No other industry has been as affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as travel and hospitality. In fact, since 2020, the United Nations has determined that the pandemic has caused the industry about $1 trillion in losses and 100 million jobs worldwide. This has caused many businesses to close entirely. Fortunately, though, this year marks a brighter turn for travel and hospitality. With borders reopening, traveler confidence rising, and infections lowering, there’s no better time to rebuild your business. Though the process of bouncing back may have some unique requirements per business, here are some generally helpful tips to consider:

1. Strengthen your cancellation policy.

Although most travelers and businesses obviously see cancellations as a last resort, they’re becoming more commonplace in the post-pandemic world. With post-COVID safety and travel policies in flux, cancellation policies are now the best safeguard for businesses and customers alike. In many cases, having well-formed cancellation policies can even be the deciding factor for many travelers today. As highlighted in Marie Albiges’ recent article about family travel demands, over 50 percent of families pay more attention to places with cancellation policies. Furthermore, 80 percent of respondents said that they will actively avoid booking travel that lacks flexible cancellation and refund policies. Consequently, by strengthening such policies you’ll be appealing to travelers who are still cautious.

2. Onboard relevant new talent.

The pandemic’s effect on the workforce has been seen through the Great Resignation, with over 4 million workers resigning monthly. However, in the travel and hospitality industry, the Great Resignation can be a good time to start prospecting for great talent. This is only the case, though, if you’re able to update your recruitment processes. Today, this means adopting digital recruitment and hiring practices. This equates to an expansion of online job boards and the optimization of datasets. Through this, recruiters can optimize candidate data to find the best applicants for current needs. This can drastically improve travel and hospitality workforces that are already suffering from understaffing and revenue impacts. Overall, this can even reduce the inefficiencies caused by pre-pandemic recruitment that resulted in up to 90 percent of applicants not actually being qualified for openings.

3. Implement contactless technologies.

While many factors have returned to normalcy in the travel and hospitality industry, contactless solutions are one practice that isn’t going away. If anything, these solutions are now expected by travelers. As a matter of fact, more than four out of five travelers said that they would feel more reassured with technology that minimizes face-to-face or physical contact. Among the most relevant touchless technologies include biometric scanning, digital payments, and mobile applications. That said, most travelers also aren’t willing to pay extra for these technologies. As such, businesses must be open to absorbing and offering contactless tech at no extra cost. Offering complimentary contactless tools may even attract more travelers who expect this tech to be a permanent travel feature.

4. Clarify vaccine policies.

Vaccines, inarguably, have played a large role in getting the industry back on track. However, many travelers have remaining sensitivities about vaccine requirements. Recent unvaccinated family travelers, for instance, are not fans of “vaccine passports.” These travelers are also less likely to be deterred by low vaccination rates. On the other hand, vaccinated travelers are more concerned about vaccine rates and policies. Consequently, it’s important for businesses to clarify a vaccine policy that takes both sides into consideration. In this way, no one group feels ostracized or put at risk. That said, while domestic travel is much looser and relative to individual jurisdiction, this isn’t the case when appealing to international travelers. To be more globally competitive, though, businesses need to be direct yet agile in their vaccine policies. As determined by travel and hospitality experts, vaccines will still be a set part of international travel well into 2023. Therefore, sooner rather than later, businesses need to determine their vaccination stance to satisfy discerning travelers.

Truthfully, we’re a long way from returning to pre-pandemic numbers. However, with some timely and focused efforts, businesses can recoup losses and capitalize on current circumstances to thrive in the “New Normal.”