I may covet a closet filled with Prada and LV, but what I want IMMEDIATELY is the opportunity to safely travel outside my Zip Code. As I listen to MSNBC, FOX and CNN, I am warned of COVID variants, the emerging need for booster shots, the increased number of people getting sick and death lurking […]
Champagne for Everyone is your COVID Stimulus
The Founder of New York Champagne Week,, Blaine Ashley, was interviewed by Dr. Elinor Garely, where the discussion focused on why Champagne is exactly what the world needs now. Beginning in early 2020, the world as we knew it, lived it, experienced and frequently – even loved it… has been altered. The alternation has not […]
Tourism will flourish: thanks to forgetfulness
Is the ability to forget the key to bringing back tourism? It is no secret that crises can severely affect travelers perception of whether a destination is worthy of a visit. So how do executives make would-be tourists forget the painful memories of 2020? Or are the travelers just as eager to ffile those memories […]
Tourism and Pandemics: Do They Coexist?
What makes COVID-19 different from previous diseases in the speed and reach of the virus and the extent of the contagion beyond the traveler to the destination? Tourism is about movement. Pandemics are about stopping a spread. It does not matter if your news source is social media, television networks, or print, the link between […]
Beach Tourism Unmasked: COVID-19
Tourism is an economic engine for many countries, and it has grown exponentially since the 1970s when less than 200 million people traveled outside their own country for a holiday; in 2019, over 1.5 billion travelers were considered tourists. For both leisure and business travelers, the infrastructure for travel experiences is “expected.” From public and […]
Caribbean: Flaws in Paradise
“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” – James Michener Reality is Harsh There are at least two sides to the Caribbean tourism industry: the side travelers experience as they transit from airports in air-conditioned vans and limos to their hotels, and the locals’ […]
Ignorance, COVID-19 and Tourism
It is convenient to claim that the tourism industry has been brought to its knees because of COVID-19; however, the blame would be misplaced. The broader picture includes a confluence of culture, politics, science, and geography joined together by incompetent leadership resulting in the elimination of millions of jobs, billions in lost revenue, and a future that is […]
Airplanes: Part of the COVID-19 Problem
Since the beginning of COVID-19, many people have stopped flying! Why? The reasons are multiple and complex. Business travel has declined thanks to Zoom and other remote meeting options. International restrictions on American passports has put a crimp in leisure travel, and 24/7 media coverage of the virus and its spread has convinced us that the […]
Truth or Dare in Travel and Tourism: Trust – the Final Frontier
Lies are like candies in a candy store, they come in various colors and sizes and offer different experiences. Some lies are motivated by money and greed, other lies are inspired by ego needs. Some people will lie to avoid punishment, others lie for the thrill of getting away with the falsehood, while others lie […]
Tourism Impasse: Cannot Stop or Go
The hotel, travel and tourism industry contributed to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, most notably cruise lines and airlines; however large their role, these enterprises cannot be held accountable for its origin or for the irresponsible approach of governments and global health agencies to the identification, mitigation, control, and elimination of the virus. First Hide, […]