Written By: Wenny Jones
2021 is here, along with a new strain of COVID, tight travel restrictions, and a continued decline in travel around the world.
With most travelers remaining reluctant to travel due to the pandemic, the travel industry as well as travelers are itching to get back to traveling. In fact, according to a study by Mckinsey, 75% of Gen Z and Millennial travelers aspire to take extended travel trips, while 81% of respondents desire to travel to places less populated and off-the-beaten-path.
For now, traveling is all hopes and dreams, which leads me to a new element of travel we’re sure to see in the near future… virtual travel.
As a Black Travel Influencer, I do what we do best, we innovate, we preserve, and turn lemons into lemonade, my best advice for Black travel influencers is to identify ways to incorporate virtual technology into your business plan.
Here’s my top 3 virtual travel ideas to give your travel influencer brand a boost:
Host a Self-Love Fantasy Travel:
Imagine tuning in to epic visuals of some of the world’s foremost tranquil waterfalls, floral gardens, and wondrous caves. These and more can serve as the visuals to a virtually facilitated self-love webinar.
Round up your girls and prepare to see sights you cannot yet visit but can still visually indulge in.
This may not only be monetized by it can be uniquely customized to fit your travel tribe.
Virtual Reality Bae-cation:
Virtual bae-time, anyone? Turn a quarantine night into a passionate night in a city far, far, away. It’s 2021, and for many, virtual reality may look better than actual reality.
Virtual reality (VR) along with Augmented Reality (AR) are lucrative fields that are worth exploring for those in the travel industry.
Traveling norms and the recovery of the traveling industry are not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels until as early as 2022; as predicted by the CEO of MMGY Global, Clayton Reid. With this, VR/AR is revamping our conception of travel. Don’t let the thought of simple images flashing across AR smartglasses discourage you because this is far from that. One will find themselves immersed in an interactive reality that involves real movement and reactions to the environment. This will transform what we considered to be limitations of travel and allow us to enter a new era of rich experience at our fingertips.
Travel the Diaspora:
Ok so this idea would require lots of planning and logistics, but it’ll be an unforgettable experience for many Black travelers. Let’s not forget the epic “Year of the Return” travel phenomenon that brought Black people and Black celebrities from all over the world to visit Ghana. Many Black travelers have a deep desire to reconnect with the African diaspora.
Our ancient roots lie deep within us, craving a sense of connecting with our brothers and sisters across the diaspora. For those in the travel industry looking for the ultimate way to pivot during the pandemic, look no further than the diaspora.
Consider using VR to take people on a virtual voyage to explore the diaspora in various countries.
Wenny was born in the beautiful country of Guyana in South America and currently lives in the capital city of Washington, DC. She enjoys learning and immersing herself in new cultures and cuisines around the world. Her passion for travel has always been her outlet to rejuvenate and inspire. Follow Wenny on IG: @wennpooh