Top 8 quarantine survival tips from famous travel bloggers
Intro
How to adapt
Survival tips
Predictions
Bloggers` answers
Some countries started relaxing the restrictions, some are still planning to do it but it is certain that the way we live is not going to be the same as before the pandemic crisis. In our pursuit of better understanding the impact on the travel industry we wanted to have also some subjective perspectives from people with a notable authority in this domain, besides our surveys that helps us analyze the quantitative data regarding the same impact.
Imagine you have been traveling for years now and you barely use your homeplace more than for keeping your stuff and ID address. Imagine your home in the last several years was a hotel room or an Airbnb in different parts of this amazing world and all of a sudden you have to forget about meeting all these new people and stay inside. It feels different than just switching from your cube to your living room, right?
As travelers ourselves, we do understand the mental (and physical, of course) change that has to be coped with by all the travel bloggers around the world so we couldn`t just put them in some other basket and move forward: We asked them how they adapted to staying inside, what are their advice for other travelers in regards to ease the process and how they see the future of the travel industry from the inside. For sure they are the right ones to be asked about this if you really want to understand the impact on the travel industry and not get only some corporate answers that you can read everywhere around the web.
We got 22 replies from some of the most important travel bloggers in the recent times and we are sharing below their entire answers. But before that we are summarizing some conclusions that might interest the savvys, wanderers, nomads, wanderlusts, adventurers and all the other star-nature-people-cities-gazing eyes:
How to adapt
In the beginning, everyone thought we will be inside just for a short period of time. But then we started understand the dimension of this new reality. Full time traveler or just a vacation explorer, everybody had to find solutions that help in coping with this brand new lifestyle. Taking it easy, building different routines, catching up with family and friends and tons of binging are natural solutions embraced by most of those who answered. Going back through older photos, taking care of backlogs and back-of-the-head projects, even learning how to cut hair or trying recipes from the visited countries are also interesting approaches. It is obviously not easy to stay inside after years of new faces everyday, but when it is so important to flatten the curve, everyone is paying the effort and the whole world is benefiting from it.
Advices for other travel passionates
The general vibe is definitely aligned to „the marathon principle” and Stefan is putting it into words quite nicely: „Living the current situation is like running a marathon and hitting the wall when you reach 30-35km. Start focusing on the next 2km, don’t even think how can you ever make it to 42km. Similarly, focus on the next two weeks of lockdown, don’t think about when this crazy time is going to finish. We will all make it ;-)”
But to keep it practical, here is a list of top 8 survival tips in times when traveling cannot be a main part of the life anymore:
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- Focus on today, not on the long run
- Read the news only once/twice a day
- Listen to a different radio station from around the world every day
- Edit old photographs and print them via online services with door-to-door delivery
- Sit down, close your eyes and breath in. It`s okay to have some not-very-productive days as well
- Apply what you know best: Life, just like a plane trip, also has turbulence sometimes. But any traveler knows that this will not stop him from reaching his destination
- If your job allows you to work from home, think of this period as a great way to save some money that you’ll later use on a fabulous trip
- Use this time to better understand who are you within any space, be it a foreign country or your own living room
How travel will look like after COVID-19
Everybody is expecting a notable increase in domestic trips and our statistics are also showing that 44% of the April survey worldwide respondents truly consider postponing international travel for a while in favor of trips inside the countries they are living in. Avoiding crowded places and focus more on nature is another trend expected by most of the travel experts and extra-hygiene measures will definitely be taken by businesses and individuals as well.
Here are is a list of 12 predictions extracted from the travel bloggers` answers:
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- Sustainability will be seen as a competitive quality for a travel brand and consumers will choose only to share their limited disposable income with companies that align with their values
- There may be a reduction in business travel (did that meeting really need to be in person?) and we’ll likely see more flexible flight/hotel cancellation policies
- Countries that handled the situation well may be rewarded with increased tourism
- The disinfectant gel will be a “must have” for every trolley or bag
- The cruising industry will be hit the most
- The foreigners can be perceived as the cause of Coronavirus outbreak in many countries, therefore genuine hospitality experienced in these places might be replaced by suspicious looks and not so friendly attitudes
- Some nationalities can be forced to produce extensive health documents just to be allowed to travel
- Travelers might become more intentional about who they book with because this will be the difference between a family-run business getting their livelihood back or shutting down for good
- Additional health screening at international borders
- Airlines will offer cheap flights in order to keep market share even if it means not being profitable for a while
- Significant changes in travel insurance, both cost-wise and terms
- Virtual travel is going to become more mainstream, with more and more virtual reality, live streams, and virtual tours being made available online
We strongly encourage you to have a coffee or a glass of wine (or whatever suits you now) and read the full stories these travel experienced people shared with the world. Sometimes, knowing a bit more about how others are looking at the current situation adds some zoom-out to the whole process and helps us have a wider image of how our future might look like.
Sit back, relax and enjoy your read!
Stefano Ferro @ MEL365
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I have adapted to so many things in life that I thought “well it’s gonna be for just a few days, no drama”. I found, however, the reality to be different. Much harder than I thought. On the positive side, I get to spend so much more time with my little 6 years old kid which he is helping me to put my life back to the right dimension.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Always look to the future and forget about the present. Look forward to the next step, to the next month. Living the current situation is like running a marathon and hitting the wall when you reach 30-35km. Start focusing on the next 2km, don’t even think how can you ever make it to 42km. Similarly, focus on the next two weeks of lockdown, don’t think about when this crazy time is going to finish. We will all make it 😉 possibly having a laugh in front of a beer somewhere in Vietnam, or in Romania or in Cuba 🙂
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I expect a massive change in the next decade and certainly in the next 4-5 years. I think people will travel again but they will first explore the nearby destinations, possibly travelling by car and avoid public transportation. Tourism will start in less crowded destinations first, big cities will come later in 18-24 months. Remote destinations will come later in 3-4 year. Finally, someone will make it to my country, Australia, and New Zealand, LOL. It will take a while for people to book a long haul flight.
Lia & Jeremy @ Practical Wanderlust
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
Part of the joy of traveling is that it makes me appreciate my own home more than ever. I love the feeling of returning home to my own bed and my familiar comforts after a period of the new and unfamiliar – it’s what I missed most during long-term travel, when I had no home to return to. So for me, this is a period of really savoring the familiar and comforting and spending time doing very domestic things that I never do while traveling. I’m embracing the exciting and unfamiliar parts of being home for an extended period of time, and looking at the beauty of my own home and hometown through new eyes.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
I would restrict yourself to only reading the news once a day, twice at most. Resist the urge to constantly check for updates! My mood improved considerably when I stopped feeding into the cycle of unhappiness. If you are sheltering in place, staying home, and being safe, you are doing your part – you don’t need minute by minute updates that will only make you feel worse.
My other advice would be to get into a routine. Have a morning ritual, continue to work (or be generally productive, if you’re not working) and eat meals at the same times as you normally would, and take breaks throughout the day for some physical and mental relaxation, like a walk or yoga or drawing or reading.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I am hoping that this episode in our collective history leans us towards a more sustainable future, and that travel will be included. I do think it’s likely that we will be going into a global recession and consumers will be even more careful with what they choose to spend their money on. I would like to see sustainability as a competitive quality for a travel brand, and I anticipate consumers choosing only to share their limited disposable income with companies that align with their values.
Greg Buzulencia, Founder and CEO @ ViaHero
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
The irony of being a travel entrepreneur (and a parent) is that I don’t travel as much as I used to. However, I was backcountry skiing in Quebec as COVID began to hit the United States, so I managed to get a little adventure before things started shutting down. With all of that said, I try to keep the mindset that this is a temporary situation.. It’s an opportunity to reflect on travel experiences, to really understand what brought me joy in the past—and how to channel that into future trips. Like, what am I missing the most right now? Which experiences did I find valuable, life-changing, challenging? That helps put things into perspective. It helps me prepare for the future, even as things feel uncertain at the moment.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Find creative ways to seek out adventure and wanderlust from home. I have friends who are making dishes from a different country each night. I’m listening to radio stations from around the world while I work, a different one each day. You can watch a foreign film or brush up on a foreign language. As travelers, we find joy in learning about new cultures. You can do that without leaving your house! Plus, it can be a great way to discover where you want to travel when this is all over. Beyond travel, find ways to connect with people, keep moving to stay healthy, create a routine of things you’ve always wanted to do, and never stop dreaming. There will be a time when we can travel again. Give yourself permission to dream of something big. After all this, you deserve it!
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
Once travel is safe again, I think it will come roaring back. People will be eager for new adventures—and they’ll have had a lot of time to think and plan and dream for their next trip.
As travel becomes safe over the next two years, I predict we’ll see some shifts in the industry. There may be a reduction in business travel (did that meeting really need to be in person) and we’ll likely see more flexible flight/hotel cancellation policies. And I believe our behavior as travelers will change. First, I think that we’ll likely gravitate toward outdoor-focused road trips, especially if the first wave of the virus is over by the beginning of the summer. Nobody really knows what things will look like in a few months, but I suspect that people will be wary of mass transit and big crowds. Plus, uncertainty about the virus will make advance-planning tricky. Road trips offer flexibility, a way to stay away from crowds, and an opportunity to enjoy warm weather and the outdoors. Second, airlines will offer cheap flights. They’ll want to keep market share, even if it means not being profitable for a while. Following a trend toward road trips, I think last-minute cheap flights will draw people back to flying. Again, advance planning may be difficult, so people may lean toward off-the-beaten-path destinations, instead of popular tourism hubs. We’ll gravitate to last-minute flight deal sites to help discover where we want to travel to, and we’ll get accustomed to flexibility. Airlines and lodging might have to offer more flexible policies to allow travelers to reschedule their trip to ensure that people are comfortable traveling. Finally, as things become safe, people will return to urban centers and to events, first domestically and then internationally. (But this will likely be dependent on stability of the virus in those areas.) Eventually, this will feel normal, and we’ll forget about the fear we once had of being around other people. I’m curious to see if any of the behavior we develop over the course of 2020 sticks beyond 2021. Only time will tell!
Adriano D’Ambrosio, CEO and Co-Founder @ VIVI CITY
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I think that the passion for travelling and the enjoyment of being at home are not elements that strongly diverge from one another. This is especially true for those who, like me, are introverted and make their home their world. When I’m not on the road, I need little to be fulfilled. Of course, when staying at home becomes an obligation something changes, but I think that quarantine is also a unique opportunity to reflect on the value of time and that, ironically, it brings us closer as human beings. In a way, it is a different form of travelling.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Anyone who’s ever planned a trip in his life knows that half the fun of traveling is the planning! And we really have plenty of time to plan a trip these days, don’t we? With this more time available you can also better prepare yourself from a cultural standpoint, learn more about the historical background of a destination we would like to visit and appreciate our visit better. Alternatively, the time available can be spent on past trips, especially if you are a photography enthusiast. Dedicate a few hours a week of your quarantine to the post-production of your most significant photographs and then print them out via an online service offering a door-to-door delivery. Viewing your own photos printed on paper is truly a unique sensory experience!
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
Maybe I am too optimistic, but I am confident that once this crisis will eventually be behind us, everyone will go back to travelling exactly as before. Possibly paying more attention to overcrowded places and more caution on public transport during rush hour, but I cannot imagine a dystopian scenario where people will deliberately avoid each other. It will be interesting to see how the travel industry will change after Covid-19: surely the difficulties encountered by small airlines will bring a major jolt to both air routes and fares.
James Cave @ Portugalist
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
Although I had to cut my plans short, I was probably due a break. There’s a time for everything, whether that’s travelling or sitting still, and this is obviously the time for sitting still.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Make the most of it. While I love to travel, and it’s a major part of my life, it’s also very time-consuming. I’m taking the hours I normally dedicate to sightseeing, research, and other travel activities, and I’m investing it in other rewarding activities like reading, exercising, and just relaxing more. Full-time travel can involve a lot of short-term planning (accommodation for next week or a flight next month, for example) and this is a nice jolt from the “normal” and a chance to think about the bigger picture.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
It depends on how long the various lockdowns continue to last, but I can’t see things going back to normal straight away. That’s not to say that I don’t think many people will want a vacation this year but they’re probably more likely to take it in their home country than abroad. Those that do travel abroad will probably be more cautious. They want not be willing to venture as far as before, and countries that were severely impacted by coronavirus are likely to see a drop in popularity. Consequently, those that handled the situation well may be rewarded with increased tourism. Coronavirus is only one crisis, of course. Perhaps an even bigger question for the travel industry is whether or not we’ll enter a recession and, if we do, how that will impact the travel industry over the next few years.
Claude @ Escapades à Londres
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I use this time to prepare and plan the next trip when the health situation allows.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
That at the end of confinement, travel will still be possible, for the moment the important thing is health above all; that you must respect the instructions while staying at home and that they can always continue to consult the websites to prepare their next trips.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I think that after the crisis, it will take time to restore confidence to travelers because they will still be a little bit afraid to travel far but it will come back gradually.
Marius @ All4Travel
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
The first days were not easy at all, and the magnets board and a few other objects from the trips did not bring too much help. In addition, we were accustomed, through the articles we published daily, to urge people to travel. The coronavirus made us pause the blog and wake up with a ton of free time to spend…at home. But we are aware that this is the best thing we can do now and that the good times will return. Meanwhile, to make our time easier, we started to reorganize the image folders and we discovered that we have a lot of photos taken in previous trips that we didn’t even get to see. Or all sorts of interesting details in other photos. Another day I kept my eyes on webcams from all over the world. It’s hard to see how empty the places were now. No one at the Fontana di Trevi in Rome or just a police car in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. It was as if I was there yesterday and I was waiting in line for a picture at km 0 of Spain. No one at the windmills in Mykonos and also at the ice lagoon in Iceland. No one on a sunny beach in Tenerife. Things didn’t look better on Flightradar24 either… And you can’t help but wonder when something that until recently seemed to be a good script for a SF movie will end. Now it seems more like a SF movie the idea of getting on a plane and flying to Milan, for example.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
I would advocate for believing that everything will be fine and that these days spent at home will help us to overcome our situation faster. In the meantime, let us all be grateful that we have so far managed to visit so many places. One day we will travel with confidence again and we will board a plane without paying attention to how many things we touched before we sat down or if the colleague sneezed from four seats away. There is a clear sky after every rain, and life, just like a plane trip, also has turbulence sometimes. But any traveler knows that this will not stop him from reaching his destination. So let’s not stop dreaming about traveling, even if it will take some time before we book the plane ticket. And last but not least, let’s enjoy that moment when we will leave again, safely. Let’s respect nature and protect it.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
At first I think people will travel to destinations closer to home, probably by personal car and try to avoid crowded places in big cities. There will be a greater emphasis on hygiene, whether we are talking about personal hygiene or airports, planes or hotels. The disinfectant gel will be a “must have” for every trolley or bag. Tourism will certainly recover, as it recovers after each crisis. One thing I know for sure will not change: the wish to explore. It’s well stuck in our DNA.
JB @ Will Fly for Food
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
To be honest, it hasn’t been that difficult. The thought of catching the virus and not being able to seek medical help because our hospitals are overwhelmed is a frightening prospect which keeps us grounded. Instead of wishing we could be out, I’m using this time as an opportunity to catch up on our backlog and invest in the future of our blog.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Just remember that travel is a privilege, not a right. Traveling in this current environment will cause harm so it’s best to stay grounded for now. Now is not the time to be selfish. We all need to do our part to flatten the curve and beat this virus. Self-isolation is the only way.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
That’s a good question and something I’ve been thinking about everyday. So much is uncertain right now. When this is over, many people will shun international travel in favor of domestic trips, at least at first. Immigration and visa applications could become tighter. Will there be a backlash against Chinese travelers and Asians in general? I hate to bring up racism, but people will be angry after this and looking for someone to blame, justified or not. I pray that isn’t the case. But however the world changes, one thing is for sure – until a vaccine has been developed, things will not go back to normal.
Daniel Krahn, CEO and founder @ Urlaubsguru
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
Staying at home for such a long time was a big change and a great challenge for me. I tried to stay active and went running, rode my bike or did some workout at home. I also looked at my pictures and videos from all the trips I’ve taken so far and remembered the good times.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Try to relax and stay calm. We’re all in this together and have to stick to the rules right now. It’s hard but safety is more important than adventures and one day traveling will be possible again. My tip is to create a foto album with travel pictures. You can also cook one of our favorite meals from a different country or mix a tasty cocktail to keep the memories alive. You can also already start planning your next trip and decide where you want to go, what you want to do and dream of the next vacation.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I think at first people will focus on traveling to nearer destinations, people from Germany will travel to regions in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. I also think people will value the freedom to travel wherever they want to go much more. I’m sure the branch will recover and people will keep their passion for traveling.
Polina Golovchiner, chief editor @ Vandrouki Blog
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I currently live in Israel, where quarantine has been going on for almost a month. Living in isolation is very difficult, especially if you’re not used to sitting in one place, but it’s even harder to do when the sea is shining in the sun in front of your window. But a momentary weakness can cost someone their life, and most importantly, it will only prolong the quarantine. Yes, a huge number of people have lost their jobs or part of their earnings, including me and my husband; yes, sitting at home in the long-awaited spring is a real pain. But we understand that it depends only on us how long the quarantine will last. So, no matter how difficult it is, we are really sitting at home all over the country, and, thank God! – a few days ago, the disease statistics finally went down! In addition, there is finally time to think about something other than traveling – for example, health or creativity. In our frenzied pace of life, such a slowdown is only good for us.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
I sincerely advise travelers to take advantage of this moment for another, no less fascinating journey – inside themselves. We are always hanging around the world, watching other countries and cities, communicating with different people, but we do not always have time to communicate with ourselves. Just sit down. Close your eyes. Breathe in. Think about what you’re missing right now and what you can give yourself during this break. You don’t have to take all the online courses and listen to a million lectures a day – although that’s obviously not the worst option — it’s enough to learn one thing. Or just get enough sleep.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
Of course, we are at a turning point, and the world of travel will certainly change. I’m not going to evaluate the material part, but I suppose we will travel more thoughtfully. Over the past 20 years has appeared an incredible number of ways to move around the world for a penny, and live even completely free: of course, people have used this as a way of traveling as “travel animals” – and we are no exception. Perhaps nature is tired of us, of our planes, our cars, our camera flashes, the noise of our drones, the crowds of tourists in national parks and beyond. We had to give the planet a break from ourselves, and maybe when all this is over, we will not only take, but give – we will fly less, walk more, and think about the trail we leave on this planet. At least for the first time. Until the next apocalypse:)
Cory @ You Could Travel
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I’m going to be honest and say that it wasn’t that difficult for us. We are together 24/7 anyway and when we are home, we tend to work a lot so we sort of switched our brains to work mode to actively powered up through our projects. However, now that it has been more than a month, we are getting itchy feet. We are day-dreaming about simply driving anywhere to just experience the world a little. We miss having an espresso and a pizza in Italy, some desserts in France… but we are fortunate to be in lockdown in our home in Germany, in a city we love, with one another and a pantry full of snacks.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Use this time to invest in yourself. Not saying that you need to be on your toes 24/7 and learn a new language or be on that yoga mat. I mean use this time to get to know yourself, without the new stimuli we experience from travels. Use the yoga mat to meditate and understand yourself. Who are you within any space, be it a foreign country or your own living room. I think it’s good practice, so when we resume travelling, we have a new understanding of oneself. That being said, enjoy your time at home: snack, drink wine at 11am if you want and just lounge on that sofa watching travel movies. It’s a good time anyway to go back to the drawing board and figure out what type of traveler you want to be next.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
This is a very difficult question for us as we just want everything to go back to normal. Just like you, we are a business within the travel space so of course, we took a financial hit. We just want “normal” but we know there will be no such thing as normal anymore. Going forward we believe there will be stricter checks at borders. We do hope, however, things won’t escalate into a racial or ethnical issue, where some nationalities will be forced to produce extensive health documents just to be allowed to travel. We hope everyone will put more pressure on governments and travel operators to just offer us cleaner places. We are talking about everything from cleaning bus handles, through airplane tray tables to airport toilets. We say that Japan is probably the cleanest country in the world. If they can do, the rest of the world can. Also, we are secretly hoping that more people will become aware of personal space and hygiene to hopefully prevent this situation in the future. But this is a waiting game that nobody can really predict. I guess we just need to wait and see.
Vicki @ Make Time To See The World
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
As someone who only travels part time and works from my own home when I am not traveling, it hasn’t been a case of adapting to not traveling, rather a getting used to my loss of freedom of movement in a general sense: not being able to head out in my car to catch the sunset, or only leaving the house for groceries and seeing my friends through a screen rather than face to face. These have been the biggest adjustment, one that has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but something I am happy to do if it supports our essential workers and will ultimately help to contain this pandemic.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Accept that you will have some good days and bad days. Some days where you are productive, some days where you are not; some days where you experience and some days where you don’t get dressed and binge-watch Netflix all day. And that’s OK. This situation is new for everybody, and there is definitely an adjustment period as we all settle into this new ‘normal’. If you are working from home, I would suggest trying to get into a good routine with work times, break times, meal times, relaxation time etc – but don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip; this is a unique opportunity for you to craft your own work day. Some may thrive, others may discover they need and like their traditional work structure and will return to their place of work with a renewed enthusiasm. One thing is for sure, this is a learning opportunity for everyone.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
In terms of what I expect when people start traveling again, I think the world has a long way to go before we get back any semblance of ‘normality’ when it comes to international travel. Before the borders open, there will need to be mass testing in place, to ensure that COVID-19 isn’t being carried or spread by asymptomatic travelers, that alone could take several months.
Borders reopening will be slow, and I believe it will only be for domestic travel first in larger destinations like the USA or Australia. These soft openings will be used as a test and to stimulate the local economy. Travel within Europe where the borders are more fluid could take a little longer to start up again.
I anticipate international flights will be minimal at first, which could increase their price; but at the same time, the airlines – if they are still running – will be dying to get people in the skies again and so could be offering discount fares (again to stimulate the industry). I’m torn on this one but hopefully, it will be the latter. I’ve already seen some incredibly cheap round trip fares being offered by some airlines for several months on the future with flexible cancellation policies (but I haven’t pulled the trigger or booking anything just yet!). As for destinations, we may find that people stay away from places that were formerly tourist hot-spots and in an attempt to maintain a significant distance from other people (and potential disease carriers where fear plays a part) look for more off the beaten path destinations. This could be a huge benefit to the industry as a whole, relieving the pressure on destinations that were struggling under the pressure of mass tourism. It could at the same time have the opposite effect, with those who have traditionally put off travel, deciding that it is ‘now or never’ to see these famous sights. There is no real way to predict how individual humans are going to react when they are no longer ‘caged’ – but I hope it is a combination of the two. That the people who couldn’t or didn’t travel, do; and that more seasoned travelers make the effort to see and thus encourage travel to more unknown destinations.
In terms of travelers being prepared for traveling in a post-coronavirus world:
– they should be prepared for additional health screening at international borders, or maybe even the ability to prove that you are ‘healthy’ or at least coronavirus free.
– Insurance companies may be reluctant to provide travel insurance for international travel, or it will be at significantly higher prices; and with waivers that won’t cover pandemics (although a large portion of insurers failed to cover pandemics prior to this).
– I think virtual travel is going to become more mainstream, with more and more virtual reality, live streams, and virtual tours being made available online as this crisis continues. This will make travel more accessible for those who can’t travel and allow them better access to the world than there has ever been.
Yulia @ Miss Tourist
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I have actually been living in Bali for a couple of months when the lockdown came, so I was lucky because I didn’t have to find a way to quickly relocate or come back home from some far away trip. Staying at home in this situation is quite strange for me, even if I normally work a lot from my laptop and I spend a lot of time at home anyway, now it’s different. It’s very weird to not be able to go even for a walk, or a one-day trip.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
My advice would be to try to focus on what you can do, rather than the things you can’t control. If you were lucky enough to be in a place with your family, maybe you can use this time to enjoy some peaceful time together. Read those books you never find the time to read, learn some stuff you always wanted to learn, cook something or maybe play a board-game!
If your job allows you to work from home, think of this period as a great way to save some money that you’ll later use on a fabulous trip!
You can also do some research for your next holidays, look into the history of some countries and cities and make a list of the ones you’ll want to visit, maybe you’ll discover a city that you love but you never had time to really do some research about until now! Oh, and make sure you don’t forget to do sports! Traveling takes some body resistance and you don’t want to lose that! 😉
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
That’s a hard one, no-one really knows how the pandemic will affect traveling at this point. I think most people will start from traveling inside their country, maybe taking shorter trips, travelers will be more cautious in the future – does this country have any cases of covid, how safe is it to go there?
Travel as we knew it in 2019 will definitely recover, but it will probably take some time.
Stefan @ Nomadic Boys
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
We used it as an opportunity to take a step back and work on the many things we’ve wanted to do for a long time, such as major updates to our website, reconnect with friends/family online, home exercise, baking and learning other skills like cutting our hair! It’s obviously not a great situation to be in, but you need to adapt and make the most out of it.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
We know it’s temporary and it will bounce back. We have to adapt and use this time to recharge and refuel – do things we’ve always said we’d do and put ourselves in a strong position to bounce back when this is all behind us!
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
In the short term, we think people will do local “staycation” trips. The pandemic we know will eventually pass us by, but the economic fallout as a result of this will hit many – just look at the increase in unemployment in the States this past few weeks! Gradually things will eventually return to normal but it will take time. The one industry we think will be hit the most is the cruising industry – it will take a while for them to recover.
Claudia @ My Adventures Across The World
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
This will sound crazy, I know. Each and every year, I have a new year’s resolution to stay at home a bit longer. I tell myself: this year, I will spend 6 months on a row at home to concentrate on writing for my blog, working on technical things, spend time with my family and friends, and just be. Obviously, I wanted this to be my decision rather than a forced one based on the circumstances, and I certainly didn’t mean to stay locked in for 6 months as I am now (Italy has been in lockdown for more than 5 weeks now). But I am trying to embrace it and stay positive. I take the extra time I have to work on many projects I had wanted to work on for ages. When life gives you lemons…
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
There is nothing you can do to change how things are. You really have to cooperate and be responsible. Stay home and help stop the spread! I also promise you that after the first 2 weeks you get used to staying in!
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I am honestly hoping for a larger scale change. I am hoping for a world where people and countries are less selfish, where we are all seeking the common good. I hope traveling becomes more responsible and with less impact on the environment, on the lives of local communities and of animals.
Filipe @ Alma de Viajante
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
To be honest, these have been challenging times. During the last few weeks, I canceled working trips to Berlin, Sicily, Capadoccia, Copenhagen, Faeroe Islands and a three months long family trip to Indonesia. My new reality is staying 24/7 inside my flat in Matosinhos, Portugal, with my wife (she’s a journalist, working from home now) and two kids (schools are closed). On the positive side, we obviously spend more time together as a family. But I must admit I miss the adventure, the broken bus, the flavors, smells and smiles of a new destination. I miss looking for flight deals, planning trips, hitting the road, be out there and see what happens. But I also know that all this becomes irrelevant when on the other side of the scale is our health. So my focus is on winning the most important battle we face right now: keeping my family safe and healthy. The destinations will be out there, ready to be discovered once all this is over…
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Being locked down at home for two, three or more months, it’s certainly not easy to feel the mood to plan future trips. But it’s important to keep these dreams alive. Tourism will be vital for the economic recovery once the pandemic is over, so I try to be optimistic. On a personal level, I’ve been taking the time to work hard on my travel blog, taking the opportunity to write long waited posts of past trips, revive old content and taking care of the technical (not so glamorous) side of blogging. It’s an endless job and now I do have what I usually don’t: time. So, my advice is simple: think positive, take the most of these weird times and keep your dreams alive.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
People will eventually start traveling again, but things will probably be different. Maybe travelers will be more conscious about their impact on the planet (flying less often, for example), and that would be positive. Maybe cities facing over-tourism and having too many apartments dedicated to airbnb instead of local housing will find a better balance, and that would also be positive. My main concern, however, is related to the way locals will look at foreigners all over the world. To be honest, being foreigners perceived as the cause of Coronavirus outbreak in many countries, I’m afraid that the genuine hospitality experienced in these places will be replaced by suspicious looks and not so friendly attitudes. Hope I’m wrong.
Blanca @ Los Traveleros
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
We were really sad because we had to interrupt our trip around Mexico to come back home. We couldn’t believe something this terrible was happening worldwide and seeing our country, Spain, so affected by it was really depressing. But besides being shocked for the first couple of days, it wasn’t that hard to stay home. When we’re not traveling we spend lots of time indoors writing content for our blog, enjoying time with family and cooking our favorite Spanish dishes. So that’s exactly what we’ve been doing these past few weeks.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Do not focus on what’s missing. Everyone wants this nightmare to end, to feel free again. But crying over that cancelled trip, missing going to the gym or hugging your friends will only make you feel worse.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
It will definitely be a change. We think it will take a long time for the travel industry to recover from this because many people will be afraid to travel overseas and some even lost their jobs. Probably most travelers will start off by exploring their own country doing roadtrips. And we like that idea a lot. Even little staycations are a great way to travel and explore new places. As long as we keep traveling, even if it’s near home, everything will be fine.
Pablo & Let @ Aprendizaje Viajero
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
It is not easy to cancel all the travel plans and stay put in the same place for so many days in a row. However, this is exactly what we need in order to stay safe, and we know the importance that this measure has. We have pushed back a few travel plans we had (Turkey, South Africa, Canada & US) but hope in a few months we will be able to come back to them and continue travelling across the globe.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
The best advice is to understand the importance of the situation and stay safe. It is of vital importance to stay home even if you are used to jumping from country to country and not sleeping on the same bed for more than a week. The best advice is to try to continue with your daily routine as much as possible, and enjoy all of the content there is online. Maybe re-discover a few documentaries or plan future trips!
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
Traveling will change enormously after this crisis we are currently living. However, people will not stop moving around and enjoying new destinations. When this is over (I mean, completely over) people will be more cautious and hygienic. People will still travel, this is a fact, because almost everyone loves to learn about new cultures and discover new adventures. We shall be cautious and respectful (even more) with the environment, as we see that when the earth stops even for a few weeks, nature finds its way.
Anna & Tom @ Adventure in You
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
My partner Tom and I are actually in Playa del Carmen, Mexico at the moment. We initially planned to stay here for 3 months, making it a temporary base. When the lockdown happened, we decided to just base ourselves here as we were running out of options on where to go due to both visa and travel restrictions, being that we both come from different countries. We are fortunate enough to have years of “working-home-experience” so the lockdown hasn’t been a complete change to our routines. We do miss being able to go outdoors for hikes or walks by the beach but we are happy to do our part to help flatten the curve.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Stay at home. It’s honestly as simple as that. Despite being super careful and going into self-quarantine before any strict rules were imposed here, both Tom and I still got sick. Although we didn’t get tested (the process wasn’t as easy to do here in Mexico), we are 90% sure that we got it as we both went down with flu-like symptoms for 2 weeks. Tom also lost his sense of taste and smell despite not having any cough or colds. We were very careful and only went out once to the grocery and we still picked it up- which goes to show how quickly the virus can spread. Travel will always be there. For now, stay at home and use this time productively.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
To be honest, I have no idea. I think the travel industry will undergo a few shifts before becoming normal again as a lot of companies such as airlines are experiencing big losses. However, people will begin to travel again but hopefully, when it does happen, people will collectively just be a bit more mindful about their actions and a bit more grateful for the freedom that comes with travel. Being able to spend time outdoors and have direct social interaction with the people around you is one of the things we love the most about traveling and we look forward to being able to explore again when this is all over.
Katie & Ben @ Two Wandering Soles
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
I don’t have an answer off the top of my head for #1, so I will skip it.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
We know how disappointing it can be to have dream trips canceled, but our advice is to stay positive by reliving memories from your past trips and dreaming about where you will travel in the future. Read books that are set in faraway places, binge on some good travel movies, cook dishes from your favorite country, and remember that this isn’t forever.
3. How do you think traveling will change after the crisis?
Once it is safe to travel again, the tourism industry is going to need some love — especially the small guesthouses and locally-run tour operators. My hope is that travelers are intentional about who they book with because this will be the difference between a family-run business getting their livelihood back or shutting down for good. There will be some people who will jump on a plane or train as soon as they have the green light because being quarantined will have made their travel itch grow exponentially. However, it would be remiss to overlook the fact that travel is a luxury that many people will not be able to afford for a while. For those who have lost a job or had hours cut back, planning a big trip might not be able to happen for a while. My guess is that people will begin by traveling close to home before international travel returns to the same levels we saw before the pandemic.
Robson @ Love and Road
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
It was a natural process, we didn’t struggle with that. Although we focused on keeping a routine, trying to see the positive side and effects of the lockdown.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
Find out what works for you. For us, it is the routine of exercises, work, healthy cooking, and studying. For some people binge-watching Netflix is the answer, there is no right or wrong. Respect your body, your mind and stay positive.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
That’s tough to predict, people will be itching to travel but at the same time afraid to do it. Since border control will be more restrictive we believe that domestic travel will be the first option for many travelers.
Ruben @ Gamin Traveler
1. How did you adapt to staying home after traveling to so many countries?
For us staying at home is very usual between our trips. We are catching up with our blog and clients. We try to cook and eat healthier and doing courses online to make the most of the time.
2. What is your advice for travelers on how to cope with the current situation?
If you are planning to travel you can research for information in blog or reading books until is the time for traveling again.
3. How do you think the traveling will change after the crisis?
I think travel will change like in the past did with 11 September. It will be more check points in the airports, everyone using masks and sanitizers. In Asia it’s more usual wearing masks but in Western countries a few people will have to get used to.
**For updated COVID-19 information you can check the official WHO data.