It was Eric Hoffer who said, “in times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” COVID-19 has provided us with countless opportunities to learn from the changes all around us. Changes in the way we do business, changes in the way we meet people and now even changes in the way we travel.

With the closure of borders worldwide, industry leaders have been forced to think outside of the box as it pertains to the promotion of their individual destinations and services. With the change in the landscape, almost everything has gone virtual. Surprisingly, in recent times, this has also come to include a component of our industry that has been a staple since its inception, i.e. tours. From hiking up tall peaks to discovering coral reefs beneath the seas, few things inspire the thrillseeker like a good tour. The challenges associated with the pandemic, however, have toned down the excitement a bit. The outdoorsman has been confined to his room and there is very little he can do while keeping proper social distancing. Well, like with every modern problem, there is a modern solution that has been discovered. Step in virtual tours!

The industry has been set ablaze by this new hot component. With the birth of this trend, persons can tour their dream destinations without leaving the comfort of their living rooms. Strap-on GoPro cameras and AI have made it possible for the thrill-seeker to experience tours in phenomenal new ways that whet their appetites for real thing. If these tours represent anything, they represent marketing at its very best.

The new age of tourism is here. It is important for us to get innovative and remind potential guests of the bliss we have to offer. Change is here, ladies and gentlemen, let’s not get left behind.

They say you should not mix business and pleasure; a plea to keep the main thing, the main thing. This admonition has been with humanity for generations and has guided the actions of many who swear by it. However, if there is one thing we know about millennials, is that they do not do many things by the book, as it is written. For members of this trendsetting group of individuals, tradition is merely a tribute to dead people, a notion that doesn’t quite sit well with them. This mindset does not only champion their views and thoughts about social issues, but it also carries over into every part of their lifestyles. This includes the way they travel.

If there was any phenomenon that is most aligned with the millennial mindset it would be the birth of “bleisure” travel. This radical new approach to traversing the world mixes aspects of business and leisure to create a “work hard, play hard” type of setting. With bleisure, individuals may extend business trips to sightsee and relax for while after meetings or conferences; a “bizcation” if you please. In other cases, travelers may dedicate traditional working hours to a fun activity with a potential business partner, while they advance business talks. This takes the boredom element out of the conversation and allows people to be their natural selves, which bodes well for future relations.

Having discovered the definition of bleisure travel, one may argue that this is not such a new phenomenon after all. Elements of bleisure travel have been part of the business world for years. While this may be true, over recent years, this concept has been taken to another level. Rather than a round of golf just being an activity on the itinerary, or a dinner meeting being an element of a grander business trip, these elements have become what the entire trip is about and business talks are interwoven into the discussions had while having pleasure.

In terms of benefits, bleisure impacts both the employee and the employer positively. Some of the benefits it provides are:

For the employees:

For the employers:

Overall, bleisure presents business people with a new dynamic that works well for all those involved. As an industry, we need to be aware of such trends and adapt them into our operations in order to fit the needs of our guests in the best way possible. Change has come to the business segment of the market. Let’s embrace it.

Social distancing has made life difficult for many business professionals. From the spacing out of customers in minimarts and supermarkets, to the plexiglass barriers between parties making transactions, the intimacy of the relationship between buyer and seller has been tested in ways unlike ever before. This is particularly difficult for an industry like ours, that is built on physical interaction. It has also put pressure on the overall cash flow of our industry. One of the major reasons for this is due to the strain it has put on the transferal of money between parties during the pandemic.

Somewhere along the timeline of COVID-19, we found out that the virus could be spread through the exchange of fiat money from hand to hand. This meant that we needed to find new ways to pay for goods and services without requiring the physical hand-off of funds. Fortunately, this is precisely the issue that contactless payments seeks to solve. While this not a new method of payment, its importance to the business community has grown during these times. The use of ewallets like Skrill, Zelle and PayPal has become an important tool in commercial exercises. These software programs function as online hubs for the storage of digital money. They are heavily security protected to prevent fraud and theft and therefore provide as safe, effective option for the housing and transferal of currency.

Another common contactless method is the use of debit cards to purchase goods online. While this option has been an acceptable form of payment for well over a decade, it is surprising that many companies have still not adopted it as a valid alternative. Card companies such as Visa and MasterCard have invested millions of dollars into making transactions with the instruments quick and easy. Anyone doing business should look to align themselves with this option as soon as possible.

Contactless payment methods are no longer the future of commerce; they are already the present. The internet has once again provided us with the solution to a difficult prospect and we are ever so grateful. The time to change the way we do business as an industry has come. Let’s keep in touch, even without contact.

Jacques Waterfront Dining located at the Harmony Suites Hotel in Rodney Bay is now open and looking forward to welcoming you.  Jacques is open for residents of St Lucia on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm with last orders at 9 pm. Jacques is also part of a pilot project spearheaded by the SLHTA called *“Restaurant-Connect” on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, these days are solely for visitors that are staying at Covid-19 certified hotels and by reservation only. 

Please call Jacques Waterfront Dining for more information at +1 758 458 1900 [email protected]

Leisure Inn is conveniently located within walking distance to most of our natural sites and the town centre. We are approximately 29 km from the Hewannora International Airport in the South and 40 km from GFL Charles Airport in the North of the island. Whether for vacation or business the Leisure Inn welcomes you to a true Caribbean hospitality...Read More

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Participating accommodation providers that attend the applicable sessions and register to be part of the confidential online Tourism Health Information System (THiS) may be eligible to receive the Caribbean Travel Health Assurance Stamp (CTHAs) from the Caribbean Public Health Agency, endorsed by CHTA.