In a time with so much uncertainty, it’s difficult to know exactly what COVID-19 will mean for the future of the UK travel industry. Will there be a late-summer surge in staycations once the lock-down is lifted? Will social distancing make dining out and visits to the pub acceptable? Can we still look forward to the bustling atmosphere of Christmas markets and light shows this festive season? And perhaps most importantly of all, will our freedom to visit loved ones whenever they want us or need us the most, remain under scrutiny?
No other industry has been hit harder than the hospitality and travel sector, but here at British Travel Journal, we are remaining upbeat, looking to the future and thinking about what we can do to give back. If there’s one positive to take from this terrifying epidemic, it is the good in people – a crisis like this tends to bring out the best of us, uniting the nation, from the Thursday evening applause to the selfless initiatives designed to support key workers, carers and the most vulnerable in our community.
It is our human nature to want to travel, to appreciate nature, to explore our beautiful surroundings and make memories that last a lifetime… and we are confident the industry will be ready to satisfy the demand for those travel experiences as soon as the restrictions are lifted.
We cannot travel right now, our health and safety is paramount, but while we stay apart we can still use travel and our zest for life to bring us closer together. Let’s continue to inspire, to support the travel industry and look forward to a future when we will be able to travel again.
We want to share your stories, from gin distilleries turning their hand to producing hand sanitizer, to the hotels offering NHS staff rooms during the crisis and free holidays post-lockdown. So if you have something to share we would love to hear from you.
Please click here to find out more.
We look forward to showcasing the best COVID-19 initiatives, campaigns and contributions from the UK travel industry in our next issue of British Travel Journal being published in early July to cover the months of July, August and September. To receive a free digital version of this issue please click here, and to buy a printed issue or subscribe use the link here.
We want to continue to dream of the extraordinary places we can explore, from dreamy coastlines to idyllic countryside and magnificent cityscapes – let’s stay inspired and plan great adventures for the future!
When the worst of this is behind us, there may even be lessons learned to take forward for the greater good. But for now, we are entirely beholden to our NHS staff, the ‘beating heart’ of this country, and to all the other front line workers, to whom we will be forever grateful.
Hopefully, we will have more answers to our questions about the future soon, as new government announcements are made and we begin to better understand how to outsmart coronavirus and start rebuilding our communities.
Things may never be the same again, but, for now, I know we must continue to support the travel industry and to inspire our readers. Together with the support of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s #TogetherInTravel campaign we will fight back against the coronavirus pandemic.
Stay strong, stay inspired, and stay safe.
Jessica Way
Editor-in-Chief, British Travel Journal
