Conscious traveling
Living with covid restrictions has completely transformed the way we travel. Having written on what travel will look like in 2021 (here) and possible future travel trends future (here), the time has come for one more short reflection. Perhaps first and foremost it is us who will change our approach to travelling, rethinking our goals and priorities. One thing seems certain: after covid there will be many fundamental changes in our attitudes towards travelling.
Slow experience
The pandemic has slowed us down, or even stopped us completely, rendering us motionless. We miss freedom and having options, but at the same time we may not want to be in such a rush any more. Slow travel fuelled with experiencing enables mindfulness in terms of destination choice and being present. We are waiting to reconnect with the world – nature, cuisine, culture, landscapes – and people, craving relations and seizing the day. We are searching for space for those joyful moments experienced while traveling. Moments full of adventures such as diving, canoeing, or safari. Should we thus perceive traveling as a fundamental human activity? Covid-19 has brutally shown us that in fact, it is a privilege rather than a right. On the other hand, we don’t want this privilege to be enjoyed only by the richest few. Travelling won’t be the same, but maybe the change will be for the better, with quieter, less crowded cities, and more respect for our planet.
Sustainable tourism
Who knows, maybe the future will promote those globetrotters who are actively engaged citizens of the world – people who will demand more sustainable policies and attitudes towards themselves and others? The imposed covid break has given us the time to reflect on how to travel consciously and wisely. Planning long-distance trips may involve fly-free dates in order to reduce our carbon footprint. Maybe we will rethink our bucket list by asking ourselves the question: why and how do we want to travel? We’re becoming increasingly more aware of the size of our carbon footprint and its consequences for our planet. Our travel plans can greatly affect it through the choice of the route, as well as how often and how far we travel, or the choice of the means of transport. In fact, there are a lot of factors and questions to be considered. Perhaps we don’t need to pack that many things? Do we actually respect animal rights and the natural environment? The idea of eco-tourism, a style of tourism oriented towards minimizing the negative environmental impact, is becoming more and more important. In that approach the point of longer trips to different places is to feel, experience, be close to nature, wildlife and other people, support their rights and strive towards sustainability. Changing how we travel for the better, taking into consideration the effects of overcrowding and thus choosing higher dispersion over bigger space can be one of those positive consequences of the long secluded months at home and the resulting craving for space and wilderness.
Local communities
Travellers can have an impact on local communities, their wellbeing and everyday life, which is why we should support local businesses at the same time respecting the traditions and culture of the locals. By actively making conscious decisions we can help restore the natural ecosystem, tidy up those places, and even raise awareness of the local communities. We can already observe the growing numbers of the so-called conscious travellers, including those who prefer to spend more time in one region and thus get to know and appreciate the surroundings and the local community. This group definitely includes careful planners who take extra time to prepare everything and make detailed holiday budgets. Since in many cases the locals actually realize that their city has become a museum or a theme park rather than a good place to live, it is becoming increasingly important that travellers aid local communities – respectfully, and aiming for bonding.
Exploration – not exploitation
Travelling more eco-friendly and consciously it is, then. It’s possible that reducing plane travel and opting for longer trips in lieu of the so-called city breaks will become more popular. One reason for that trend might be limiting the number of places we visit where we can come into contact with crowds. However, in order to avoid crowds, one has to be up to date and know what the current restrictions are. It is likely that for the same reason we will resign from visiting popular places, rather than rushing through many countries and destinations. Diversifying your destinations can help not only appreciate the world and its diversity, but also support different paces. We can try to limit mass tourism and focus on destinations which would actually benefit from more visitors, especially judging by how much they have lost because of the pandemic.
Covid-19 has revealed the extent to which many countries rely on tourism. The sector employs almost 10% of EU citizens. The pandemic also affects the redistribution of means, offering chances to poorer regions. Travelling is among the greatest, most beautiful pleasures and adventures in life. It opens our eyes to other people and the world, experiences, culture, and history. Fortunately, it also often raises the awareness that we need to see the world in a more sustainable way – travelling more slowly and responsibly. Educating yourself and taking tame to prepare before your trip will allow you to set off on your adventure with less anxiety and more curiosity, at the same time preserving the essence of what travelling truly means.
Source: Euronews - Travel After 2020