6 Key Takeaways From Skift Forum Europe
Photo Credit: Travel business got a chance to look themselves in the mirror and to redesign their operations during the coronavirus crisis. A sideview mirror as pictured on December 5, 2015. Flickr.com / Sam
Skift Take
Nothing like a world-shattering crisis to force companies to look into the mirror and contemplate a makeover. Will consumer travel preferences change forever because of coronavirus? Forever is a very long time.
You already know about the massive layoffs and furloughs, the hacksaw that eviscerated budgets, the borrowing and the lockdowns that generated massive cancellations, but many travel brands and tourism boards also used the coronavirus crisis to remake their businesses.
That was just one of the key takeaways of the fourth annual Skift Forum Europe on Tuesday. Here are others.
1. An Opportunity to Reboot businesses
From online travel companies to tour operators and tourism boards, the Covid-19 shutdown presented an unusual opportunity — a time for brands to rethink their core missions, and to refashion their businesses.
Tripadvisor CEO Steve Kaufer said the company will downplay flights, put less emphasis on optimizing the hotel-booking process, and will hone trip-planning functionality for crafting what he labeled "the considered trip." He said this might lead to a reduction in the company's sometimes global-leading unique visitor numbers in favor of enticing customers to use T
