2021: A Year in Review
This was the year when shutdowns became comebacks — and sometimes, comebacks became shutdowns — as travelers and industry stakeholders adapted to the emergence of Covid vaccines and variants.
If Covid-19 shaped the narrative of 2020 for the travel industry, Covid-19 vaccines defined it for 2021. The rollout of vaccinations encouraged a significant number of travelers to feel, if not quite invincible, well-armored enough to board planes and ships, reunite with family and friends and attend conferences. Borders opened, restrictions loosened and, at times, optimism reigned.
Despite a significant uptick in travel, it was nonetheless also a year where travelers vacillated between fear and relief, sadness and joy, frustration and hope. The year saw backlashes against reason and science but also remarkable displays of creativity and inspiration. It was a year of shutdowns and comebacks (and shutdowns and comebacks. And shutdowns).
But as we all are slowly learning the Greek alphabet, we also came to realize in 2021 that we don’t have to wait until we get to omega to find ways to keep moving forward. What we might have seen as unscalable mountains last year look more like speed bumps as the year ends. If 2020 was a year of interminable waiting and vexation, 2021 proved to be a year of adaptation and adjustment.
Jamie Biesiada, Brittany Chrusciel, Jeri Clausing, Johanna Jainchill, Christina Jelski, Tovin Lapin, Jerry Limone, Robert Silk and Rebecca Tobin contributed to this report.
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