So many of us had travel plans for 2020. But coronavirus had to come and take them away from us, taking the travel industry to a standstill for the first time in many years.
As people stopped travelling and ghost planes became a thing, the whole world was left wondering – when will we be able to travel again? When will the world go back go normal?
According to Lonely Planet, travel won’t be returning to normal until 2023.
The way I think of travel is by being surrounded by people and visiting popular crowded places; it’s staying in hostels and meeting new people, and getting to know the locals. For me, this is what makes travelling so special, and makes the experience of visiting a different country more exciting. In my experience, it is very hard to avoid people when travelling. At least it is for those of us who can’t afford a private jet!
So for me this situation poses a question – is it possible to still feel the same way about travel while the pandemic is still around? Or are we going to have to wait 3 more years?
The new norm
The “new norm” which is now being talked about in the media is being defined as “cautious travel“, which we would expect to be the case during a pandemic. We are going to need to take stricter hygiene measures, carrying face masks and hand sanitiser everywhere we go.
However, it also means travel in constant fear of those around you, of being infected, of being in crowded places and of being scared when someone next to you on the plane coughs or sneezes.
Of course, we are going to need to be more cautious, and there will always be a voice at the back of our mind reminding us to wear a mask and to stay 2 meters away from those around you. When we meet the locals, we won’t shake their hands or give them a hug or take a selfie with them.
Hotels will need to adapt, by most likely having check-in online instead of in person. Airlines will also take precautions by having temperature checks, and ensuring there are spaces between the seats on the planes.
This is going to be our “new norm”, and we have no choice but to adapt to this way of life and find ways around it – in fact, this is already happening. As we can see airlines are starting to fly again, restaurants are reopening, cities are coming back to life.
But it is our attitude which is different, as we are living in constant fear of something out there which is greater than us, and is a threat to humanity. And this fear is not going away until we have the cure or the vaccine.
The new nation
Everybody is going to slowly emerge from this pandemic with a changed mindset. There are new anxieties that have been brewing in people’s minds which have been brought on by the pandemic. They ask themselves, how is the new norm going to affect the way they socialise, date, meet new people and of course travel? Our daily lives have been affected, and our attitude to travel is very closely tied to this.
If we are worried about being too close to someone in the supermarket, then the risk is magnified in a plane. Being stuck in an air tight container with many other strangers does not sound so appealing now, does it?
That being said, to some people staying in one place for a prolonged amount of time is the worst way to be. This is why there are many people already itching to travel. When you have spent 3-4 months watching Instagram and TikTok videos of the most beautiful destinations in the world, it really makes you realise that you could be out there seeing the world instead of watching TV in your living room.
If anything, this pandemic has made us realise that we took the ability to travel easily for granted. Going from hopping on a plane and ending up anywhere in the world to not being able to leave one country has given us a new level of appreciation for the travel industry.
The new positive
We can also look on the bright side, and consider the things that we can still do. There won’t be restrictions against taking photographs at famous landmarks, flights are going to be a lot cheaper and places are going to be less crowded. Of course we have to be cautious every time we take a trip, but we will still be able to buy a guide book, read about the history of a town and widen our horizons by introducing ourselves to a new culture.
As airlines and hotels learn to adapt, travel will become much safer, but more importantly, it will become possible. But this can only happen if we stay cautious, follow the rules and stay safe.
What do you think? Is travel going to go back to normal? Is the new norm possible? Let me know in the comments below!
