What’s Tourism Going to Look Like Post-Coronavirus?

The other night I spent time going through some of my travel photos and I couldn’t help but wonder, “What’s tourism going to look like after coronavirus lockdown ends?” Because one of the things I immediately noticed were the crowds we’ve encountered on a lot of our jaunts.

Tourist Destinations

The first photo that tickled my curiosity was one from our visit to Urquart Castle when we went to Loch Ness.

In just one short month I’m already conditioned to see people and assess whether they’re social distancing or not, and this photo raised the alarm.

Of course, five years ago when it was taken, there was no need for conern. Social distancing? What’s that? Hadn’t ever heard of it then.

But now…

And the above photo doesn’t represent just how crowded it was there. I tried to wait until the crowds had waned to snap most shots, including the following two.

 

Still, these photos made me wonder, “You can’t keep six feet apart in a so many of the places we’ve been. How will they handle that going forward?”

I can already see some things they might do at Urquhart Castle. Take the moat picture for example. Maybe they’ll have people stationed at both ends to direct traffic? Instead of coming and going into the ruins as you please, they’ll alternate one way only ever few minutes?

I don’t know. I’m just musing….

Tours

Then there was the time we took a Jack the Ripper tour when we were in London. I’m not quite sure how many people were on the tour. It was included with our Hop On Hop Off bus ticket, so there were a fair amount. I want to say at least 20, maybe even 30.

Our guide walked fast from location to location. He didn’t talk much as he went. He tried to wait until we got to a location of interest. Still, it was best to keep up with the group which meant sticking pretty close together.

Plus, some of the locations were in tight alleys or narrow streets. Our guide had a booming voice, so I imagine if you limited the number of tour-goers and had them spread out you could hear him fine.

But other guides we’ve had have been more soft-spoken. Some groups even have been larger. They utilized headsets. Even pre-COVID-19 wearing headgear worn by others gave me pause. Now? Um…

 

 

Amusement Parks

But the travel jaunt down memory lane that is one of my happiest –because it happened in the Happiest Place on Earth– was one that caused me the most distress.

The other day I uploaded a video from the Haunted Mansion’s 50 Years of Retirement Unliving event that I attended last August. It shows the Swinging Wake that launched the festivities that evening. (Well, as best as I could capture them, which wasn’t all that great. Except for the sound. Luckily that came through loud and clear!)

The video gives a sense of the people crowded around Rivers of America to watch the show. At the very end you see the crowds disperse and get an idea of how packed in we were. Which, if you’ve ever been to any of the Disney properties and watched the finales at the end of the evenings, it gets mad packed.

 

The crowds…we all know Disneyland, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, the Magic Kingdom and any other amusement park get crazy crowded. There are moments you definitely want to social distance and can’t.

Coronavirus has already closed the parks for now, but how will it affect their shows and crowd control?

I have no idea. It’s a new world so many facets of tourism will face, from the places people flock to see, to tours and everything in between.

Check-In

Have you found yourself swept up in the nostalgia of reminiscing about past trips of life pre-coronavirus? Or even just memories of life pre-coronavirus whether or not travel was involved?