The first bookazine of Diplomatic Courier’s Around the World travel series launched on UN’s World Tourism Day to support an industry that needs it the most in the time of COVID-19. “Tourism and Rural Development” celebrates the sector’s unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind.
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As the COVID-19 pandemic was raging on, our Editor-at-Large recently made a several days-long trip by car from one coast of America to the other. Before she embarked on the journey she surveyed her Twitter followers: what would they do if they had to travel? A car or train ride meant multiple stops and multiple opportunities for exposure. A plane ride meant a shorter trip but closed quarters and less ability to control the environment. There was no right answer.
This is a dilemma that many people—whether traveling for work, leisure, or to visit family members—find themselves in. Even though some restrictions are being lifted, travel continues to be ever more stressful, more limited than ever, and even dangerous.
COVID-19 has changed travel as we know it—maybe forever.
But our sense of wonder, our desire to explore and learn has not ceased. Diplomatic Courier's team of editors and writers is stationed all around the world. What unites us is our love for travel. On the last day of December, we wrapped a prolific year of travel, posting on our Instagram page a sampling of our top destinations of 2019. Some of our team members were on the road every single month last year, covering or speaking at conferences or doing investigative work in remote areas of the world. The lockdown has been difficult for this crew—we are not used to being homebound at all—let alone this long.
But we know it is difficult for our audience too. We imagine the tsunami of often-negative news we have to process daily has been taxing. This new editorial channel and subsequent bookazine series is our opportunity to escape and to learn. Selfishly, it is a gift to my elementary school children, who have been traveling since they were babies and always make friends with everyone they encounter when we are on the road. My 10-year-old has been enjoying helping with the photo selections and I’ve been counting that as part of my teaching-at-home duties. And for our team of contributors, memories of happier travels past, and a hope that we might all be able to hit the road again soon.
We are thrilled to launch the first bookazine of this series on UN’s World Tourism Day to support an industry that needs it the most. “Tourism and Rural Development” celebrates the sector’s unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind.
