Here are 4 effects, in my opinion, the Corona Virus is going to have on the World on the aftermath of the crisis, while editing our lifestyle goals.
1.
Going on a cruise. That is one lifestyle goal many of us have. Go on a World cruise once I retire/ once I have saved enough, once the kids grow up. Not any longer though.
Many cruise ships are still stranded on the high seas and are being shown on the Corona tracker as amongst those most affected. As it is, Cruising is a dangerous event. To put ones life in a floating vessel that is a speck on the wide high seas with not a ship/soul in sight, is surrendering oneself to the mighty ocean. And now the holiday makers are stranded with no country wanting them to land on their shores. The passengers are confined to their cabins. Of course one can say it is the ultimate social distancing and no worse than what most of us have to go through. But honestly I would prefer to do it with my feet firmly on the ground.
As per a CNN report more than a dozen cruise ships are on the sea now, some with the virus affected passengers, some with suspected cases, quarantined passengers, uncertain docking rights, and some unaffected, still.
It is going to be one heck of an affected industry in the near future. #getthemoffthatboat
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/cruise-ships-still-sailing/index.html
2. Foreign travel/ See the Vatican
No one can fathom as of now how much travel to Europe and especially Italy and Spain is going to be affected in the coming year. The countries are strained and stressed for resources after their massive fights against Corona. Can tourism revive them? Tourism contributes 13.3 % to the Italian GDP. Other than tourism, Italy is a large hub for luxury goods. The one market that looks really likely to be hit with the virus effects is the luxury goods market. Can Italy and Spain make a comeback? Will the Pompeii, Vatican and the Pantheon be enough to lure wary tourists?
Air travel which has made distances so small is bound to be affected. Essential travel may not be hampered but I dont see people buying tickets and jumping on a flight just like that. Or will they?
Oe never knows the extent of human resilience. However what has definitely lost its allure is foreign travel, as of now. #coronaitaly, #vivoazzurro
3. Warm welcome
Even though we Indians proudly claim the Namaste, the hugs have picked up in our generation. A warm hug to a friend, a cuddle to a child, a pat on the back, all are going to be severely frowned upon in the near future. I just read an article that Japan has low cases because they generally maintain a social distance. And we know the Italians and the French are expressive "huggers".
So we all are going to go the Japan way very soon, unless the World cures itself dramatically. Maintain distance, wear masks, sanitize hands before entering buildings, workplaces, disinfect, wash hands, are all going to be the norm from here onwards. So better get used to it.. sadly. #socialdistancing
4. Online World / Less Travel to Work
Is the office going to be a small conference room in the near future, and not the mega uber sophisticated spaces? Will the real estate values of the business districts tumble down as people start working from home, and consequently will the prices in the residential home market skyrocket!
Well, farmers can never work from home, nor can construction workers, doctors (at least most of them), bankers, sanitary workers, vendors, delivery people (the demand for whom is going to skyrocket). Tech workers, salesmen, back office workers, auditors, accountants, teachers, researchers, traders, analysts, project managers are probably the many poeple who will be part of a vibrant online community. And the list will keep growing as people find new ways to get their jobs done with minimal physical interface and only the necessary presence on ground. Fashion is another industry that will require a huge physical presence. #wfh #stayathome
But the vada pao seller at Chowpatti and the battery and hair clips vendor on the Mumbai locals are not going to be happy with the online world, unless they can find a way to sell these online.
Will it mean a less polluted world? You bet! Even though commercial flights (as versus passenger flights), manufacturing, construction, are the major contributors to pollution, a cut down in short travel (as has happened now) is definitely going to slow things down, or flatten the growth of pollution to some extent.
Flattening all growth seems to be the keyword now, going forward. Instead of "live life king size" - its better to live life human size and know our places in the larger scheme of things.
