Tourism economy, knowledge economy|CEOE

We’ve been talking about changing the tourism model and the migration from quantity to value and quality for a while. We spent some time discussing the pillars of sustainability, the drive for innovation, the inclusive tourism model, safety as a key part of this new model… There are many open debates around tourism and most of them are still not closed.

And in this context, I believe it’s key to focus our attention on another key issue: Development of tourism economy towards knowledge economy. I will try to explain the reason and importance of this transformation.

On the one hand, from a supply point of view, The necessary complexity of the tourism value chain. The current tourism ecosystem has little to do with the value chain we studied at the university at the time. Technology, environment, security, diversity, inclusiveness, values… is now the axis of activity. Of course, without forgetting the social, environmental and economic profitability that forms the basis of the model.

We must unite with them. changes in the business modelthe new structure of the industry. Managers, operators and investors, the current tourism company’s range of shareholding relationships has little to do with the family businesses that gave the industry its initial impetus (many of which are still in operation).

Financial and social knowledge is now essential to understanding new trends in the industry’s business ecosystem. Not just in terms of the most financial part or ownership models; also in relation to marketing, the development of policies related to sustainability, inclusion, digitalization or well-being.

An applied expertise in every field, not just hospitality, brokerage, transport or trade. And this has resulted in the emergence of an industry with great complexity in private-private, public-private and mixed relationships.

a result reflected in added value of labor ecosystems. Today’s labor structures have nothing to do with those of the past. Currently, for example, innovation, technology, economics, processes, experiential marketing, simplicity, sustainability or urban planning are part of the new competence framework required to function in the industry. It’s a non-traditional framework of skills that classical tourism professions have. It is now engineers, technologists, sociologists and veterinarians, doctors, physicists or mathematicians who determine the structure of organizations in the 21st century tourism industry.

If we look at the industry on the demand side, evolution and changes that occur are similar. We are dealing with a customer who is more knowledgeable, more enlightened and educated about travel, has new motivations for travel, and has different criteria when judging an experience as unique.

Where, when and why each trip is chosen, considerations such as nutrition, well-being, sport, culture, sustainability or independence, among others, are weighted, which complements the purpose of the experience.

In this new environment,what is important for companies to adapt and stand out in this different context?On the one hand, vision. All Spanish tourism entrepreneurs share the vision of the ecosystem in which they operate. But it’s about figuring out how to add a different value to the experience and committing to that commitment. An example would be businessmen who can and do connect health security to the tourist experience, even from companies that do not come from the tourism ecosystem, coinciding with the situation created by COVID-19.

On the other hand, indispensable reproduce information. Spanish businessmen perfectly know everything about the tourism business in their national and international expansion: they know how to satisfy and create unique experiences for each tourist. And they are always accompanied by local suppliers and partners in each region to make this a reality. But now, health security, nutrition, culture, physical and emotional well-being etc. They also have to rely on companies from other fields that have the know-how to respond to these new customer demands.

The combination of sectoral knowledge, local knowledge and this expertise is essential to support the competitive advantages of Spanish tourism companies inside and outside our country.

And as a third essential element, cooperation and even going a little further, cooperation. Public-private cooperation, private-private cooperation, improving the cooperation system, promoting joint work… Models that must continue to work and be expanded if we want to continue to be successful in the future.

A future I’m sure will happenoh keep giving hope For the entire tourism ecosystem in our country. Because we have companies with the vision, knowledge and ability to form deals and alliances. And, of course, entrepreneurs with the personality, tenacity, courage and drive to do it.