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May 18, 2021

Travel is Slowly Opening Up. Now What?

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We are a little over a year in since global travel shut down. Many places still have closed borders, and though more privileged nations, such as here in the United States, are feeling a little relief – for the most part, there are still some pockets not progressing as quickly as others – there are still countries (such as India and Brazil), that are really suffering and others who do not yet have reliable access to vaccines (i.e., many Caribbean nations). Nonetheless, people are planning their trips.

But the pandemic has changed us. And by us, I don’t mean everyone, but a lot of us. We can see it in people’s lack of response to the callbacks to work and offices. People have genuinely had a moment of self-reflection and awakening and in many cases have chosen a path that they believe is better for them and far more fulfilling than when this whole thing started.

We are seeing this shift the most in the service industry. Restaurants and other hospitality-driven businesses are struggling with low applications. That’s not to say that the people who would have chosen to work as servers, or cooks, or wait staff, etc., are not working at all. It means they have chosen to no longer work in environments where they are overworked, underpaid, taken for granted, and unappreciated – not just by their employers, but by us, the consumer.

A lot of this sentiment came about in many ways during the pandemic itself while restaurants and bars and others tried to balance mask mandates and maintaining the comfort and happiness of their customers. While management and owners did the right thing in implementing safety mandates, they also have left the burden of enforcing these mandates to their minimum-waged, overworked staffs, many of whom deal with belligerent, abusive, and in many cases dangerous customers – an incredible ask, often with very little support from the higher-ups.

And for some, it has gotten to the point where they don’t see that path being worth it anymore. And now business owners are left at a loss, though truthfully, it is a loss for all of us.

There is no doubt that this is an opportunity for corporate heads and managers and business owners, large and small, to really take a hard look at the business model standards and leadership examples they have set and the ways in which they have failed their teams.

A person’s dignity, self-worth, and entitlement to respect are not included in the price of your steak special or airline ticket.

But it is also incumbent upon us to listen and reconsider the ways in which we treat those invisible and not so invisible workers who truly complement our hospitality experiences, whether we are dining out for brunch, or wine tasting for the afternoon or traveling on a plane. Local voices matter. We as travelers and as consumers have to also rethink – and maybe for some of you, relearn – what it means to be a customer, what we are entitled to, and what our money really affords us, and start to understand that a person’s dignity, self-worth, and entitlement to respect is not included in the price of our steak special or airline ticket. These things are not negotiable or dependent on our mood.

Personally, as someone with Caribbean roots, who grew up seeing abusive, entitled, and over-privileged foreigners freely take from and mistreat members of my community whose job has been to cater to them during their vacation, I am truly delighted in seeing the industry workers speak up and demand better. I am proud of those who have spoken up in their own countries against governments who have been too lenient with travel restrictions and tourists’ bad behavior.

If this pandemic has taught us anything is that we all should be better and kinder, not just with ourselves, but with others around us.

We are not entitled to our trips or our vacations, especially to destinations whose communities are still struggling to recover, but as travel opens up and more of you return out into the world – whether it is on a road trip or to a tropical beach, use this opportunity to see the humanity in anyone and everyone who works to make that trip a pleasant one for you and yours. Be respectful of the rules in place, whatever mandates are still being followed, and of the fact that these people have left their own families and home to make your travel experiences a comfortable and pleasant one – sometimes at the risk of their own health.

It is time to go back into the world with the goal of being better humans, or face accountability when you are not. It is time to reimagine hospitality and give power to the voices of those who are the backbone of the industry. Because while it may feel like we are slowly going back to normal, there is no going back to the ways things were. And for that, we should all be grateful.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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  • caincarol@gmail.com

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Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the Barista training = Trial by fire. 🔥 This is the way. 

@shellyk_025 @the_garage_at_rye 

#baristalife #barista #coffeeislife
Woke up feeling rested after going, going, going f Woke up feeling rested after going, going, going for over a week…and grateful for the privilege that is living in such a beautiful region. There are so many points of access for relaxation and stillness here, including right outside my door. So before delving into the work day, I took a peaceful walk, stopped for brekkie (thanks, @ellasacreshomestead), and continued the day refreshed.

If 10 years ago…or even 5 years ago…you had told THIS Brooklyn girl that she would find joy living full time in rural NY, I would’ve laughed in your face. And while NYC will always be home and #1 in my heart, as I live through my 3rd year here, I have to say…yeah. I get it. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #citygirlinthecountry
When your bestie is also your boss and you share s When your bestie is also your boss and you share shifts at your barista jobs it’s easy to forget it’s WORK…☕️😅❤️ 

@seschieber @the_garage_at_rye 

#fingerlakes #baristalife #workbestie
A moment of zen, Finger Lakes edition. #citygirl A moment of zen, Finger Lakes edition. 

#citygirlupstate #upstatenewyork #fingerlakesnewyork
Love coffee as much as I do? Here is my (very, ver Love coffee as much as I do? Here is my (very, very) short list of fave coffee shops, from Manhattan to Brooklyn. 

I spend A LOT of time at coffee shops…whether in my job as a barista or during my free time exploring endless cafes during my travels, but especially around NYC and the Finger Lakes. These are the most noteworthy cafes I find myself returning to again and again in New York City.

📍@conwellcoffeehall in the old Life and Trust Building in the Financial District. An epic space, great brekkie and coffee, brought to you by the same folks of Sleep No More…who (separately but in the same space) offer similar interactive-style performances we know them for, this time revisiting the age of old money, big banks, and the stock market crash collapse of 1929.
📍The @bookclubbar is a bar, book store, and coffee shop in the East Village. Cozy, with outdoor seating, and a wonderful selection of books, booze, and brews. Very few people get all of these elements to work well. They nail it.
📍The @plantshednyc in the East Village. Airy space with a beautiful selection of flowers and plants, and big, bright windows whereby to enjoy your cafe choice. 
📍@DawnsTillDusk in Dumbo is a cafe by day and wine bar by night. It’s a Yes to both for me!
📍@Usaginy in Dumbo is an art gallery, with small bookstore and gift shop, and cafe…but their in-house freshly made onigiri is 😘👌🏾
📍@pplnyc in Williamsburg is rustic, and pretty, and cute…and yeah, the coffee’s good!
📍@bluebrown_nyc in Williamsburg stole my heart when I first visited last year on my birthday. I love the vibe of this community cafe and the creativity they bring to their pastries and drinks.
📍@Devocionusa (anywhere), though my local spot is Dumbo. I love that they are all about the coffee…and just the coffee. No fancy, trends here. Come for the impeccable coffee, and delicious pastries, and cool vibes. But mostly, the coffee.

This list doesn’t even make a dent on my long list of cafes but they are the highlights. Share your fave spots in the comments! ☕️

#nyccafe #coffeetiktok #coffeelover #coffeeshop
This is your reminder to PLAY. No matter your age. This is your reminder to PLAY. No matter your age. Play. Play with your partner. Play with your adult friends. Play with your kids, even the adult ones. Play with strangers. The world can be cruel and hard and deflating. So, when the opportunity comes…and even if you need a nudge from your loved ones…give your heart, soul, and mind a reprieve and play. 

Today me and mine played at the Keff Joons pop-up in Dumbo, Brooklyn. This is @cj_hendry latest art installation where they transformed a Brooklyn warehouse into balloon-filled dreamscape and playground for all. There is no fee and the earlier you arrive the shorter the wait. Once inside you become one with the art in a fun and dramatic way. But hurry! The installation is only up till April 20th! 

📍50 Gold Street, Brooklyn, NY

#nycart #artpopup #brooklynny #funinnyc #thingstodoinnyc

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