“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It
The benefits of travel are well documented. Jennifer Wood, in her article titled, “” notes that getting away from home, even if it is just for a day, can be a very good thing for your mind, body, and soul. Some of these benefits include the following:
• Travel is an antidote to stress.
• It boosts your immune system.
• Travel is good for your heart.
• And, it boosts your creativity.
• It boosts your immune system.
• Travel is good for your heart.
• And, it boosts your creativity.
However, the current global circumstances caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, have resulted in the lockdown of every single country. No one can travel internationally. And, many countries have instituted a hard lockdown, preventing their residents from leaving their homes, except to buy food and other essential items, and to seek medical care should it be required.
The essence of communication and travel in a time of crisis
An essential part of traveling to other regions is to connect with new people and to form cross-cultural relationships. Humans are essentially social creatures. And, the extended lockdown environments that go on for weeks and months at the time are having a serious impact on people’s mental health and well-being.
An essential part of traveling to other regions is to connect with new people and to form cross-cultural relationships. Humans are essentially social creatures. And, the extended lockdown environments that go on for weeks and months at the time are having a serious impact on people’s mental health and well-being.
However, Albert Einstein noted that “in the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.”
Thus, the question that begs is, how do we pivot this crisis into an opportunity in order to connect with each other and travel to new locations in the COVID-19 pandemic?
The straightforward answer to this question is that we connect with each other in the virtual or digital space. And, we utilize the same online space to travel virtually.
By the way of expanding on this statement, let’s consider the virtual travel options.
, asks the question of whether virtual travel is here to stay even after the pandemic subsides? She continues to answer this question by describing how online travelers can travel virtually to any place in the world.
“Through virtual reality, travelers can experience far-flung destinations, such as coastal Tanzania, with minimal environmental impact.”
In other words, the use of modern technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality, the online space has provided an answer both to travel in a severely restricted world as well as how to reduce the negative impact travel has on eco-sensitive parts of the world.
Final thoughts
Therefore, travel is still possible; albeit in a virtual world. And, communications with each other and with new people from across the globe is also possible. The virtual space provides unique and new opportunities to connect with each other in spite of the physical lockdown.
Therefore, travel is still possible; albeit in a virtual world. And, communications with each other and with new people from across the globe is also possible. The virtual space provides unique and new opportunities to connect with each other in spite of the physical lockdown.
Finally, the salient point of this article is that, while we are forced to stay at home because of COVID-19 and we can’t meet each other physically, we can still talk online and even .
Tags: The benefits of travel
