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Unlike many of history’s great tragedies, the coronavirus pandemic never stunned us with one catastrophic event. Instead, the deadly problem quietly snaked its way around the world, devastating millions as it grew into a global health crisis since it first surfaced in November.
Our realities shifted slowly at first, and before we knew it, the coronavirus took over completely.
As we closed borders, canceled events and self-quarantined at home on a mass scale, the travel industry, as well as most other sectors, began to nosedive. The collective effort to save lives meant economic catastrophe for an industry that profits from people leaving their houses.
The wound inflicted by the pandemic on the travel industry is deep, and it hasn’t stopped bleeding yet.
In a May 20 call with analysts, Royal Caribbean Cruises chief executive Richard Fain recalled how drastically travel changed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks — and how the “new normal” eventually just became normal. He expects to see a similar phenomenon in the post-coronavirus world.