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.
Chananya Phataraprasit, executive director, Asian Oasis, Araksa
Keeping vigilant in Thailand: Slow down, why not?
Personally, I will continue to be very vigilant about where I go, staying healthy and keeping up with the necessary hygiene protocols. Our office is working from home, so, aside from the work I have, I will take this opportunity to clean out my photos and sort our my files.
I am sure I will be enjoying the slower pace, I look forward to catching up on movies I missed, finish my travels photo scrapbooks and read books I have set aside.
What can you do – the earth is screaming at us to stop and slow down. So why not?
The passion thing: A wake-up call for sustainability
Sustainability is a big word, it comprises so much of what I do, what I live by and what I try to achieve throughout my career. I work with local communities to enrich their lives through sustainable practices ranging from environmental, social and economic wellbeing.
In our companies ranging from community base tourism, hospitality and travel technology, we try to bridge the gap between THE INDUSTRY and sustainable travel by bringing the best of both worlds to each other.
Without a doubt, it has been a challenge and with what is happening in the world now, I can see that what we do is more and more relevant and crucial for the future. We have to respect and care for both THE NATURE and THE PEOPLE because what is happening now is a perfect example of our lack of it. I believe a sustainability approach in the travel industry can be the force to change what is happening in the world.
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.
