The day I clicked PAUSE.

The world is on a pause. More than half of the world's aviation industry is at a halt. Travel is on a stand still. Not until a vaccine can travel go back to normal like we did before. Or are we ever going back to the same normal? As the world  heals, countries deliberate,  people are suddenly pushed back to the origins--- we call, Home. 

Viewing everything from a single standpoint, all we have is a bewildered mind, caught between seizing the day or painting a future. We are sometimes quiet but our heads explode of boisterous ideas we can hardly express. We are at a crossroads of denying reality and accepting it as it is. Some industries flourish, others just wander off to limitless possibilities. The travel industry has never been as challenged as it was before. 

As far as disrupted passengers are concerned, all they need now is a sensible remedy to further put life back to their dead ticket. Most airlines give out laudable offers from rebooking without fees up to 24months, travel credits with 10-15% top-ups or mileage conversions for future use. Refund of unused service is of course the constant. But as to how fast the process goes is but another queue. The decision lies on how much optimism is left for the next 2 years. The prohibition of tourism entities to open is again another obstacle to hurdle unless online platforms will uphold the process. So, the waiting game begins. 

And how are industry players dealing with the unimaginable? As fluid as it gets, everyone's just going with the flow. The moral support amongst players has been so overwhelming. Agents are holding up through group chats, destination webinars, online trainings, web meetings .... practically all forms of collaboration to discuss their moves. Somehow used to the hit-and-miss norm of tourism, having to withstand viruses, unrest, territorial disputes and more, has probably contributed a great deal for becoming relatively resilient. Perhaps the greatest challenge in one word is ---- Direction. 

For now, on pause, we look at our last emotion. It is a blessing if we paused smiling, as it fosters hope and positivity. If it were a frown, we probably needed time to understand. And if it were just placid, then perhaps there's room for adjustment. Rest assured, there's no stopping too soon. We just clicked Pause. 

Stay safe xx

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