Why Post-Coronavirus Travel Is So Important

BY Daniel Hales

Yonder’s last few blogs were on cheery subjects like Golden Triangle tours, wildlife holidays in India and family holidays to Sri Lanka, and now, here we are, musing about what life, and travel, will be like on the other side of this deadly coronavirus pandemic we’ve all found ourselves navigating…

It’s been an interesting couple of years, hasn’t it?

But the aim of this blog is to cut through some of the bad news, perk up those dusty wanderlust desires and provide you with a little bit of lockdown escapism to, hopefully, inspire you to start dreaming about that next luxury beach holiday

A force for good

Travel, as they say, broadens the mind. It helps us to discover, to explore, to learn and to grow as individuals. But it also brings people together and introduces us to different cultures, cuisines, traditions and lifestyles like nothing else. Travel helps us to better understand one another, be more tolerant of one another, and look after one another.

A Thailand luxury honeymoon, for example, is more than just lying on a beach (although we love that too!), it’s an opportunity to live the high life in Bangkok, immerse yourself in history and wildlife, and sample the deliciously aromatic Thai cuisine.

Travel brings people together, but the tourism industry also has a responsibility to protect people. With a third of the world’s population now on lockdown and travel restrictions essentially bringing international travel to a standstill, this international solidarity will ultimately help us to save lives.

But these efforts to protect health and wellbeing have had, and will have, a huge economic and social impact on the lives of people who live in communities that rely on tourism as well as on society as a whole.

The good news is that travel and tourism will offer a valuable lifeline as communities recover and start to rebuild, something we can all consider when we book our next luxury holiday in the likes of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia or Thailand. And, while our travel cravings are currently on hold, what better time than now to start planning and looking forward?

Rebuilding communities

When planning your next wildlife holiday in Sri Lanka or Golden Triangle tour in India, not only will you once again be able to discover new places, people and cultures – a privilege we’ve been reminded to never take for granted – but you’ll also be providing income to communities that rely heavily on travellers.

Whether it’s the knowledgeable guide on your Rajasthan tour, the sustainable hotelier or family-run villa making your Kerala holiday a comfortable one, the surfboard rental in Arugam Bay or the humble market seller in Delhi – all their incomes depend on people travelling.

Small, family-run hotels, home stays and villas are also owner managed and depend on tourism not just for themselves, but also for their staff and companies they work with – from food suppliers to the launderette.

On Yonder’s tailor-made luxury holidays to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and elsewhere, we often take our guests to remote or rural areas and national parks where wildlife thrives. These tours often provide the income which not only supports guides, boatmen, drivers and rangers, but also supports conservation and community initiatives in the parks themselves.

Planning your next holiday is a great opportunity to consider a destination where your business will be a welcome step towards rebuilding a community’s economy. Be sure also to book with a supplier that has ethical tourism and sustainability at its heart.

One thing is for sure, there will be brighter times ahead, and, although this situation has made us physically further apart, if we respond to it in the right way, we’ll soon be feeling the sun on our faces and the sand between our toes again, and feeling a little bit closer together as travellers supporting those down the road a little less travelled.