What has happened?
One day everything was “normal” and overnight it changed.
But what is “Normal”?
According to a dictionary the definition is “conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.”
“Normal” in everyday life 50 years ago was not normal last year. It has changed over time.
Two months ago we were living life as normal and then the Coronavirus pandemic spread rapidly across the World. Countries closed borders , shops, restaurants, cinemas, sporting events and literally overnight the normal changed drastically.
In this blog we’ll cover the reason why the right photographs will help convince customers to book with you. The right photographs will help hotels after coronavirus.
Where are we now?
As I write this, people in different countries around the world are in different stages of dealing with the coronavirus. Some countries and even smaller regions were affected on a greater or lesser scale by the virus.
Different countries are in different stages of the pandemic, but everybody is looking towards the “Recovery Phase”
I am currently in Salzburg, Austria and the peak here was over two weeks ago and we have seen no new cases in the whole region for 5 days now. The country as a whole had less than 50 new cases yesterday and the health system is in very good shape. (Click here to see how Salzburg was in the early days of lockdown). It is safe to say we are in the recovery phase.
A lot of my clients however, are in the USA, The Caribbean and the UK. While the Caribbean Islands are not in bad shape as far as the virus goes, they are in lockdown. The UK seem to be at the top of their peak now and the US is so large that places like New York have peaked. Other hot spots throughout the US may not have got near their peak yet. Some may not have even started their outbreaks yet.
Given our situation in Austria, people seem to be in a different mindset now. I myself am more positive and after being cooped up for nearly six weeks now I find myself with an energy to get out and get back to work again.
Where are we going?
Opening up slowly with new rules
Compared to two months ago I think we probably all feel we have done a crash course on virology. The knowledge we have gained over the last few weeks about how viruses spread, what we need to do to protect ourselves, protect others and how we should practice social distancing is incredible.
Getting back to work means going outside again to familiar surroundings, but with a very different approach. An uncertainty. Things we took for granted have changed and nobody knows exactly how the “New Normal” will be.
But we have all done the theory course already from our living rooms.
Right now, with the knowledge gained, every business is creating and writing their new rule book getting ready to open up again.
“What will change for you and your work or industry?”
What should we do?
Opening up hotels after coronavirus
We will probably do what we do for every new situation. Look to the people with the knowledge and experience of this sort of thing and apply it to our needs. Scientists have the knowledge (and are still learning about Covid-19), while countries like China have the experience, both of this virus and previous epidemics. I heard from a friend of mine who travelled to Beijing for work after the peak of coronavirus and learned how his big company started going back to work in big office buildings. I was fascinated to hear that on one day people who work on even number floors go into the building to work and on the next day, people who work in odd number floors go into the office. Meantime the vacant office floors are being thoroughly cleaned every day.
Photographs show people what they can expect
Companies like Marriott have already taken huge steps to adjust to the new normal and they have also started their marketing campaign. (Click on the link to see how Marriott are making changes and using the right images to start opening up hotels after coronavirus.
Customers are apprehensive and without letting customers know what is being done to keep hotels clean and keep them safe, they are not going to book. When they do book they will book with the businesses that can show them that they have taken the necessary steps to keep them safe.
In a world of technology, that was a blessing during lockdown, any customers who weren’t particularly tech savvy before certainly are more acquainted now. So web sites, social media platforms as well as good old fashion print are how to get the message out. All of that needs images. Good, strong images that send the message about your hotel specifically.
How can we do it?
Taking the very next step
As a hotel photographer, one frustration I’ve had during lockdown is thinking about the ideal photographing conditions with empty hotels out there, especially during the good weather periods.
This also presents an opportunity over the next couple of months. With lower than usual occupancy, it is an ideal time to do updated hotel photography. Rooms, public areas and the normal shots, as well as a few new shots to show guests how your specific hotel is preparing for guests after the pandemic. This could include team shots of staff in uniform wearing masks. It could be housekeeping taking extra measures to clean rooms. It could be hand sanitizer stations set in specific areas of the hotel.
On the meeting side of things it should include new images of meeting rooms. Meeting set up showing social distancing measures with chairs in theatre style 2m apart. For banquet table show 4 people per round. Maybe even a staff member in uniform serving wearing a mask.
Next Step
In recent years I have travelled extensively across the USA, Caribbean and Europe for work. Now I find myself in a situation where I can’t travel outside the country, so I am now taking bookings for photo shoots in Austria over the next few months as we open up hotels after coronavirus. Contact me using one of the following ways to set up your photo shoot.
You can email me at: [email protected]
Or call me on: 0660 731 34 90
Or contact me through my web site at www.winterparkphotography.com
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