Talk to any travel industry CEO – even those
with the best laid crisis management plans – and they will tell you they never
anticipated a global disaster on the scope of COVID-19.
As they look to the future, thoughts turn to
what their companies can and should be doing today to become more resilient.
At The Phocuswright Conference 2020, Andrea
Kates, managing director of consulting firm Futureproofing: Next, says now is
the time for travel executives to “think about where we can be a year from now
and work backwards and be bold.”
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Kates outlines what she calls “the pyramid of
possibility,” which illustrates layers of action that can move companies toward
a more innovative future.
At the top of that pyramid is the goal of “futureproof,”
which Kates says is achieved through actions such as working with competitors
to achieve common goals, reimagining the customer experience and developing
new, cross-industry business models.
“We are not victims of the future. We are
leaders of organizations that can shape our future,” Kates says.
“This is the moment to get ahead of the changes
in our market and redirect toward a new path to growth.”
Watch the full presentation below.