Traveling in the time of the pandemic means a lot of changes. But people need to travel right now more than ever. Here’s why...
By Carolina Piras
The past year has thrown everything that we used to take for granted out the window. People have been waiting what feels like a very long time to plan holidays with friends, family, partner, or maybe… just on their own.
Some people can’t live without traveling, while many others are feeling the need – now more than ever – to get out of their country.
Others are looking forward to that blissful feeling of being happily lost in an unfamiliar place.
But at what price comes traveling around the world in the time of a global pandemic?
It is fundamental to not forget that the Covid situation is unfortunately not over, and to get out of it as soon as possible, we will still have to stick to the rules for a while.
Although big steps have been done – with vaccine rollouts in particular – no matter how upsetting it can sound, there’s no chance right now to approach the world as if Covid has never existed. That means there is a a lot of uncertainty when it comes to planning holidays and trips for summer 2021.
Vaccine passports
Among all those uncertainties, there’s the chance that some countries might enforce a mandatory Covid passport including proof of the vaccine, even though until now no country has confirmed that yet.
Many others wonder whether expensive tests will be needed to enter a foreign country, or if they’ll have to dole out cash to spend 14 days quarantined during their holidays, which might complicate things a bit.
But the impact of the global pandemic on people’s mental health is not to be underestimated too.
Data from the Mental Health Foundation show that on the ninth wave of the pandemic (pre Christmas, 2020), over half of the adult UK population (54%) felt anxious or worried in the previous two weeks. The data showed that 63% of women, 66% of full time students, 60% of unemployed people and a 69% of people who have a pre-existing mental health condition were anxious at this time.
Statistics from the MHF also showed that over one in five (22%) of the UK adult population reported feeling hopeless at that time, and that over half (54%) reported feeling frustrated in the last two weeks.
Urgent need to escape
Well, it’s now quite clear why urgently need a bit of escapism.
The extension of several lockdowns around the world has worsened things, with many people seeing this summer as a chance to escape from the reality of been ‘caged’ for the past year. And the tourism sector is trying to recover in the best way possible.
Camilla Bassi, 23, shop assistant, told Holloway Express that more than a holiday she’s looking forward to “retiring from my everyday life so I can find again pieces of myself, to stay on my own with my thoughts”.
Bassi explained it’s going to be a journey “inside herself”.
“I feel the need to have this and to get out of what’s my everyday routine,” she said.
“I planned three trips, of which only one I feel sure about: Morocco. Regarding the other trips, I’m still choosing around: Bali, Sardinia, Spain, Thailand,” she explained.
“Quite frankly, Covid led me to want a holiday only 10%. I am not the kind of person who usually needs holidays, I prefer to throw myself into work or study. Although this year I’ve decided to take three months of holidays for personal reasons.”
“It’s going to be an adventure and even during this period, respecting rules and restrictions that we have,” she clarified.
Bassi pointed out that until the entire Covid situation will be “done once and for all, no one will be able to have a proper ‘holiday’”.
Diana Arden, 38, tour and travel operator and Philosophy graduate, organised a cruise holiday – which was canceled. “The cruise company canceled the tour as they couldn’t have confirmation from the other countries –such as France, Portugal, and Spain- which were supposed to be part of the voyage,” she said.
“After that we immediately found out that flights were canceled, so as you can see, is not possible to plan anything.”
Arden admitted to deeply missing traveling. “I believe respecting the rules, everything can actually go smoothly and potentially we can all enjoy that,” she added.
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