Tourism needs courageous disruptors and clever evolutionaries who inspire guests - from resilient companies.
This balance between revolution and evolution is crucial to long-term success – especially in an industry that thrives on desires, experiences and empathy.
Disruption: what exactly is it?
The term disruption was originally used for technological innovations that revolutionize entire markets. The prime example: the smartphone. It combined a phone, camera and film camera in one device – and made the individual devices redundant.
The US innovation researcher Clayton Christensen warned: “Companies that only gently develop their products run the risk of being overtaken by start-ups that boldly try something new.
When change comes suddenly
Disruptive developments often hit companies unprepared. Managers then have to react quickly – either with their own innovative concepts or by further developing their existing strategy. Hesitation means risk.
“Panta rhei – everything flows and nothing remains; there is only eternal becoming and change.”
Heraclitus
Tourism has long been affected
Disruptive business models such as UBER and Airbnb have digitalized and globalized traditional tourism tasks. Some tourism organizations tried to counter this with their own investments – but with the advent of artificial intelligence, many became spectators.
In response to these digital, disruptive developments, tourism organizations must focus on their core tasks – offering guests emphatic, personal care and corresponding analogue experiences. These experiences or moments of longing must be unique and appeal to the guest’s soul. The implementation of copy-paste strategies inevitably leads to price erosion and means a loss of market share in the international tourism competition that strives for uniqueness!
A variety of solutions can then be used when selecting automation tools
Historian Jill Lepore says of disruption: “Its fixation on change makes it blind to continuity.”
I continue to be an advocate of the targeted use of disruption under the umbrella of evolution!
The theory of bee evolution is a good example of this!
Bees use the waggle dance to show each other where the food sources are located. But a fifth of the bees ignore the instruction and fly in other directions. This is a long-term survival strategy of the bee colony. It needs the majority to play it safe, but it also needs outsiders to seek out new sources for the future.
This principle is confirmed in evolution as a whole. Evolution progresses through mutations. But it also requires the passing on of those genes that have proven themselves in the struggle for survival.
Disruption under the umbrella of evolution
I am convinced that disruption makes sense – if it is used in a targeted manner. It must not be an end in itself, but must offer the customer real added value.
Historian Jill Lepore puts it in a nutshell:
I am convinced that disruption makes sense – if it is used in a targeted manner. It must not be an end in itself, but must offer the customer real added value.
more about Gernot Paesold
BrightPlaces: Your partner for digital transformation in the Alpine region
At BrightPlaces, we support companies, communities and organizations in the Alpine region on their path to a sustainable, digital future. With our experience in strategy, AI and digital business models, we develop individual solutions for change, growth and resilience – in line with ecological, economic and social goals.
Ready for the next step?Contact us for a non-binding strategy discussion.
