After reading this issue’s cover story on election year travel, I came away feeling that we may be looking at a good news/bad news situation.
While I have seen election-year dips in travel in the past, there is much to suggest that the upcoming election might not have a major impact on travel plans this year — despite how divisive the current political climate feels. Good news, in my opinion.
But is that because we are getting used to unpredictable — and deeply unsettling — election cycles? If apathy and lowered expectations of our elected officials is the new norm, that would be bad news.
Regardless of how you feel about this year’s election, it’s clear that the travel industry views political differences through an optimistic (some might say, idealistic) lens. Generally, those who work in travel believe in the positive effects that come from interacting with others who may have different world views. As one tourism official says in the story: “When customers have disagreed with legislation being enacted by our legislature, we have encouraged them not to boycott, but to engage ... Not to avoid the issue, but to embrace the opportunity to add their voice and values to the debate.”
The ability of travel to promote understanding is true around the world. I remember when I first started in travel, I would visit international tourism offices and discover that they often worked hand-in-hand with counterparts from “hostile” countries. The politicians might have been hurling insults, but the tourism office directors were regularly having lunch together as they looked for ways to promote tourism for everyone.
Every election cycle, politicians and the media seem to become more determined to make our country appear divided. But I believe there is still a lot more that unites us than divides us. And that is good news.
