During the worst months of quarantine, it became common to hear them saying, "We'll emerge from this pandemic a better society".

We may not yet have enough perspective to see just how people have changed since the arrival of Covid-19, but what the virus has made clear is that the only way of confronting a situation as complex as the current one is by pooling our efforts together.

Alliances and the valuing of local goods

Alliances are, therefore, of crucial importance for keeping society afloat in times of uncertainty and instability.

In the private sphere, companies will have to engage in ever more cooperation amongst themselves. They will have to learn to work on shared platforms with public and private institutions, research centers, startups, and other entities to remain strong in the coming business ecosystem.

Cooperation among businesses – particularly smaller companies – is becoming more and more essential. Even before the crisis, it was already hard enough for smaller companies to hold their own against the bigger ones in some sectors. Still, the online boom precipitated by the pandemic has made the difficulty of competing with them in regards to price, availability, and logistical services much clearer.

In addition to companies' joint ventures in the same sector, the past year saw an increased number of projects involving marketplaces – online markets selling all matter of products – that shared an emphasis on promoting the value of local goods. This criterion is also of growing importance in Tourism, where the concept of "the local" can have a connotation of higher value among travelers.

In this context, public-private alliances, or alliances among organizations, emerge as having a pivotal role in constructing this tremendous social compact. Business, public authorities, civil society actors, and other organizations all have a stake. 

In an age of polarisation, the building of bridges is of fundamental importance, as alliances are the cornerstone of efforts to promote shared understanding and a broad consensus.

Thus, the current situation presents challenges that call for the collective energies of both political operators and the private sector.

For this reason, we are consolidating ties and promoting collaboration between Skål International and the World Tourism Organization, as we work together on such urgent and essential projects as the International Code for the Protection of Tourists.

And it is in the same vein that we recently formalized our alliance with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WWTC). We are now an associate member, participating in actions aimed at rebuilding the Tourism industry.

Skål Month – a reason for coming together and celebrating.

In honor of the 89th anniversary of Skål International, this worldwide month of festivities is proving to be an excellent opportunity to align ourselves with these priorities.

It has indeed been a pleasure to share the activities in pursuit of these goals with you, as well as the collaborative spirit that you have all shown. 

We must continue our mutual support and remain focused and united to rebuild the tourist sector in a better and more substantial form.

As always, I extend my thanks to all members of Skål International.

Daniela Otero,

CEO Skål International