Editor’s Marks

BY BRIAN JEWELL

Ican’t believe I have to do this again.

I’ve been writing columns about the COVID-19 pandemic — and the travel community’s response to it — for a year and a half now. And every time I think the issue is behind us, it finds a new way to return.

After a summer when travel demand surged in incredible ways, we’re facing a new wave of public anxiety over the pandemic. But the good news is that we have a lot more information at our disposal now than we did before.

With that info in hand, it’s important for the travel community to face some facts so that we can communicate them to the public at large.

1) COVID will always be with us.

Early in 2020, there was some hope that if we locked down long enough and hard enough, the virus would burn itself out. That, of course, turned out not to be the case. Now, more and more experts are concluding that like influenza or RSV, COVID19 is going to be a permanent part of the viral landscape in our world. The virus will adapt and evolve, even as we find better ways to prevent it and treat it. COVID-19 will never disappear, so we had better figure out how to deal with that reality and go on with our lives.

2) Vaccines are effective.

I don’t want to enter into a political debate or make anyone feel browbeaten. Getting vaccinated is a personal health choice, and there are reasonable arguments for and against it. But for those who choose to be vaccinated, all the data show that it remains an effective way to prevent serious disease or death due to COVID-19, including new variants circulating now. Furthermore, anyone who wants a vaccine has had ample opportunity to get it. This eliminates any moral imperative to stop travel or cancel events.

EDITOR’S MARKS

3) Safety can’t be guaranteed.

The travel industry has always put a premium on safety — that’s why every flight begins with a safety demonstration. And on the whole, we have a great health and safety track record. But although safety has always been a priority, it has never been a guarantee. From time to time, planes crash; buses run off the road; diners get food poisoning; hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes strike. We understand these risks, we accept them, and we move on with life. Total safety is a myth, and searching for it is like chasing the wind.

4) The media are trying to scare you.

There are many well-meaning people working in media (and I like to think we at The Group Travel Leader are among them). But there are also people who have figured out that they can make more money by keeping you scared: They put the worst news front and center; they sensationalize headlines; they leave out context and ignore important mitigating facts. And throughout the pandemic — and especially this stage of it — they have routinely taken steps to increase profits by increasing panic.

5) Life is too short to go on like this.

We all have a limited amount of time on earth, and we never know for sure when that time will be up. But what we do know is that the days are too precious to squander. Eighteen months ago, a temporary suspension of activities made sense. But today, with effective vaccines widely available, hunkering down makes no sense at all. Life is too short to live in fear, and travel is too important to put off.