Travel’s Covid-19 blues likely to stick around – “People will go out of business”

The pandemic travel crisis that has hit tourism dependent economies is only just beginning.

Travel destinations from Thailand to Iceland were hoping that Covid-19 vaccines would allow countries to reopen their borders and lead to a much-needed recovery in 2021. Now, with vaccine rollouts delayed in some locations and the emergence of new viral strains, it seems more likely that international travel could be blocked for years.

After declaring that 2020 was the worst year on record for tourism, with a billion fewer international arrivals, the United Nations World Tourism Organization says prospects for a rebound in 2021 have deteriorated. In October, 79% of experts polled by the agency believed that a rebound in 2021 was possible. Only 50% said they believed that in January, and around 41% did not believe travel would reach pre-pandemic levels until 2024 or beyond.

James Sowane, who owns a transport company for tourists in Fiji, called a staff meeting earlier this month and told employees to start looking for other jobs. He recently took advantage of a government aid package and brought home laid-off workers, optimistic vaccines could trigger a resumption of travel as early as April.

But now Mr Sowane doesn’t think tourists will be back until next year, and he and his wife can’t afford to continue paying salaries at their business, Pacific Destinations Fiji. He borrows from his bank to keep a few basic employees.