The nonchalant influx
From the average demeanor and the overall enthusiasm of the hospitality sector involved in the tourist trade in the island nation, one could perceive it as - less realistic and more of heightened optimism. This is understandable as the ongoing pandemic has been the death knell to tourism and the sudden intrusion has led to the hardcore equilibriums of most professionals being tossed out of the window.
The pandemic now has numerous variants that have manifested itself to covert an all-out assault, while every government in every country are desperately trying to curtail the Covid-19 viral deathtrap from establishing a permanent noose on humankind. 2021 will be the year we unleash everything at our scientific disposal while crawling back to the new reality that the good old, carefree days have all but ended for now.
Putting that perspective into a readable black and white text means we are simply better off alive than dead. But what good is that when the hospitality trade deals with so many variable factors that are beyond our control, no matter how stringent we are at following all safety protocols and adhering to every safety guideline - one hundred percent.
The economic conundrum that will eventually emerge from this marauding worldwide pandemic will also play a key role, in determining how quickly and easily the situation can shift from bad to good to excellent… to a complete reversal at the drop of a hat. Carefully planned schedules and itineraries can all but get tossed straight back into the dumpster while we will be left holding the full bucket of disaster in utter disbelief.
Immediate and swift lookdowns will be eminent in such a scenario and resources can and will hit rock bottom, and create havoc with the doom and gloom that will roll in inadvertently, as individual organizations can barely have any leverage to maneuver within these stringent measures, without breaking the law.
UNCTAD estimates for every million dollars lost in international tourism, a country’s national income could drop up to 3 million. Thus the effects on employment are drastic and dramatic and non-redeemable for years. Perhaps because of that inevitable reckoning poor third-word entities may throw caution to the wind to open up their tourism facilities and hope for the best.
The short end of a lonely tale is this – we cannot foresee the immediate future just because some restrictions have been lifted and the government in its infinite wisdom is taking calculated risks by opening the country too soon. Or otherwise hoping every variable will fall decently and conveniently into the bracket of ‘totally under control’, when just the other day, even New Zealand has closed its borders for the entirety of 2021.
The lesson here is stark but simple. It’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle and pretend life is tickety-boo and can be so with a few chances taken here and there, for the sake of resurrecting a once lucrative trade that has gone bust for no fault of ours, my friend.
KayJay pens, rhymes and paints whenever the mood kicks in and keeps him in his study. He also sends writings of others whose deliberations fascinate him and tickles his curiosity. However this does NOT necessarily mean these viewpoints are fully endorsed. KayJay can be reached via <arekesaya@gmail.com> at your peril and there’s no guarantee of a response or feedback either.
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