Blog by John Hobbs-Hurrell, Head of The Advantage Global Network
As the world begins to return to some normality following a period of hibernation there are so many elements of our lives that we are starting to reclaim, everyday experiences often previously taken for granted have become exciting and feel like new adventures. Travel is no different and for those who have patiently waited whilst their plans have been cancelled, postponed and rebooked multiple times, your reconnection with luggage, passport and a ticket is almost here. For those lucky enough to have already made the journey, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and has generated a huge amount of infectious energy.
When writing this article, I have drawn on my personal journey recently, not just travel related but aligned to everyday life and how things seem to be changing rapidly. Part of me thinks, where has the time gone? The last 20 months of juggling many roles, both at home and in the workplace. Evaluating and articulating what is happening around the globe, as travel and local life stuttered in the wake of the worldwide pandemic. We have all learnt a lot about how vulnerable our industry can be when barriers and borders are put in place, but equally speaking how resilient it has been and this is often a credit to the people who work in it. The sense of community was evident, new relationships where competitors have become allies and discussions are inclusive and are delivered as a collective. I sincerely hope this is long term and not short lived, we are all stronger together.
Friday 15 October provided the news that we have been waiting for, the industry was in unison, social media abuzz with posts relating to the US finally opening its borders on Monday 08 November, transatlantic travel can commence once again. So in years to come, two dates will feature in the historical timeline of our industry. One was the date that told the world the US was open for business, the other was the opening of the physical border. The time between the two dates is likely to be a demanding period for reservations and revalidations, we will wait to see the figures in due course, plus reconfirmation of entry requirements.
Life is returning to some normality; I benchmark progress on the things that are happening around me. A second trip to the theatre in the space of two weeks, watching a live football (soccer) match in a stadium with 60,000 fellow fans and networking with my travel industry peers and supplier partners at the BT Show, here in London. Elsewhere, the news that the two home carriers, British Airways and Virgin, are increasing schedules heading into 2022 and the return of A380s to Heathrow are hugely uplifting. I feel privileged to share these milestones but appreciate that elsewhere people are going to have to wait a little longer, but they will return.
So, on reflection the statement that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer couldn’t be closer to the truth. It is not just about buying travel, it’s the concept, it is how it makes us feel, it is the conduit to success. It makes us richer in so many ways and we have all missed it, so let’s continue to push for a return of something that is fundamentally valuable in so many ways.
Welcome back, travel and remember ‘A mile of highway will take you just one mile, but a mile of runway will take you anywhere’