Technology Usage After Covid-19 Period” discussed by CIU Tourism students

Cyprus International University (CIU) School of Tourism and Hotel Management organized an event titled "Use of Technology after the Covid-19 Period". In a speech made by Professor of Hotel Management and Tourism Management, McKibbon Foundation Chair at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus, Cihan Çobanoğlu; the impact of Covid-19 experienced across the world since March 2020, upon different industries and especially upon the tourism and hotel management sectors was touched upon.

Pointing out that countless hotel reservations, theme park trips and spa experiences were canceled as a result of the epidemic, Çobanoğlu went on to state, “For example, many airline companies offered services such as contactless self-service, self-boarding and self-luggage”.

Stating that with such practices, airline companies awaken a sense of trust in people, Prof. Dr. Çobanoğlu said, “However, these changes are not limited to airline companies. Practices in this direction have been initiated in other companies”.

Stating that the contactless technology being applied is very simple and inexpensive, Çobanoğlu advised that all service companies have increased their service quality by using new technologies. Çobanoğlu said that many hotels, restaurants and tourism companies now perform thermal temperature controls, and that hotels are providing alternative options for their guests.

Reminding that with the new contactless technology being utilized, the aim is to reduce human contact and thus contamination, Çobanoğlu elaborated, “In this way, the aim is to provide online control to the customer. However, the point is that people always require choices”.

Prof. Dr. Çobanoğlu pointed out that due to the need for socialization, we will display behavior after the epidemic that was the same prior to the epidemic, “In response to this behavior, many things within the tourism industry itself can and will change. As a result, the tourism industry cannot go back to the pre-Covid-19 era” he said.