Harnessing Technology in the Evolving Tourism Servicescape during the Post-Covid-19 Era

Abstract

The tourism industry is reopening after two years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With its re-emergence, new ways of welcoming, receiving, and serving tourists and visitors will be necessary to restore their travel confidence. Governments and destinations should address tourists' health concerns and reassure them to feel at ease, secure, and safe while traveling. This paper argues that technology is an essential strategic partner for redesigning the tourism servicescape. A tourism servicescape combines products, places, services, and activities that contribute to tourists' overall experience. It also includes the interactions between tourists and several organizations at different touchpoints. This study attempts to redesign the tourism servicescape in the Post-Covid-19 by leveraging technology and aligning it with service delivery and interaction. Five technology pillars would facilitate a new service landscape in the travel and tourism industry. For each of these pillars, the author explores how to harness technology and how it can benefit organizations, businesses, and tourists. Technology will likely play an essential role in realigning tourism services and business models in the post-COVID-19 era.