James Crabtree, Author and Faculty Member, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

Reopening the world’s tourism industry will be a complex and slow process, warns James Crabtree, author and faculty member at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He explains that while countries with a good record at beating the virus will be at an advantage, significant political elements will come into play—with the powerhouses of China, the US and the EU calling the shots. 

And while pent-up demand will see an initial surge in domestic and international travel, James says this will most likely be a short-term blip rather than a longer-term return to ‘normal’. Getting back to pre-virus travel patterns will depend on a destination or brand’s ability to innovate and cut through the social-media ‘scrum’ to reassure and convince travellers to return.