With Planet Earth in lockdown, our industry at a standstill and many of us in self-isolation or quarantine at home, or grounded, we thought we needed to find a way to share stories within our community, to form solidarity and foster a sense of belonging.
Short essays on what we are each doing, how we are getting through this darkest hour in travel, how are we handling withdrawal symptoms from travel, what we intend to do with this down time, a word we want to focus on, a wish we have or simply, an important topic you want to share with your travel friends at this time.
Morris Sim, entrepreneur, traveller
Grounded in Hokkaido: What will I be doing during Earth lockdown
Since December, I’ve been in Hokkaido – the worst-hit prefecture in Japan – under a State of Emergency for nearly three weeks now. My family were here over Chinese New Year but went back to Taiwan when the first cases started to be reported here; they’re safe and healthy.
I originally came to assist a property management company in Niseko to better commercialise its businesses; now, same goals but different plans. It might be a while before this global health, financial, and generational crisis resolves into a coherent picture.
The outcome of this Earth self-correction will surely alter not just the travel business, but most businesses. Daily news coming out of Europe and the States make me feel Brexit, Megxit and the impeachment trials were so trivial; I like numbers, but this math sucks.
I accept that most people in the world will be affected by this, so I focus on ‘then what?’ How do we build a future where this is the new normal? What will we do differently from what we did in the past? And what can I do today to prepare for tomorrow?
The Passion Thing: Incubating new talent
Incubating new talent is something that is easier said than done, particularly in times like these, in the hospitality sector, where there are many contingent staff who depend on accruing hourly experiences in order to gain a permanent position somewhere.
Social distancing, quarantines, and lockdowns mean no customers – snuffing out the light and job opportunities in both entrepreneurial and established service businesses. Less than a week after the Governor of Hokkaido declared a State of Emergency, most companies in Niseko laid off their entire seasonal staff or severely cut back on hours.
Working holiday became a nightmare as these young kids from all over the world, many in their early 20s and first time in Japan, scrambled to adjust plans to get out amidst flight cancellations and rent obligations. Perhaps ignorance is bliss – I didn’t sense panic… more disappointment over spoilt plans.
Hopefully, this experience quickly builds resilience and resourcefulness in them – traits that will be required for any talent to be incubated in the new world, and something that I will continue to do.
Note: We will be running this blog for as long as we need to, to get us through this. If you wish to contribute, please send your essays to Siew Hoon. Send images too, it’s your story.
