By Arvind Patnaik
One of the sector’s that has been badly ravaged by the covid-19 pandemic is the Tourism sector in developed and developing economies of the world. This includes large cross sections of our society. The most marginalized and vulnerable sections too. It is hoped that the revival of the Tourism sector would act as a trigger towards recovery and growth.
Traveller can Boost the Ravaged Global Tourism
The World Tourism Day theme for 2021 is inclusive growth. The special celebration will be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire to drive inclusive development for millions across the globe.
Travel is in our genes. Because human existence on planet earth is the story of the hunter- gatherer moving in small groups of 150 or fewer people writes Christopher Ryan in ‘ Civilised to Death.’
According to the independent.co.uk, until about 10,000 years ago most humans had no permanent home and simply moved from place to place.
Most nomads were family men herding their livestock such as cattle or horses from pasture to pasture. These people changed places with the change in seasons.
There movement was motivated in search of food, water and shelter for themselves and their livestock.
Thus, humans have always been traveling from one place to another as an eternal tourist. Although, today the tourist is defined as one who travels for fun.
In the beginning of the 19th century however, mobile pastoralism began fading from the global landscapes.Today, the traces of this age old traditions are buried under sunny beaches, lakes, hill top resorts, vineyards, malls, restaurants and casinos dotting the innumerable tourism designations of the world.
It is the coming of age of man as the ‘,eternal tourist’. Robert Louis Stevenson put it more succinctly, ‘ The great affair is to move.’ What if we cannot move ? There can be multiple answers. ‘ Despair’ may not enough. However, for the last 18 months humans are largely confined to their homes and offices. Because travelling has been restricted in pandemic times. But man was born to roam, move, travel…..
On this day hope lies in Tourism. Travel entails wishful thinking. It demands a leap of faith, of imagination, to board a plane for some faraway land, hoping, wishing for a taste of the affable.
