Inthemidstofthecoronaviruscrisis,the travelindustry
has groundtoan abrupthalt.MERCEDESMAGUIREinvestigates
what the future holds for the industry and how Australians travel.THE FUTURE OF
AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL
Severalmonthsintotheglobalpandemic.The
questionremainssimple:whateffectwillCovid-19have
onthetravelindustry,bothgloballyandin Australia?
Andhowlongwillit taketorecover?
Airlinesandcruisecompanieswerethefirst
casualtiesoftheabruptshutdownofthetravelmarket.
WhentheAustraliangovernmentmandateda self-
isolationperiodof 14 daysforallpassengersentering
thecountry,includingcitizens,QantasandVirgin
haltedallinternationalflightsandmostdomesticones.
AndallinternationalarrivalsbycruiseshipstoAustralian
portsweresuspendedfor 30 daysfrommid-March.
Many cruise operators responded quickly, voluntarilyF
irst,flightstoChinastopped.Thenairlines
closedroutestootherdestinations.Asthepanic
overtheCovid-19outbreakspread,politicians
warnedagainstoverseascruising,theninternational
travelaltogether,andeventuallywholecountriesclosed
theirbordersandputtheirpopulationsintolockdown.
Sportingeventsandmusicfestivalsacrosstheworld
werestoppedandinSydney,theRoyalEasterShow
andVivid 2020 werethefirstbigeventscancelled.
Thepanicwasslowtostart,butonceit struckit
waspowerfulandallconsuming,striking all industries
andeverycorneroftheeconomy.
But few more so than the travel industry.