We live to travel. It’s our passion, our hobby, our vocation and our job. So the increasing restrictions on movement that are being put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus hit us right in our hearts.
But while many of us may be canceling some of our immediate plans to jump on an airplane, this won’t stop us thinking, talking, writing and dreaming about travel in the tough days and weeks to come.
It may seem incongruous, even wrong, to be publishing stories and videos aimed at inspiring travel at a time when entire countries or regions are under lock down and thousands, if not millions, of people are coming to terms with the impact of the virus.
It won’t stop us though.
Of course, we’re staying on top of the unfolding situation and will continue to report on what travelers can expect.
And CNN Travel intends to continue to encourage people to consider their next adventure, looking ahead to the days – hopefully in the near future – when the situation is under control and we can once again head over the horizon.
Or, indeed, to head to the places close to home that, now denied the influx of visitors from abroad, are wide open for local appreciation.
So many people, places and businesses rely on tourism to survive. Coronavirus has already had a profound impact on the industry that CNN Travel has long supported and considers itself an integral part of.
Beyond the crisis
Now you may not weep for the big airlines that don’t give you enough room to recline your seat, or the hotel chains that don’t offer free drinking water other than from the bathroom sink, but take a moment to consider the flight crew, the door staff, the barbacks, custodians and bussers – all of the tourism-related workers whose livelihoods are now at risk.
Those at the lower income end of the industry will be hit particularly hard. Their incomes will go, and they and their families will suffer.
This makes it all the more imperative to look to the future beyond this crisis. Once the affected areas are cleared, they will desperately need us to come back.
We all need something to look forward to. It’s essential to create personal experiences that give life meaning. Without it, we’re just not living.
We should be out in the world, celebrating its glorious natural beauty, swimming in the oceans, skiing down mountains, visiting friends and family, eating at restaurants, booking tours, visiting museums.
So, for the time being, whether in spirit or in person, we intend to keep calm and travel on.