What’s Your Travel Wish?

Christmas is almost upon us—a day on which we celebrate a universal spirit of peace, hope and love. Yet, much of humanity is still in the throes of a crisis that has unsettled our economies, threatened livelihoods, broken businesses, carried off loved ones and continues to threaten populations around the globe.

After the way it’s treated us, the entire world can’t wait to say goodbye (and good riddance) to 2020, even without quite knowing what we can expect from 2021. On some level, we all hope that the new year brings an end to the past nine months’ woes—that somehow the changing of numerals heralds a turning of the tide for our collective fortunes.

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And, perhaps that isn’t merely wishful thinking, now that COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use and production is being ramped up to make them widely available. If nothing else, vaccines’ arrival delivers hope that, someday soon, the things we used to take for granted will once again be possible. Among them, the ability to confidently venture out of our homes and experience the wider world.

The pandemic’s unprecedented lockdown measures quickly made it clear that travel, in one form or another, isn’t something that society can sanely go without for very long. Deprived of the ability to travel for months on end, we’ve gained a new awareness of the crucial role that it plays in maintaining our psychological and emotional wellbeing.

In keeping with the popular notion that having experiences is more desirable than amassing tangible possessions, I’d wager that plenty of people’s Christmas wishes this year involve the promise of a future trip—one to be taken just as soon as safely possible! At this point, how many of us are longing for a long-awaited escape from the pandemic fatigue that’s settled in while we’ve watched and waited these many months for a sign that stay-at-home orders will end?

How many canceled plans and dashed globe-trotting hopes remain on people’s minds as the year comes to a close? Sure, many of us have managed to take a staycation or quick local getaway, made the most of remote work opportunities or rented an RV to take advantage of America’s outdoor spaces while remaining in relative isolation. But, what type of trips are we truly longing for?

Maybe you dream of the day when cruising comes back, complete with all of the amenities and unique opportunities for fun and enjoyment that keeps loyal cruise-goers coming back. Or, perhaps, having your hands tied for nearly a year has convinced you to go on that extended adventure journey that’s been sitting on your bucket list ASAP. Then again, you might the type that hankering for a warm, relaxing beach vacation at a posh resort where your every need is catered to. It could be that long lockdowns have convinced you to seize the moment to take that backpacking trip through Europe and really discover yourself as soon as restrictions disappear.

The possibilities are endless and every hoped-for trip as unique as the individual whose brain dreamed it up. If nothing else, end-of-year holidays and the promise of a new year help to lighten our hearts a little, and encourage us to look ahead with hope and renewed resolve that better times must lie ahead.