| | 8 HOSPITALITY BUSINESS REVIEWAPR - JUNE 2023By Lauren Aste, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, CWTWhen we think of the adventure of travel, we think of the exhilaration of arriving in a new city, with body clock still set to a prior time zone; you are instantly met by new smells, climate, and excitement as you realize that navigating to your final destination will depend on your best creative interpretation of ordinary-looking signs in a local language you don't understand.What is ordinary suddenly becomes challenging. And what is challenging usually involves risk. On some level, the risk is inherent to travel and is what makes it so thrilling--Will I get the deal that I've travelled halfway around the world to pitch for? Will I make my connecting flight or be re-routed through a surprise city? Will my luggage arrive with me, or will I be sampling local fashion for tomorrow's meeting?Over the last year, the risk profile for travel has become vastly different as our world is essentially "locked down "in a collective fight against a global pandemic. The response took different forms by country with some keeping borders open, some offering "red" and "green" lists for incoming travellers, and some issuing strict border closures. Travelers were faced with calculating the risk of getting COVID-19 before or during travel, of local laws changing to disrupt travel plans, and of cancellations due to border closures.The dial on the risk of contracting COVID-19 has been significantly turned down with the rollout of vaccines in many countries, which is a positive step for the global economy, offering hope for the travel industry. The risk has also been reduced with the advent of various initiatives to unlock global travel that harness technology to allow individuals to share health data in exchange for a "green light" to travel. This technology comes in the form of digital health passes, which are leading the way we look at a safe return to travel. WHY TRANSFORMING THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY NOW WILL SAFEGUARD OUR FUTURELauren AsteIN MY OPINION
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