Tourism has been a sector dramatically affected globally by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sharing his expertise on the subject, NC School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport professor, Paul Willie, PhD, will speak at a webinar on January 30, organized by postsecondary institution Bogor Hotel Institute (BHI) Hospitality and Tourism College in Indonesia.
The “Hospitality & Tourism Recovery Strategy During COVID-19 Pandemic Situation” webinar will create dialogue on current tourism industry needs and what the industry will look like post-pandemic.
Willie is one of three keynote speakers for the event and will be joined by Bogor City mayor, Bima Arya, PhD, and Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia (UITM) deputy dean of Research and Industry Linkages faculty of Hotel and Tourism, Mohd Hafiz Mohd Hanafiah, PhD. In addition to presenting on the topic of COVID-19 recovery in the Hospitality and Tourism industry, Willie will field questions to share best practices with global colleagues.
He explained that his presentation will explore how the Hospitality and Tourism industry will only recover once COVID-19 cases are lowered; once case numbers drop significantly, Willie believes the industry should see positive values in key performance metrics and economic indicators.
“Therefore once the economy has kick started, we will see recovery underway in all sectors of the Hospitality and Tourism industry,” said Willie. “Ceteris Parabis – all other things being equal- we must restore and maintain both consumer trust and confidence. Prospective guests must perceive the risk value as being low with respect to COVID-19 infection/transmission taking place on an airplane, in a hotel, or at a food service establishment. Effective communication strategy by our industry players will be extremely important in the months ahead.”
Representing Niagara College, Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES) and the Association of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), Willie has spoken at numerous international webinars in the past.
Most recently, he has spoken multiple times on the topic of COVID-19 recovery in the Hospitality and Tourism sector, noting it is a matter that he takes very seriously as he is concerned about his industry colleagues and the future of tourism in Canada and around the world.
Willie hopes that those virtually attending his presentation will understand the challenges the Canadian Hospitality and Tourism industry is faced with 10 months into the global pandemic. “But also, the hope and positive elements that are on the road before us at this time,” Willie added.
The invitation to present at the conference is a result of partnership exploration opportunities between Niagara College and BHI Hospitality and Tourism College.
Niagara College has a long history of partnerships in Southeast Asia and has been growing its partnerships in Indonesia. In 2019, the College welcomed 28 educators across two program intakes from Indonesia who enhanced their travel management and tourism expertise through a customized program offered by NC’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Sport and supported by the International Division. The College looks forward to continuing to strength its relationships in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
