Photo by Proxyclick Visitor Management System/UNSPALSH

By Frank Martin

The forecasts for hotels in touristy Greece are dark.

A local study indicates that 65% of Greek accommodations could still be closed for a long time.

Things are not much better for hotels worldwide.

Richer companies like Marriot and Hilton hope to get out of the crisis better because they point to a slow recovery after business travel around the world is no longer blocked.

The European experts consulted believe that the crisis caused by the pandemic in large or small global airlines cannot be compared with that of hotels.

One explanation could be that while airplanes transport people by flights that last a few hours, hotels have millions of people as clients, whom they must satisfy with a wide variety of services indefinitely and on a case-by-case basis.

On the other hand, the emphasis on attention to costumer’s safety will be at the top of the list of requirements.

“There is a lot we can learn from hospitals,” experts estimated.

A general opinion is that the right way is hotels must achieve levels of cleanliness and health care never before seen.

They expect that, for example the best of the disinfectants must be available in hotels and a proper medical personal also.

In several tourist destinations around the world that have already partially opened their hotel systems, doctors have been arranged to be on site to react to emergencies related to the pandemic.

Hygiene rules will be stricter and will apply to employees also.

Sophisticated elements such as ultraviolet light should be used to clean public spaces within hotels premises.

The post Covid reopened will also be an era when travelers will not like long journeys.

That kind of “prophecy” indicates that people will avoid long-distance travel and airplanes whenever they can.

The decision will not be related to the fear of flying but to the closed spaces in the cabins that can cause a greater exchange of viruses and germs between passengers.

The “luxury” hotels services will take advantage of the high purchasing power of their regular customers to offer (and make more expensive) private and exclusive services in order to reduce personal contacts with other guests.

A hotel chain operating in Madagascar decided to plant half a million trees on its grounds to achieve a natural environment considered beneficial to health.

Safety certifications not only against Covid-19 but other viruses and diseases also will persist long after the pandemic is under control.

Small, medium and large hotels will have to learn how to deal with very demanding clients not only in terms of comfort and good services but also in terms of health security.

In addition, after the long confinements, prohibitions and limitations in their life travelers will want to enjoy their vacations to the fullest and probably “in a big way”.

And will demand adequate prices.