The pandemic has put a hole in the revenues, confidence and strategies of hundreds of travel, tourism and hospitality brands across the sector.
But with mass vaccinations taking place in many countries and the industry attempting to become operational once more, attention is turning to how companies can and should take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead.
One particular tactic is understanding the new customer, in terms of their own confidence in getting on the road once more and how their previous shopping and buying habits may have altered over the course of the last 18 months.
It is no longer a requirement to just service travelers with products but "delight" them with excellent customer service, attention to detail around COVID-19 hygiene protocols and going the extra mile during every phase of the so-called customer journey.
In short, travel brands should move from the survival mode of 2020 and 2021 to "thrival" in this next phase of the pandemic recovery period.
PhocusWire spoke with Chris Hamlin, industry group vice president for travel, hospitality and entertainment at Acxiom, to find out more.
The full interview is included below...