• About
  • Blog
  • Working together
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Travel
/
May 18, 2021

Travel is Slowly Opening Up. Now What?

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share

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.

Related

Enjoyed this post? Give it some love and share!
Share
Pin this Post
Share this Post
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.

You May Also Like...

Christmas Tree Hunting in Long Island, NY

December 12, 2008

Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights, NY

December 10, 2008

Winter afternoon in the Bronx Zoo, NY

December 16, 2008

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Most influential Travel Voice: Local’s
Next Post
From Farm to Winery to Table in Finger Lakes, NY

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 and 2 puppies. 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

Categories

  • Asia5 Post(s)
  • Caribbean17 Post(s)
  • Central America4 Post(s)
  • Europe53 Post(s)
  • North America316 Post(s)
  • Oceana1 Post(s)

Contact

  • carol@girlgonetravel.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

Yay! It’s officially autumn, my absolute favorit Yay! It’s officially autumn, my absolute favorite season especially since moving to the Finger Lakes! Harvest has already started and soon everything will be colorful with a warm glow. 🍂🍁🎃 Have you visited the region in the fall?

#myflx #fingerlakes #flxwinecountry #flxfall
Cheers to another beautiful day at work where I ge Cheers to another beautiful day at work where I get to discover new and beautiful things! Though Hector Falls is not a new find for me, this unique perspective is only possible with a tour with Falling Waters Boat Tours in Burdett, NY. The 1.5 to 2hr tour on Seneca Lake is followed by wine and cheese at the base, and up close and personal to Hector Falls. Tours book from May till mid-October!

Thank you to owner Fred Grabosky for this unique experience. 

Life is so good in the Finger Lakes!

#myflx #waterfalls #fingerlakes
Harvest season is well on its way and what better Harvest season is well on its way and what better way to celebrate it all than with a festival? Harvest Fest in Corning, NY kicked off yesterday Friday and the festivities will continue all throughout today, Saturday, Sept 16.

We indulged in all the goodness - apple cinnamon donuts, still warm and melty with every bite, live music while perusing what local farmers were offering at their stands, as well as artisans and other vendors, and so much more.

But my favorite was strolling through the festivities in this small town while enjoying the slightly crisp air and that fall glow that takes over and makes everything feel extra pretty and cozy, making my autumn-loving heart so happy.

Fall in the Finger Lakes is truly magical so if you’re in the area, check out the festival (or mark your calendar for next year!), and if you love all things fall, you’ll want to plan a visit this season. Can’t wait to share more fall happenings with you!

#fall #harvestfestival #explorecorning #myflx #fingerlakes #smalltownlife #corningny #flxwinecountry
How it started. How it’s going! When Mother Nat How it started. How it’s going!

When Mother Nature gives you more apples than you can eat…you make apple juice to gift to your besties!

Honestly, nothing fills my soul more than feeding and breaking bread with people I care about. We purchased this home and land unaware of the abundance of peace, joy, beauty, and well, fruit! So we share it. And after losing a whole tree branch to the weight of fruit we had no choice but to quickly pick, invite our friends to pick, and start gifting extras - in the form of hard fruit and juice (they got to choose!) - so that we could all enjoy in the bounty. It’s one of the reasons we love harvest in the Finger Lakes, and our community of farmers. We’ve learned that being surrounded by farmer friends means an invitation to dinner is an opportunity to indulge in garden and farm treats, and even on occasions when you are purchasing the goods, you know it all goes to support a local farmer and their family. 

All in all, it’s why I love living here. I am not a farmer but even I get to tell people I love them through the fruits we grow and the food we make. My love language in its purest form…sometimes inspired by Mother Nature’s little surprises!

Happy Harvest my farmer friends! 

#lifeinthecountry
It’s beginning to feel and look like fall in the It’s beginning to feel and look like fall in the Finger Lakes. Cloudy/ rainy /cooler days, the scent of ripening fruit, the sound of harvest, and the yellowing of the landscape. Not to mention, the more tranquil feel as travel season slows down. It’s a different vibe and I love it!

#lifeinthecountry #fingerlakes #fall
Don’t ever think those photos are silly or unnec Don’t ever think those photos are silly or unnecessary. Over time, it will be the photos that will remind you of the moments that felt so busy and hard at the time but that looking back, were so sweet and pure and lovely. I love the men my boys are growing up to be and am so proud of them…and their continued growing bond with each other. But oh my goodness, how I miss my babies too, first day of school rituals and all. 

This is the last first day of school photo they will be taking together, as one starts his senior year. 

All I can say is, enjoy the chaos. Cause the silence can be terribly loud. 

#parentlife #firstdayofschool

Copyright © 2023 Girl Gone Travel | Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice