A Toxic Cocktail
Or: when truth takes a backseat!
How strange is this: Certain organisations and so - called 'luxury influencers' within our hotel & tourism industry are now increasingly outing themselves as 'Corona-19 experts' with fantasy advice and even 'innovative inventions' on how best to ride out this horror scenario with the potential for bankruptcy for so many of our colleagues.
Don’t even try to count to the mindless conspiracy theories on any number of subjects that get passed around social media as truth. From 'bioweapon gone awry in China’ to ‘ a CIA induced agent to exterminate a good portion of China’s population’ and the very scary and the totally obscure statements of a certain STATESMAN (really?) fantasising about a 'foreign virus dragged in from Europe'. Apparently certain ignorants on social media stop at nothing to further fuel the situation. So, skepticism is a good policy when dealing with unsourced ‘reports’ and ‘ solution advise’ on the WWW!
When ‘A lie gets halfway around the world before truth puts on its boots’, real truth is often condemned to take a backseat to rumour. Let’s rather stick to the MythBuster https:// www.who.int/ emergencies/diseases/ novel-coronavirus-2019/ advice-for-public/mythbusters from WHO - a hot bath does not prevent the disease and no, the virus cannot be transmitted through mosquito bites… But back to issues affecting our industry and travel uncertainty in the face of Covid19. Here some of the FACTS what you should really do from our strategic alliance partner itmustbeNOW https:// www.itmustbenow.com/ feature/our-big-questions/ can-expect-coronaviruses/ After weeks of conference cancellations, corporate travel restrictions and plunging stock values, our colleagues are pulling guidance and cutting expenses. However, the spread of the virus kills rooms demand and revenue. And no, the collapse is not confined to China/Asia only. Our industry is waking up to the adverse effects of the coronavirus around the globe.
In this precarious situation, apart from compassion and empathy, implementation of all the measures recommended by real experts are vital to be implemented urgently. From hygiene to crisis management and and yes, the use of government subsidies and financial support schemes offered by truly responsible leaders and authorities!
HOT AIR NO MORE! Well, actually, I just watched Mr. T’s press conference on CNN - emergency plan introduced in the US because of Europe’s failure to contain the virus , but will be contained soon because Wallmart provides parking space for mobile tests… & now I’m not so sure anymore…
