I have just hit the cancel button of our much-anticipated European holiday booked for June. It is unlikely our travel ban will be lifted by then. Plus given the current state of the tourism industry my business is in hibernation, so it would no longer be affordable.
So, I have started thinking of where I want to go when travel is available again. The decision might be made for me if travel bans are slowly lifted. Either based on our Government’s safety assessment or if borders are still closed. So maybe travel will restart close to home and then grow from there.
When it is time to explore when safe again, I will be choosing a destination that I know will help the locals get back on their feet. Whether it is Burleigh, Byron, Vietnam, India or Croatia, I will be staying at hotels that employ locals and eating at local restaurants. Staying and supporting local is something I always like to do. This will even be more important as the world re-opens and businesses and villages start to recover.
If you know me well you know I have at thing or two for cocktails. Boy what I would do right now to be sitting in Mango Mango in Hoi An. Sipping a lemongrass ginger cocktail eating some amazing Vietnamese food by Chef Duc. My favourite restaurant where we go on https://www.freshfoodfriday.com.au/culinary-tours/ (don’t worry we are already planning more)
What I would do right now to be enjoying an amazing breakfast buffet overlooking the sea. The main decision of the day is massage or swim? I remember our family holiday to Phuket, recently, where our resort had a private beach, a room with a balcony overlooking the sea and everything we could possibility want right there.
What I would do right now to be another adventure holiday. This time last year we had our family adventure to Uruguay. We cycled through the wine region, attended a local soccer game and stayed on a working farm. Oh and had copious amounts of local wine.
What I would do right now to be attending an event. Last year we went to the Rugby World Cup in Japan (there were 50 of us) singing songs, drinking beer with the locals and exploring the country by bike.
Although we have more important things to focus on right now such as our health, we can look beyond today and dream of future travel.
So when the world starts to open again and you can spread your wings safely outside your home, we must together support our favourite holiday places. No matter how close, or ticket off a bucket-list trip. Visit our favourite restaurants and stay at places where locals will benefit. This is how the tourism and hospitality industry supporting many families and jobs around the world will recover.
