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Since the outbreak of the new corona epidemic, people have been surrounded by alarmist news and comments criticizing the end of existing civilization. Executives and financial experts boldly declared that once the epidemic is under control and the vaccine becomes widespread, people will continue to live in the outer suburbs, continue to shop online, cook at home, and communicate with friends and colleagues online, instead. to meet. in big cities.
Of course, it is striking to declare that human behavior will change permanently, but it ignores the past history of humanity. Humanity has survived wars, plagues, diseases and epidemics, and then has been steadily marching towards urbanization.
The global health crisis we are experiencing is serious and far-reaching, yet does anyone really believe that this epidemic can overcome all the above challenges and fundamentally change human nature?
Humans are social animals and are not suited for a lonely life. Maintaining a close relationship with others is vital to people’s mental health and ultimately survival. During the epidemic, depression and anxiety are increasing all over the world, the reason is that we all miss each other, the interaction and nature, and the energy that the group provides. Although Zoom and various video conferencing applications are powerful and will certainly be important in the future, they cannot replace or inhibit the human need for contact.
There are many recent predictions about the tourism industry. In 2019 alone, the tourism industry has created $ 2.6 trillion in revenue for the US economy and has supported 15.8 million jobs. The cleverest claim is that people will not return to the city for many years and may never return. It’s ridiculous. (Expedia Group’s core business is travel booking, which will benefit from the city’s surge in tourism.)
He used to live about 20 blocks from the World Trade Center. After the “9/11” incident, people were generally concerned that New York City would not be able to recover and that the good morning of tourism would never return. The risk of a mass exodus will permeate every corner of Manhattan.
Obviously, we will all know the true situation later. Residents and businesses are back. New York City real estate is booming, economic growth is strong, immigrants are on the rise, and yes, the tourism industry is setting a record, too.
People always have a reason to return to the city. Business and work are important attractions, but talent is at the core. Even in the darkest of times, people’s desire for metropolitan culture, communities, and smart minds persists.
In fact, since the Industrial Revolution (Industrial Revolution), despite devastating wars and epidemics, people have gradually been flocking to cities. A United Nations (UN) report shows that between 1950 and 2018, the world’s urban population has quadrupled. In 2007, the urban population outnumbered the rural population for the first time.
A 2019 study showed that 70% of American households call themselves an eco-family. We know that many cities attach great importance to sustainable development and are walkable, they also focus on improving mobility and integrating transportation to reduce emissions. If you think the most environmentally conscious generation in history will suddenly drop values and move to the suburbs in a panic, then you overthink it.
In addition, the city will always be an important tourism hub, which can be both a destination and a hub.
Before the outbreak began, Euromonitor International found that the most popular destinations to enter were, unsurprisingly, cities such as Bangkok, Paris, and London. Expedia Group (Expedia Group) also found that people are still interested in urban tourism. Since March of this year, judging by flight bookings on Expedia.com, people have been planning to return to the city. Los Angeles, Seattle, and of course New York City are the top ten most popular tourist destinations from June to August 2021. From the list.
Thanks to the efforts of the global scientific community, a variety of effective vaccines are being produced and more new vaccines are coming soon. Life is destined to restart, just as people around the world yearn for theater, museums, food, hustle and bustle, and appreciate the beauty and scale of the city. People will travel all over the world and stay in hotels. In a sense, travelers will once again feel the vibrancy of life. Global revival is not far off, and historical experience shows that it is the city that first felt revival. (Chinese network of fortune)
Peter Kern is the Vice President and CEO of Expedia Group.
Translator: Xia Lin
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been inundated with alarmist news and talking heads denouncing the end of civilization as we know it. Executives and financial experts have boldly asserted that once COVID-19 is under control and a vaccine is available for mass consumption, people will continue the quarantine lifestyle: living in exurban areas, shopping online only, cook at home and connect virtually with friends. and colleagues rather than meeting in person in the world’s major metropolitan centers.
Of course, declaring that human behavior has changed forever is a good headline, but it ignores the entire history of mankind. Humanity has survived wars, pestilences, diseases, and pandemics. However, it has inexorably continued its march towards the citification of the world.
The global health crisis we are experiencing is serious and will have lasting effects, but does anyone really believe that this event, beyond all those previous challenges, is capable of fundamentally altering human nature?
We are social animals, not designed for isolation. Maintaining close relationships with others is essential for our mental health and, ultimately, for our survival. There is a reason depression and anxiety are on the rise around the world. It’s because we miss each other: the interaction, the spontaneity, the energy of it all. Zoom and other video conferencing tools are great and will certainly be important in our future, but they cannot replace or suppress the need for human connection.
We’ve seen a lot of predictions lately about the travel industry, an industry that generated $ 2.6 trillion for the US economy in 2019 alone, supporting 15.8 million US jobs. One of the most insidious claims is that people will not return to the cities for years, if they ever do. This is obviously absurd. (As a travel booking company, Expedia Group would benefit from the recovery of city trips.)
He used to live about 20 blocks from the World Trade Center. After 9/11, there was widespread concern that New York City might not recover and tourism would never be the same again. The threat of a mass exodus invaded every corner of Manhattan.
Of course, we all know what happened. Residents and businesses returned. New York City witnessed booming real estate values, strong economic growth, inland migration, and, yes, record tourism.
People always find their way back to the cities. Business and work are an essential part of attractiveness, but people are the heart. An insatiable yearning for the culture, community, and brilliant minds that make up metropolitan areas persists, even in the darkest of times.
In fact, since the Industrial Revolution, despite devastating wars and pandemics, people have increasingly flocked to cities. Between 1950 and 2018, the world’s urban population quadrupled, according to a UN report, and the number of people living in cities outnumbered those in rural areas for the first time in 2007.
A 2019 study showed that seven out of 10 American households classify themselves as green homes. We know that many cities are superheroes of sustainability; they are passable and focus on reducing emissions by improving mobility and integrating transport. It is far-reaching to think that the most environmentally conscious generations in history will suddenly abandon their values and move to the suburbs in a moment of panic.
On top of that, cities will always be the lifeblood of travel, playing a dynamic role as destinations and hubs.
Before the pandemic, Euromonitor International found that the most popular destinations for arrivals were, unsurprisingly, cities such as Bangkok, Paris and London. At Expedia Group, we’ve seen first-hand a sustained interest in traveling to cities. Flight bookings on Expedia.com as of March indicate that people are already planning their return to the cities, with Los Angeles, Seattle, and of course New York City among the top 10 most popular destinations from June to August. of 2021.
With the incredible work of the global scientific community, multiple effective vaccines are now being produced, with more to come. There is little doubt that life will return, just as there is little doubt that people around the world will yearn for the theater, the museums, the food, the hustle and bustle and the beauty and scale of our cities. They will fly all over the world; they will stay in hotels; in a sense, they will feel alive again. A renewal is coming for the world, and history shows us that it will come first to our cities.
Peter Kern is Vice President and CEO of Expedia Group.
