Welcome back to Philip James Travel!
I wish I had a nickel for every time I looked back on a pandemic week that has passed and said, Wow! Without naming all the wows of this week, let’s just agree that the preceding few days have been interesting, to say the least! So, perhaps instead of looking back and hashing out all the things we wish we could have changed in others and in ourselves, let’s instead look ahead to the future, where with the right intentions, we can create our own positive experiences through meaningful travel.
Conscious Comeback was one of the themes of a recent virtual conference I attended, and it was used in the context of sustainability. Sustainability is so much more than what initially comes to mind, but at its core within tourism, it’s about being global citizens traveling responsibly.
Conscious comeback is also a mindset for recovery and rebound within the travel industry. It is about intentionally and deliberately choosing to go places where we can impact communities in positive rather than harmful ways while at the same time having the experiences of our dreams. Think of yourself as a citizen of the place you’re going. Follow their rules and customs instead of your own. Think, act, and spend mindfully. Learn about them and from them. Be curious. You can begin this practice now by playing tourist in your own community; see where and how you leave your impact locally – and then broaden that to a culturally-specific travel experience you dream about having in say, Argentina and Antarctica.
Another way of thinking about conscious comeback is to call it, “regenerative travel”. This term calls to mind the reality that communities all over the world in this period of international travel pause are being given the opportunity to reimagine how they manage the historically destructive aspects of tourism, and how they can correct some of these now unmanageable issues. Our part in this is the responsibility to be mindful of how we travel in 2021 and beyond, and to choose the impact (socially, physically and economically) we will have on the people and the places we visit. This will look different for each traveler, and it is yet one of many reasons to have a conversation with a travel advisor (I recommend me!) about when, where, how and WHY to travel. I suggest to you that future travel will undoubtedly look and feel different than in the past; and with the right WHY, your experience might just be the best ever!
Preferred Partner Spotlight: Quark Expeditions
Destination Inspiration: Argentina
Upcoming Webinar: October 13th, 5:30pm CDT: AmaWaterways (River Cruising in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia)
Thank you for consciously letting Philip James Travel in your inbox this week. If you are ready for a conversation, I certainly am; won’t you call me?
-Philip
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”
Seneca the Younger, Hispano-Roman Stoic Philosopher 4 BC – 65 AD