Meet Your New Competition

In conversation with Canadian Travel Press, Forrester’s chief business technology officer & head of FeedbackNow, Steve Peltzman makes it clear that “the pandemic will have a long-term effect, and the customer balance between convenience and safety will shift forever as a result.”

Peltzman pointed out that real competition is no longer just other forms of travel and hospitality but rather the desire to not travel at all.

He explained that Forrester’s research shows about four in 10 US adults feel comfortable stepping into an aircraft, hotel lobby, or restaurant only after the business proves its safety measures are effective.

And Peltzman observed: “You need to prove to every traveller you’re not just doing basic cleaning and mask-wearing – you’re fundamentally changing their experience to put them more at ease.”

He also made it clear that: “COVID-19 is not a temporary shock to the system – it’s a permanent event of industry natural selection. Simply adjusting and reacting won’t cut it. Your “factory floor” must be re-engineered to offer information, choice, and service in a completely new way.”

For the full story, check out this week’s issue of CANADIAN TRAVEL PRESS.