Coronavirus has changed the way we travel. When it comes to 2020, I guess it will go down in history in infamy for all the obvious reasons. COVID-19 was everywhere –literally – and the resulting
Coronavirus has changed the way we travel.
When it comes to 2020, I guess it will go down in history in infamy for all the obvious reasons. COVID-19 was everywhere –literally – and the resulting impact brought the travel industry to a halt. During the overbearing pandemic, many countries imposed quarantines, entry bans as well as other travel restrictions for travelers.
2021 had also been a very difficult year as despite major COVID-19 outbreaks, vaccines were not available in many parts of the world. This vaccine inequality has left a huge part of the worldwide population vulnerable. Many developing countries, for example, depend on tourism for income generation and they have been left struggling. Since they didn’t have a choice, they had to open up for tourism.
On the other hand, 2022 was the new normal where people had to live with COVID-19. It also marked the return to form for travel and tourism. The new medications, for example, proved to be effective in reducing the long-term effects of the coronavirus, thus giving people the confidence to travel. People were fed up with being confined by the four walls and wanted to explore the outside world. And, with an increasing number of people getting vaccinated, countries started opening their borders and removing travel restrictions. Sadly, the virus was far from gone. Studies revealed the birth of deadly new COVID-19 variants which were more aggressive and vaccine-resistant. People were still traveling but with raw nerves and any negative news would only serve to accelerate these feelings.
2023, however, is believed to be the comeback year of travel and tourism. With the worst of the pandemic behind us, travelers can now look forward to what is to come this year.
Workations
Also spelled “workcation” or “worcation”, a workation originates from the words work and vacation. So, simply put, it refers to a combination of work and leisure –what a nice combo!
Workation, to be specific, is taking a break from your usual place of work and working from some remote area, away from your home. It’s about working while finding yourself lost in nature.
Workation locations are mostly in the hilly places or in small towns, which are not densely populated and have the basic facilities. But, it can also include working while taking a trip to another city or being at the beach.
It’s easy to fall into ruts when we work the same job from the same place 50 weeks out of the year. And, the simple shift of doing the same work from a different location can be revelatory and relaxing.
P.S: That being said, workations are not a substitute for vacations.
Asia’s Big Revival Year
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Asia was the first region to close its international borders. And, after Africa, Asia is said to be the most drastically affected continent, with disproportionately high COVID death rates and hospitalizations. The 2020-2022 period has been very dark and challenging for Asia as the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more than 80 million people into extreme poverty. And, due to strict travel bands, Asia’s travel and tourism have been among the most severely affected sectors. However, experts have predicted a big breakout for Asia this year.
Several reports have claimed that Asia’s travel sector will be the first continent to recover and gain positive growth in 2023 and 2024.
Food Travel Would Be a Big Hit in 2023
Food tourism is about planning your vacation to the best culinary destinations in the world. For many travelers, food becomes the reason to go to countries like Thailand, South Korea, India, France, and Mexico.
No matter how much you think you know about food from a region, there will always be something new to try and 90 % of the time, it’ll be delicious.