The Great Escape

Globe-trotting tastemakers discuss how their views on travel have changed during tumultuous times, and their personal picks on where to go in 2021

- Kissa Castaneda

A year ago, booking a last-minute holiday to a destination halfway around the world was something you could do in just a few clicks. Today, the idea of even crossing a land border is littered with speed bumps, from ever-changing government regulations to time-consuming health and safety protocols. Travel is a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the freedom and spontaneity we all used to enjoy has been lost.

Being homebound has created an overwhelming sense of nostalgia among avid travellers. Where would you be right now if it weren’t for Covid-19? It’s a question that elicits all types of answers on social media: photos of long, lazy lunches in Tuscany; the glistening waters of the Maldives; a glorious sunset on a safari drive. Instagram is replete with images of past trips coupled with captions that demonstrate our yearning to travel and the significant role it plays in our lives.

While there is a collective itch to get back on the road, the giant pause brought on by the pandemic has had a silver lining. It has given nature a breather from human activity, resulting in clearer skies and cleaner air in many countries, and allowed wildlife to reclaim habitats. Being stuck in one place has also encouraged many people to think about the nature of travel itself and how it can be made a more sustainable, mindful pursuit.