Ethical Travel In The Time of Coronavirus

To say it’s been difficult to talk about travel recently would be an understatement. To publish anything about travel, even a week in advance, is a little tough right now. And travel writers the world over have been going over, and over, and over how to approach the topic of travel to travel lovers everywhere.

I’ve been stalking every travel forum known to man on the interwebs the last few months. And, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that people have a lot of opinions. And some people have particularly strong opinions. If I’m being honest, I’ll admit that, as an avid traveler, I haven’t completely made up my own mind with any level of definitiveness on a number of hot travel topics. But I can definitely tell you what everyone is debating, even outright arguing about, behind the scenes. And I can tell you all sides of the issue so you, unlike me, might be able to make up your own mind on the subject.

What Is Ethical Travel?

Over the last couple of decades, there’s been more and more awareness brought to the subject of ethical travel. (I imagine this is the product of increased worldwide travel and increased awareness of international events with the advent of the internet, but that’s total supposition.) Someone might wonder—what does it even mean to travel ethically? But there are literally hundreds of different examples. And I’m certain you’ve heard some of them before, whether you knew at the time it was “ethical travel” topic or not.

Should you go on an elephant ride in Thailand when the elephants are treated incredibly poorly and held in captivity, simply for your pleasure? As a woman, should you travel to countries where other women are physically mutilated for the purposes of tourism? Should tourists fund oppressive governments like North Korea by visiting? Should companies profit from “dark tourism” by transporting people to historic locations with tragic pasts, like Auschwitz or Chernobyl? What about another buzz word that falls under the umbrella of ethical travel—sustainable travel? How often should you fly? Should you fly at all? What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint while traveling?

Yes. It’s a lot. And the list goes on. The big question these days, of course, is whether to travel at all in the time of Coronavirus.

To Travel Or Not To Travel

Like I said, I haven’t entirely made my own mind up on whether it’s advisable to travel right now or not. And that’s because there’s no one-size-fits-all-answer for every individual across the world. I would say, for example, that New Zealanders can probably be a little freer with home country travel than Americans could (or should) be right now. A 30-year-old European citizen might have a little more leeway to travel than a 70-year-old Brazilian citizen might, right? …Or do they? Are they an asymptomatic carrier putting others at risk? …Am I? …Are you? This is why I don’t have my mind made up.

In general, no. It’s not okay to simply travel anywhere and everywhere just because we’re bored and our lifestyles are a little jammed up during a global pandemic, right? And that’s if you’re fortunate enough to have the continued income to do so. Which leads me to the first topic of debate.

Should People Be Promoting Travel? Let Alone Actually Traveling?

I’ve heard people say that tour companies or bloggers or other travel writers promoting travel in any way, shape, or form is “flat-out irresponsible.” The main part of this argument, of course, is that you’d be promoting potential spread of the virus. But you’ll also see other facets come up.

You’ll see a lot of tour companies with “buy now, travel later” offers trying to sustain some sort of income during Coronavirus. Lots of people are saying, not only is this irresponsible, it’s selling false hopes. A lot of the purchase offers lack full refunds, for example, and only allow exchanges for a set period of time. Then, you lock people into traveling because they can at the time their trip is scheduled, even though maybe they shouldn’t be.

I’ve also read opinions that writers discussing travel right now is downright cruel to folks who might not have any sort of income right now and are struggling to get by. Travel is a privilege, not a right, and we should be supporting one another in solidarity right now. While traveling certainly is a privilege and not a right, I’m not sure I personally agree that, because others can’t travel right now, that I shouldn’t. That’s just me, though. This opinion does exist in the universe, however.

Just Because We Can Travel, Does That Mean We Should Be Traveling?

Oof. This one gets people all kinds of upset on social media. And you’ll find out why. Again, the primary argument against travel under any circumstances right now is the possibility of viral spread. You might be asymptomatic or in the early stages of the virus and have zero idea you were sick. In the meantime, you’ve spread it to twenty people, who also spent days not knowing. And the numbers expand exponentially…

I came across a New Yorker, fresh out of a very strict quarantine, who wrote, “If you travel anywhere, at all right now, you’re guilty of straight-up murder.” That seemed extreme to me, but in context, I kind of started wondering—is it really that extreme? Or is it an actual possibility and, therefore, true? Even in that exact, “extreme” language? This was from the perspective of someone who’d listened to ambulance sirens for weeks on end and had frozen meat trucks lined up in front of their building to temporarily hold the dead. So… maybe not as extreme as I first thought. Maybe she’s right.

Then, we have Europe. Europe, who spent months in strict quarantine after the virus ravaged Italy and Spain. Most of Europe has banned American citizens from entering their countries at the moment. But a couple are still open with varying entry circumstances, like Croatia and Greece. The ban came as a shock to the United States, who for a time, had the most desirable passport available in the entire world. In response, I’ve seen totally understanding Americans (this is decidedly me), and then I’ve seen outraged Americans insisting Europe needs our tourism dollars.

But, how does Europe feel? Well, the vast majority of Europeans I’ve come across have advised Americans to, unequivocally, stay home. Their perspective is that they “did the work.” They stayed home for months on end without nail and hair salons or restaurants, and they brought their own numbers down. They certainly don’t owe anything to the United States who has yet to bring their own numbers down. We need to invest our own time and energy into controlling the virus. Which leads me to interstate travel, where you could argue the same thing.

Should I Be Going Anywhere In My Own Country?

A lot of people are planning to pack up and hit the road this summer for an all-American family road trip. And it does seem road trips are a reasonably safe option. I, myself, just came back from one. But this is where careful consideration is needed. And where I feel like I can’t generally advise an entire audience on travel.

I only know my personal experience. I know people who are ten times more diligent about quarantining than I’ve been and are… just angry that I road-tripped. And I know other people who are twenty times more careless than I’ve been and think “it is what it is.” I’m somewhere in the middle. But I don’t think everyone should be “somewhere in the middle.”

I live in the metro DC area, considered the second major epicenter of the virus in the US. NPR even called my county, “the epicenter of the epicenter.” And we went into quarantine. Strict quarantine. For months. My gym, for example, still hasn’t opened again yet after closing down in early- to mid-March. For months, we had only drive-thru restaurants; masks are required indoors, everywhere, and even outdoors in some circumstances; we have “traffic calming” for people in grocery stores and at outdoor parks; and, we have “senior shopping hours” at our stores.

This is a lot stricter than in other parts of the country. Probably not as strict as Europe was, though. (I would see exactly how strict we were in comparison to other states on my road trip, too. Some states made me downright uncomfortable, to be honest.) But, DC got its numbers down. Way down. And my husband and I decided to go on a quick road trip to another part of the US that also had lower numbers and was at the same level of reopening we were. (So we thought. That’s a whole ‘nother article in my Global Debauchery blog.)

Do I think everyone, everywhere in the United States should go wherever they want even within the country? In the context of ethical travel? No. No, I don’t. Even though I just came back from a trip myself. And I say that partly because I saw exactly what’s happening in some states that’s not happening in others, but also because, like Europe, after strict quarantine for four full months, I really, really don’t want someone from Florida or Texas visiting DC and kicking off another four-month quarantine. I don’t want to go down there right now, and I don’t want people coming up here from there right now. (I totally get it, Europe.)

And I get that each and every state, individual has their own ideas and opinions on civil liberties and what it means to handle the virus effectively and live freely. But I strongly believe that that doesn’t mean I get to impose my own beliefs or freedoms on anyone else in a possibly harmful, very permanent way. Much in the same way travel to third-world countries or small towns and rural areas right now is discouraged due to lack of resources, I myself wouldn’t want visitors from badly hit areas exposing me (and my home city) to further illness.

What’s Your Point?

There are limits. And because we all have such differing views on how to define this pandemic and what it even means to be a “badly affected” area, what applies to me or what I would say applies to Person X very well might not apply to Persons Y and Z. And Persons Y and Z might think Coronavirus is a hoax, for all I know. So, as an avid traveler and travel writer, I can’t advise a solution for everyone on traveling. I have a lot of undecideds. And, yes, a few “decideds.”

What I can do is advise that everyone consider others’ perspectives. Be aware of them, consider them, and be considerate of them. What do you think of these differing perspectives? Had you considered all of them? Any new debates or points of view presented? What’s missing?

Know that everyone feels trapped and inconvenienced right now. To put it lightly. Some have had their lives forever changed by this pandemic. But, if we can approach the future thoughtfully, carefully, deliberately, and collectively, with awareness, we can eventually reach some semblance of normality. And get back to experiencing the world again. Together.