Travelling takes us out of our comfort zones on a whole new level. It makes us try new things and inspires us to explore brand-new environments. And if we are tired of working 24/7, travelling lets our bodies – physically and mentally, rest and enhance their personal growth. No wonder why a lot of people see travelling as an activity that makes a person responsible and independent.
But, because of the recent surge of Covid-19, travelling internationally is moderately prohibited. This is because there is evidence that says travel-related measures are effective to delay the arrival of infectious diseases country by country.
A lot of people are affected by the disease, especially those people who seize opportunities to make money through tourism and travellers. And until the development and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines are widely available, restrictions on international travel and tourism are more likely to continue.
So, the question is, how has this disease changed international travels as we know it? The following are ways in which Covid-19 changed travelling.
New Normal Adaptation – Every tourism council developed a range of protocols to adapt to the new normal. The cleaning, sanitising, and use of protective equipment such as masks and thermal scanners shaped a new travel experience for some people. Airlines, shops, restaurants, and hotels also adopted health protocols to provide consumers with a safe and Covid-19 controlled environment.
Sustainable journeys – This is considered to be the silver lining of the pandemic. There’s a high chance that travellers will be ‘concerned citizens’ whenever journeying around the world. Demands for having some responsible travel policies with active measures to avoid Covid-19 is indeed a newfound belief in the industry.
Travel advisors are essential – From researching to booking through travel agencies, people with valuable knowledge about the journey are now important. If you are someone who enjoys do-it-yourself travels to avoid extra fees from travel agents, preventing yourself from dealing with one is not a choice now. There are lots of travel agencies that do intuitive research to assemble travel packages while attending to the covid-19 situation in a certain place.
Small communities’ supremacy – Since the start of the pandemic, people suffer from financial distraught – including small communities that make money from travellers. And now that the world is almost back on its feet again, many tourists are fond of patronising local businesses and donating to nonprofit organisations to support small communities.
The impact of Covid-19 on the travel industry and world trade definitely occupied countries to struggle economically. There are even studies that this may be the permanent situation whenever we want to travel internationally. But since our demand and desire to travel is stronger than some disease, following “new normal” health protocols can turn this disaster into a natural exploration to enjoy life.