Today, refugees are arriving to touristic islands such as Kos, Lesvos and other popular destinations.  This question of how we can support is very relevant to our industry right now. Tourism is a network of accommodation providers, transport solutions and guides to strange and new places. Our industry is built on welcoming foreigners.

So what should we do?

Over the last few months at Travindy we’ve been reporting on the many inspiring actions that individuals and companies within our industry have undertaken. There’s the owner of Scandic Hotels in Norway, who offered up 5,000 free nights for arriving refugees. Or the holiday resort company in France who said that over the winter they would make 20 of their locations available. Or the inspiring Migrantours project, employing immigrants living in some of Europe’s largest cities to work as guides and provide their own unique perspectives.

We’ve seen airlines increase baggage allowances for tourists wanting to take supplies out to the Greek Islands. Iceland committing to take newly arrived refugees on whalewatching trips to help them understand the country better. The street artist Banksy repurposing the structures used to make his pop-up theme park Dismaland for use in the refugee camps around Calais.

What are some other questions looking to be answers?

• Does the refugee crisis impact destinations at the arrival point?
• Are tourists in these destinations empathetic?
• Is the current situation impacting bookings for local tour operators?
• How does the tourism industry also support the industry members who might be affected?
• How does the tourism industry support the industry members’ home countries who might be affected?
• What about tourism in Syria? Will it be completely destroyed?
• How can a country use tourism to rebuild their reputation?

As of now there appears to be no industry wide approach to offer support. Might one of the big OTAs enable hotels to advertise rooms at discounts for refugees? Is there a mechanism where empty spaces in our planes and boats could be offered up to those getting into unsafe dinghies? Could tours guides to foreign cities serve as mentors to newly arrived refugees?

We don’t know the answers to these questions. But we believe these are conversations that as an industry we need to be having. Hopefully we can begin discussions like this at the Berlin Travel Massive event next week and also during our upcoming Twitter Chat on #TMTourismChallenges. We hope to see you there!

Writer Jeremy Smith is the co-founder and editor of Travindy, reporting on the issues, innovations and insights shaping a progressive, sustainable future for tourism.