#BackToTheFuture - the leading theme

Well-known national and international experts spoke about potential strategies and approaches in dealing with COVID-19 and ventured an outlook into the time after the pandemic. In addition to the worldwide slump in tourism demand and possible solutions, technology and innovation were also on the agenda. New for the 2020 edition of the #SID20 is the close cooperation between the SHS Academy and Schmid Pelli & Partner, who organized the event as "co-hosts".

Video Interview: Reto A. Wilhelm, CEO & Owner at raw consulting about Corona learnings for the tourism and hotel industry, its impact on the validation for startups and more.

Recovery of international travel only in sight from 2022 onwards

The experts do not expect an immediate recovery in international travel. Stefan Widrig, CEO of Zurich Airport, for example, does not expect a normalization before the year 2022. In a public survey, only one in ten participants stated that they would like to travel more by plane again in the next six months. Dr. Daniel Kalt, Chief Economist of UBS Switzerland, emphasizes the importance of first eliminating state-imposed flight restrictions before the psychological barriers can be reduced. Jürg Schmid, co-owner of Schmid, Pelli & Partner, expects a slow recovery of city and meeting tourism and sees the restraint in air travel as an accelerator of seasonal domestic tourism. "But I am also convinced that Switzerland as a travel destination will recover more quickly than other countries," the tourism expert concludes.

Dr. Daniel Kalt, Chief Economist of UBS Switzerland

Technology and flexibility - the key to success

Lonneke de Kort, CEO of bookdifferent.com, predicts that business trips will increasingly take place in virtual space. Safe and sustainable tourism are the major trends of the future. The current situation also defines a new understanding of luxury, which focuses on space, freedom and an intact nature.

According to Tim Weiland, General Manager of Alpina Gstaad, guests are very willing to pay for these attributes. The lessons learned from the pandemic were also intensively debated - including their influence on companies' planning horizons: "We cannot afford to see the COVID era as a time without goals," insists Philipp Dautzenberg, CEO of Transgourmet, for example.

Video Interview: Tim Weiland, General Manager at the Alpina Gstaad about the Future of Luxury in the Hospitality Industry and more.

Hermann Konings from nxt presenting remote from Antwerp, Belgium - «Welcome to the Intervirum! – Human Behaviour after COVID-19»

Due to current travel restrictions, guest speaker Hermann Konings from Belgium was connected via video message. "This kind of flexibility will probably become the new standard, but it also shows that events with appropriate protection concepts and technological possibilities are definitely feasible in the era of Corona," says Daniel Plancic, Managing Director of the SHS Academy.


Watch all Video Interviews from the #SID20

Dr. Inès Blal, Managing Directer at Ecole Hôtelière Lausanne

Felix Suhner, Hotelier at Balance Familie Hotel Group

Gabor Imre, CEO at FTF International AG

Lonneke de Kort, CEO at bookdifferent.com

Patric Vogel, Owner and Hotelier at Märchenhotel Braunwald

Corinne Denzler, General Manager at Chenot Palace Weggis


About our partner SHS Academy

SHS Academy is the innovative training institute for Swiss hotels, restaurants and tourism. The institute offers courses and workshops in the areas of revenue management, digital marketing and innovation. The SHS Academy is a subsidiary of Swiss Hospitality Solutions, the leading consulting firm in the areas of revenue management and digital marketing for the Swiss hotel industry.