Traveling in times of the corona virus: 8 reasons why we can see Covid-19 as an opportunity

Travel in times of Coronavirus: 8 reasons why we can see the Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity

No other topic is dominating the media around the world as much as the corona virus. And no other topic polarizes so much at the same time. If the virus was still a long way off a few weeks ago, it has now arrived in Europe at the latest with the increasing infections in northern Italy. In Germany, the supermarket shelves have been cleared, toilet paper and pasta seem to have been declared scarce goods without rhyme or reason and disinfectants are increasingly being stolen from hospitals.

The hysteria leaves you speechless. No area of ​​life and no country seems to be untouched by the corona virus or Covid-19, as the virus has now been officially named. The public faces many questions. How should one behave? What measures are necessary to protect against the virus? Which are strained? What about events and travel in times of the Corona Virus? On the side from Federal Ministry of Health you will find up-to-date information about the corona virus. In addition to all the downsides, can the virus also be an opportunity for us?

Implications for the travel industry: What impact does the corona virus have on upcoming trips?

One major event after another has been cancelled, the economy is suffering and the travel industry is also struggling with the consequences of the epidemic. Even the ITB, the world's largest travel fair, which was supposed to take place in Berlin at the beginning of March, was canceled without further ado. All other trade fairs and events followed promptly. But the consequences are not enormous for the travel industry, but affect the entire global economy. And all the precautions seem to be just the beginning.

As a travel blogger I'm dealing with how to proceed now, since my order situation depends on the tourism industry. Planned press trips are no longer taking place, and the first travel companies have already had to file for bankruptcy. The Asian market in particular was already badly affected at the beginning of the year, but the slump is now also clearly being felt in Europe. At the beginning of March, Germans were no longer allowed to enter Israel. The USA has imposed a 30-day entry ban for all of Europe. Singapore also followed shortly thereafter with an entry stop, including for Germans. Every day, people around the world are literally "overwhelmed" with news and reports about the virus. Germany recently closed its borders with France, Austria and Switzerland. This isn't exactly news that's particularly conducive to mental well-being. How it goes on? Still uncertain. But I would like to put together a few ideas on how we can look at the virus from a different perspective and deal with it.

Traveling in times of the corona virus - The real virus

Only those who can feel fear can also show courage.

Dalai Lama

Society is divided

The coronavirus is dividing society. And this is exactly where the roots of a “virus” lie that is psychological in nature and can cause more damage to society than the coronavirus. While some are paralyzed with fear, others react completely calmly. The problem is that everyone thinks they know exactly how others should behave. There does not yet appear to be a uniform European regulation to combat the coronavirus. And that is also crucial. The lack of uniform regulations to contain the virus leads to mutual hostility. The concerned group accuses the other group of being irresponsible because people go about their daily lives as if there was no virus. While the other group accuses those concerned of also acting irresponsibly because they would spread panic. What we definitely have in the current situation not helps are mutual reproaches and finger pointing. We need real communication.

Everyone seems to define responsibility completely differently.

What does responsibility mean?

At the beginning of the month, Jens Spahn called on the population to act at their own discretion and on their own responsibility. But everyone seems to define responsibility completely differently. Some find the media irresponsible, reporting on the virus around the clock and thus contributing to the panic. The others criticize people who, despite international warnings, would prefer to go about their everyday lives normally, including traveling and attending certain events. But what exactly does responsibility mean?

Entering into dialogue – lovingly accepting fear

The fact is: We must not let fear paralyze us, because panic has never been helpful. On the other hand, we must not exclude or even hostile people because of their fear. Because fear is human. The greater the gap in the population, the less cohesion there is. And that's exactly what we need to contain the virus. But also to be able to preserve healthy social structures. Mutual respect and mutual understanding should not only be essential in emergencies. We cannot always understand why someone reacts in a certain way. Every person has their own story. And each of us has our own baggage to carry. However, it does not make sense to blame unsettled and frightened people. Fear is not only human, it is also irrational and anyone who has ever had fear knows that understanding and empathy can work wonders.

"Ubuntu" - I am because we are

No virus in the world should justify discrimination. When I noticed how Asian-looking people were avoided or even attacked because of the corona virus, I was incredibly shocked. Trump even speaks of a “foreign virus”. Especially in times like these, we definitely need more humanity and care in our togetherness. In such situations, I like to remember the beautiful speech by journalist and philosopher Lia Diskin:

appeal to humanity

“A European researcher offered a game to hungry children of an African tribe. He put a basket of sweet fruit on a tree and told them whoever gets there first gets all the fruit. When he gave the signal to start, they took each other's hands and ran together, then sat together and enjoyed the treats. When he asked them why they all gathered when everyone had a chance to get the fruit for themselves, they said, "Ubuntu - How can one of us be happy when all the others are sad?"
In their culture, Ubuntu means: "I am because we are".

In this spirit, I appeal to the humanity and caring within us. To a caring togetherness. Both in normal everyday life and in crisis situations. Be it the coronavirus or the highly contagious psychological virus that results from fear and selfishness. Only together instead of against each other can we contain any virus. And in this case, caring also means keeping the necessary distance for a while.

The virus as an opportunity - What if we saw the good in the crisis?

Some crises are there to turn back to the essentials. Against the backdrop of all these unfolding events, I become aware of one thing in particular: How fragile our lifestyle is. How fragile are all the things that you so often take for granted in everyday life. Covid-19 challenges us all, but at the same time it gives us the chance to find new perspectives on our different areas of life.

What positive things can we take away from the Corona crisis:

We have known for a long time that our civilization in the world urgently needs a rethink. At least since climate change, we have become aware that endless consumption at all levels both hinders respectful coexistence and is gradually destroying our earth. In this respect, the outbreak of Corona seems like a horror but also an opportunity at the same time. That's why I would like to look at the corona virus from a different perspective.

1. The environment can finally recover and nature can breathe a sigh of relief

It seems like the earth has gone on a well-deserved vacation. Countless flights continue to be canceled worldwide. What annoys many travelers more or less relieves the burden on the environment. Since many people now work from their home office, this also reduces exhaust gases many times over. Right now, two NASA satellite images are going viral showing a clear and notable drop in air pollution in China. There have also been noticeable changes in Italy since the outbreak of the corona virus: the water in Venice's canals is suddenly crystal clear. Even fish are romping about in the canals again and the swans also feel visibly at home in the lagoon city.

2. The daily competition fades into the background

Many people are tired. No, tired. From constant competition, from a never-ending permanent burden. Optimization has been the focus everywhere for years. Higher faster further. Deliver constantly, be present. But all of that is now in the background. Finally we can stop. take a breath and be there. And learn from this situation and recharge your batteries.

3. We get to know self-care and charity in a new way

Although everyone is probably familiar with these two terms, I have the feeling that more and more people have mentally distanced themselves from them. Not consciously, but often due to stress and lack of time. Finally we can do something good for our own body. Pay more attention to a healthy and balanced diet. Try new recipes or start a new sport. We can now give people in need even more support, such as going shopping for them or looking after the neighbors' children from time to time.

4. Experience your own home in a new way and move closer together

Now is the time for couples and families to move closer together and generally experience a new quality of closeness. Especially the closeness to each other can suffer from a stressful job or other obligations. Now we have the chance to experience closeness again and to be there for each other.

5. We are sensitized again for more appreciation

The empty supermarket shelves due to the many lack of solidarity hamster purchases are an indictment of poverty. And yet they show us what an incredible privilege we have had so far. Up to now we have been able to go shopping in the supermarket almost whenever we felt like it. How self-evident many of us have taken this provision for years. All the more we can now learn to properly appreciate food and hygiene items again. It may even cause some people to rethink. Not only our appreciation regarding the purchases is sensitized, but also the appreciation of our relationships. When we suddenly can no longer meet with our friends due to the recommended precautions, we realize even more intensely how wonderful it is to have friends and to be there for each other even in difficult times. And be it just on the phone or on social media. Because despite the break, neither talks nor relationships have been canceled. And the love and hope are still there.

6. We are asked to be in the moment

We often feel the urge to plan everything down to the perfect detail. How many times have I caught myself having the perfect plan. But life always happens while we're making plans. A well-planned life can mean that we no longer really perceive all the possibilities and wonders of the present. Life is always now. We can use the moment and lovingly accept it as it is.

7. We can learn to deal with our fears and grow beyond them

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” From “Pooh the Bear,” by AA Milne.

As already mentioned, fears are completely human and should not be dismissed. Instead, we can get to know how to deal with them lovingly and grow beyond our own fears step by step.

8. Travel more consciously – Shared ideas on what travel should look like in the future

Traveling in times of the corona virus: For a long time now I have been enjoying more and more "regional" holidays or at least avoiding flights if possible. I am aware that this is not compatible with every destination. My travel behavior has changed a lot over the years. If I was happy about cheap flights to London in my early 20s, today I not only question my own travel behavior, but I can't identify with the "cheap is cool" mentality at all.

In the meantime, I'm weighing up which trip can offer me real added value and whether it should definitely be a long-distance trip. I think the corona virus also shows us the downside of globalization. Perhaps the current events will trigger a collective rethink and thus create a new awareness of the topic of travel. As long as people are curious, travel and the travel industry will continue to exist. The challenge and opportunity is how we can make travel more environmentally friendly and fairer together in the future.

If you can think of any other reasons and ideas why the corona virus in particular can also be an opportunity for us, then please write to me in the comment function. I look forward to it!