Shocking as the headlines were, I don’t think any of us could ever really have predicted what was to come. As February rolled into March, the virus began sweeping the globe.
Day by day, more countries locked down, health was impacted, lives tragically lost, and life and freedom – as we all knew it – came to a shuddering halt.
Most human beings like a sense of order, a sense of being in control. That was taken from us. Fear, stress, anxiety, sadness, loss – the most negative of human emotions – became part of everyday life as we battled the pandemic.
However, we also saw the most intrinsic aspects of human behaviour come to the fore: resilience, determination, care. People pulled together to support one another and found ways to be together despite the physical barriers put in our way.
We are now 18 months down the line, and it’s important we take the time to step back and reflect so we can move forward. We can’t change what has happened, however much we would like to. We can, though, take what we have learned about ourselves into our future lives, whether that be personally or professionally.
On a personal level, we have learnt life is short, family is precious, and to travel is a gift. We have learnt we are stronger and more resilient than we ever imagined. A big part of this is down to the influences around us, and we should make a conscious e?ffort to surround ourselves with positivity – avoiding negative media and being around people who bring us up, not down.
Professionally, we – as an industry – have been battered, but we are not beaten.
The world is beginning to tentatively reawaken, but it needs our help. It is our job to understand and learn the new complexities of travel, to hand-hold and to reassure customers every step of the way to enable them to turn the travel dreams they have put on hold because of the pandemic into reality.
We must also give clients the confidence to step back out into the world, knowing they are safe – and that we have their backs.
After every crisis, there comes opportunity. We can either bemoan what is gone, or we can build for the future.
Customer demand will be huge, but they are rightly cautious. The winners will be those that can build confidence, gain trust and adapt to bumps in the road; those that can reassure, remain positive, be available and give advice when needed; those that ultimately care for customers more than anyone else.
For many of us, being part of this industry isn’t just about having a job. It’s a passion. We deliver dreams, create memories and change lives. The pandemic, despite its best e?fforts, could not diminish my love for this industry.
It has, however, taught me a lesson never to take travel and my freedom for granted ever again. I am excited, positive and optimistic about the future as we take back control of our lives. You should be too.
Kirsten Hughes is UK managing director of Travel Counsellors
