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Each economic sector suffers its crises, its cycles of ups and downs and its effects that result in a shaky economy when facing a problem of any kind that directly affects the sector to which they are dedicated.
Unfortunately today we had to, we had to be one of the main and first sectors to be seriously affected by the Covid-19 inevitably declared a pandemic.
Yes, we are TOURISM, that activity through which people live the best moments of their lives and make their most desired dreams come true. Today, tourism, not only international, but national, no longer knows where it stands before the whirlwind of cancellations of flights, hotels, tours, language courses, cruises, congresses, conventions, destination weddings, entertainment centres, museums, parks, spas, concerts and entire destinations cancelled and closed, isolated and quarantined.
As a traveller, perhaps you can not imagine the collapse that for us, those who dedicate ourselves to this activity means such a situation.
You let yourself be carried away by fear and sometimes the panic instilled by unofficial media; you rush to cancel the contracted services, ask for or demand your refund and maybe you think: “when this improves, I plan my trip again”, you will do your work and continue your normal life. And that: “when everything improves, I plan again” can become a month, two months, six, a year or a couple of years, time in which you leave us in intensive care because, they will be truly difficult days for the airline because of become seats that will never, ever be occupied; on hotel nights that never recover, in restaurant dishes that never come out of the oven, that even properties can close due to bankruptcy due to the lack of income to cover maintenance, personnel, operating expenses, etc. Wholesalers who shake their fingers to be able to respond to travel agents and return those advances that in one way were money that had already been channelled to pay for the various services that a trip implies and that not all can always return on time and shape. Travel agents fearful of impatient, bigoted, and very, very scared customer demands.
But, – “I am not to blame” – you will be thinking and, you will also ask yourself: -Why should I not ask for the return of the trip that I no longer want and cannot carry out, even due to a situation alien to me? And yes, your questioning is very valid, but also what I want to make you see through these lines is that there may be other alternatives in which, being within your possibilities, you can help make this crisis as minor as possible. How? NOT CANCELLING, but POSTPONING YOUR TRIP and agreeing a new date with your advisor. In any case, once the waters have calmed down, everything returns to normal; This has happened on many occasions. The river returns to its channel, and this time it will not be the exception; But let us avoid as much as possible that the passing of the current can destroy those businesses of the “industry” that day by day survive on daily sales, like the vast majority.
Another aspect to highlight through these lines and that in the end, crises like these make us gain awareness, is the importance of Travel Agents duly established and regulated by the existing tourist organizations and associations with which you acquire your services. , truth? Because when faced with a problem such as the current one, neither the lowest price in flights, hotel reservations, ground services, nor the most tempting but illogical offer that you have been subjected to through an “x” page on the web responds to you. head-on and it shows your face like these professionals.
With all the respect in the world, as a specialized information medium in tourism, we tell you that there are many companions and friends who are tourist service providers, especially the independents who have stopped receiving income, and as our friend Gary de León (Panama) says. on his Facebook wall:
– “Regardless of this situation, the creditors will not quarantine the debts … the account statements will continue to arrive on time … will have to make solomonic decisions: pay the debts or meet the family? It only remains to wait, adjust the belts and endure … this has to happen and we will get used to the neo Covid-19, just as we did with the AH1N1, Zika, Dengue and all the others. ”
And in beel, to the above, we add the following: if it is in our hands to put our grain of sand, let’s not think twice, “NO TO CANCELLATION, YES, TO RE-SCHEDULE OUR JOURNEY”.
The “Industry without Chimneys” needs us today more than ever.
Atte.
LCC Araceli Valdivia Ornelas
Editorial Beel
[email protected]
