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COVID 19: Shifts in travel industry and for travellers

Published on May 6, 2020July 3, 2021 by travelogue902 Comments

Since the pandemic came into existence, wanderers are left wondering if they will ever get to travel again. Cruise lines have suspended their schedules, airlines have stopped taking off, and public transportation has come to a historic standstill. As we continue to practice social distancing, tourists attractions remain shut and tourism industry are experiencing the ripples.

Although we are unsure whether this is a distant dream still or no, travel eventually will become a part of our normal routine. However, you could expect some twists there. Here is a prediction on future of travel:

Public transportation and business travel: Let us accept that taking a metro or calling for an Uber or entering the public bus will never be the same again. Several changes and implementations will take place for protecting the passengers and staff. Disinfecting the facilities and surface well would be a priority. You would notice people wearing gloves and respiratory protection for months post lockdown. The face masks is already mandatory in places like Thailand and South Korea currently. Social distancing will become the new norm. Moreover, companies will cut down on business travel costs and expect to have more and more discussions over video conferences.

2. Airports and Airlines: There is going to be a war against congested lines. This would not only be at check-in points but the entry gate and immigration as well. For far too long, airports have mulled over using technology for speeding these processes, especially domestic airports. Some changes expected in airports and airlines are –

Bringing in biometric screenings, temperature checks, digital documentation setup, are some of the systems that airports could implement.
As you are aware, Europe has been worse hit with COVID 19. Considering this aspect, Schengen visa applications could get tough as test results and vaccination documents might become a necessity while applying for the same. The information was updated on Schengen visa website.
Oh, expect some surge on ticket prices too!
Meanwhile in India, Mumbai airport have already released post-lockdown measures.
Delhi International airport will resume their operations post-lockdown from terminal 3. According to PTI, entry gates, self-check-in machines, and check-in bays would be allocated to airlines for avoiding overcrowding of passengers.
As for hygiene, KLM, United Airlines, and Lufthansa have made face masks obligatory.
On the other hand, Japan Airlines and Emirates are practicing social distancing.
Etihad are preparing passenger kits before passengers board the flight.
Passengers, on the other hand, are doing away with middle seats onboard.

3. Hotels: You cannot wait for things to get back to normal, can you? But the truth is, change is inevitable. This is going to impact the way you choose your accommodation as well. We could witness sudden increase in bookings for small and boutique properties or renting of private homes or villas. The best part is bigger hotels are already aware of your concerns and this is what the following brands have planned:

The ‘Stay With Peace of Mind’ program of Anantara aims to build one existing health and safety measures.
Marriott International has launched a new internal platform for promoting hotel cleanliness.
Hilton too announced new hygiene programme to reassure the existing as well as old consumers after the lockdown.
Hyatt international’s accreditation process by the Global Briorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) will include cleaning, infectious and disinfection disease prevention programme. More than 900 Hyatt hotels will observe this schedule.
Kempinski reassures that guests would require to wear white gloves.

Road trip from Pondicherry to Chennai © Travelogue90

4. Road trip rage: Experts already have opined that short destinations means welcome of road trip. Also, an open road, favourite track playing in the background, blue skies is not that bad after staying home for three to four months, right? Although the borders within the country might still experience restrictions, you may need to search for options within your state. The metro cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, and Bengaluru in India have hosts of options.

5. Choice of destination and packing lists: At the moment, close-to-home destinations will matter. People will prefer to take their own vehicle, short-distance flights, and passenger rail to explore the nearby places. Densely populated places need to take a backseat for a while. Packing will definitely see a change with more of hand sanitisers and face masks taking space in the luggage. Soon, airlines could make the disinfectant a compulsory product onboard.

People will step out for travel again, be it for leisure or business. But being informed becomes a necessity after the pandemic. Several companies and country Government have launched apps which give you on-the-go updates about high-risk places, tracking of potential patients, and daily COVID 19 reports.

Hence, have these apps handy on your phones before you step out to experience the new world again. And yes, stay safe always!

Life as a part-time traveller

Published on November 13, 2019July 3, 2021 by travelogue902 Comments

In the recent past I have noticed a sudden boom in the travel blogging space. Some have quit their jobs and invested their all for the nomadic experience. Then there are those who have taken Dalai Lama’s quote seriously, ‘Once a year go some place you’ve never been before.’ I fall under the second category and we group of people have a term as well – part-time travellers. It is a phrase that has been bandied around the travel community for a while now.

It is the focus of my blog, rather my ‘niche’ as some would say. However, the moment I mention part-time travel, I am welcomed with host of questions. People outside the travel ‘blogosphere’ do not get it. I was thinking of varied topics to write on and came across a discussion on Twitter recently.

One of the travel bloggers, Darcy Vierow, made a serious statement – ‘Guys, the struggle is real. Between the day job, some recent family obligations, and home life obligations, it’s been really hard to keep my head above water and still breathe some life into my blog. Please tell me I’m not the only one.’

It dawned up on me, she is absolutely right. She pretty much summed the life of a part-time traveller, in fact. I work almost 10 hours, five days a week. I have mortgages, career, home, and personal life that need attention as well. But that does not stop me from travelling.

I was not much into travelling initially until I headed to my first international trip to South East Asia. I had the knack of clicking pictures through smartphone and my regular Canon camera, but the thought of making a side hustle of it never crossed my mind.

I know this side hustle required all my time and attention initially for growing it. Hence, I started with an Instagram page. Since I got good response from the page, I extended it to Facebook and soon Twitter as well. The next hurdle was starting a website which needed complete attention. But my 10-hour job and other obligations, only gave me weekends to concentrate on it. Yet, that never stopped me from giving some life to my passion – travel.

Part-time travel, simply put, is travelling. The term for me typically means heading for a heritage walk within my city, weekend breaks, short to long haul getaways. These are all different forms of part-time travel which we all embrace today.

Nowadays, majority of people that love travelling do part-time travel. There are a few who are in a position for extended holidays or embrace the full-time role. I try to squeeze in my wanderlust as much as my annual leave allows.

Here are some reasons why I adore part-time travelling –

1) Excitement: Considering the work and personal stress consumes most part of the year, the eagerness to a visit a new place brings back all the happiness. The moments away from your puzzled mind and life at home are rare and precious.

2) Layer of security: A cushion of money that the 9-6 job offers me is something I can invest for the comfort of my next trip. Travelling requires sustainability, especially if you look at it from a long-term perspective. Budgeting and monitoring the funds is crucial while wander-lusting.

3) Flexibility: Ask any nomad and they will tell you how much they miss birthdays, weddings, brunches, the latest Netflix series, and so on. Adjusting your travel according to special events at home is a daunting task for full-time travellers. This year I had decided to head to Australia. Owing to a special family event, I had to push it back to next year. Thankfully, part-time travellers have that convenience.

4) New adventures right outside the doorstep: I stress on the fact that nothing beats being touristy in your hometown than any place on the globe. You could discover new restaurants or hangout spaces. I guarantee you that there is a whole new world unexplored right outside your doorstep.

5) Relationships: Exploring new places also builds new relationships. During my trip to Europe, South East Asia, and Dubai, I encountered people from different spheres and countries. There are a few who form a part of my memory while others are still in around me.

Over the past four years, I have travelled to 7 countries, apart from my home country India. Yes, with family, career, and financial obligations, it is not possible to completely divert all the attention to exploring several new places in a year’s time and inject some quality on your blog as well. But maintaining the right balance along with other facets, is what I love about my daily life. A balance that is slowly and steadily taking my travel passion a step ahead each day.

Here’s to those who manage all the spheres of life and enjoy time to travel. Here is to all my part-time travel bloggers.

Why airports are so lovable?

Published on October 13, 2019July 3, 2021 by travelogue90Leave a comment

Emirates installation in Dubai Garden © Travelogue90

Whenever I visit the airport, I witness family dropping off their child or a friend bidding goodbye to another or joyful reunions. It evokes various emotions within – sadness, happiness, excitement, and thrill. There is something about airports that excites me – my family and I carrying luggage in hand and walking around the vast airport.

I can sense the wheels carry my baggage smoothly gliding across the linoleum floor as I pull it along. There are some quite humming voices and a lady making announcements in a monotone voice to the passengers concerning the status of the flights. Then there are those who frantically run around, gathering their belongings, to the check-in counter and security point.

Apart from witnessing so many emotions, one thing that still makes me love airports is the excitement of travelling somewhere unknown. Away from my mundane life back home, it is going to a new place that races my heart. Airports are also an escape route. A change of environment. It was always about change of setting and discovering something I had not before.

I have been to a few domestic and international destinations, and the following airports is what I would recommend for a short or long layovers. P.S. The layovers in these airports are nothing less than an experience, I assure you –

Chennai Airport (MAA): When I visited Chennai around 10-12 years ago, the airport was not worth staying even for a second. The smell and clustered designs suffocated me. Four years back when I arrived at the airport, it took me by surprise. The domestic and international airports are adjacent and provide breathtaking connectivity. It is the fourth busiest Indian airport regarding international passengers. The future looks promising as the airport plans to connect the metro subway to passenger terminals by a connecting tube.

Changi Airport, Singapore: If you have a layover of a good seven to 10 hours, Changi Airport will entertain you with their leisure amenities. There is need to step out from the comfort zone, literally. Changi was awarded World’s best airport in 2019, which is a sort of record as it bagged the title for the seventh consecutive time. Apart from the splendid garden display which I got to witness back in 2015, there is a theater, vivid dining options, numerous shopping attractions, and new one added to the list is the Jewel Changi Airport. It is a nature themed entertainment that connects three passenger terminals. The center piece is the largest indoor waterfall called Rain Vortex.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport © Google

CSIA, Mumbai: Although many complain of the long arrival walk after landing, the T2 airport is the best place for layover. From varied brands for shopping to mouth-watering deals on duty free to fine-dining to lounge experiences to cafes, everything is available at the drop of your hat in Mumbai International airport. Not to forget, the domestic airport as well have upped their amenities. The moment you step out from the domestic airport, you have eateries and pick up and drop services lined-up. For long layovers, you could chill in any of the eateries for hours and enjoy a movie in one of the cafes.

Zurich Airport: One of the airports that tops my list after Singapore is Zurich. The arrival was such at ease thanks to the tube connectivity. Apart from the duty free, the business class area is peaceful and you could enjoy the lounge experience for long layovers. In fact, they operate nine lounges and no jokes, all offer champagne and whiskey. In summers, which I personally got to experience, was the outdoor observation deck where you could see the runways. At offset, the flyover connects you directly to the departure section. No wonder, it always stays ahead in the list of world’s best airports repeatedly.

Abu Dhabi Airport: Honestly, it reminded me of home. Apart from finding my own peeps around, the airport is homely indeed. A cosy space is ideal for a short layover. The outside view I promise is worth it when the sunrises. Abu Dhabi welcomed me in style.

Dubai Airport: One of the world’s busiest airport is Dubai. Divided into three terminals, each one has a duty free shop, and other such leisure amenities. The duty free brands are available at jaw-dropping prices. Precisely why, people spend hours into shopping. If you have a long layover, look no where and head straight to the duty free shops. You even get gold for attractive rates. And yes, do not get surprised if you find yourself lost amidst the crowd.

Charles de Gaulle, Paris: Although when I landed I found the airport pretty clustered and crowded, but I realised I am at Paris after all. The footfall is going to be large. In summers, you will see the sun shining bright even at 10 in the night. This image was taken then. It is perfect if you have few hours layover. I would not really recommend you to spend hours in the airport. Rather, you could head out at the streets and soak in the French architecture.

KL International Airport: If there is one place you can shop till you drop is KL Airport. One of the first international airports I have been to. Awesome transit through shuttle service from one terminal to the other, an entire floor of dining experience, and hands on passenger guide for baggage claims, security, etc. In case of long layovers and you have a small child, they have special kids play room at level five main terminal building.

Airports can be fun and filled with life. The next time you visit one, make sure to consume it all. There is so much you can learn by just sitting idle, en the way to your next place.