How did these places spend the year when tourism was sluggish?

With the epidemic, the first anniversary of the founding of The New York Times

Visited places in the world that rely heavily on tourism.

See how they have adapted this year.

On March 1 1, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that the epidemic situation in COVID-19 had reached epidemic level, and the spread scope and severity were shocking. Subsequently, international travel immediately came to a standstill, countries closed their borders, airlines canceled flights, cities around the world entered a state of blockade, and the losses in life, health and people's livelihood continued to increase.

The tourism industry and all those who depend on it have been dealt an amazing blow. According to the statistics of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the global tourism economy is expected to shrink by about 80% after all the data are included in 2020.

Hoi An, Vietnam: Returning to the Ocean

In central Vietnam, bypassing the cackling chickens, Le Van Hung walked out of his old house under a coconut tree with anxiety and hope, and found the waves, the sky and the sun by feeling along a short path.

After several months of storms, the sea finally calmed down, and he could safely row a basket boat, fish and catch crabs in the South China Sea to feed his family.

5 1 year-old, worked as a deep-sea fisherman on a big fishing boat for many years. But in 20 19, he gave up this career to help his daughter run a seaside restaurant. This restaurant was opened in Hoi An on 20 17, and is located in a port with a long history. Due to the proliferation of western adventurers and Asian tour groups, it just happened to catch up with the prosperity of urban tourism.

At the beginning of 2020, the virus struck, tourists disappeared and families lost most of their income. 165438+ 10 In October, a particularly cruel monsoon swallowed their restaurant built on a sand dune into the sea.

Now, like many people in Hoi An, he gave up fishing, worked as a waiter, security guard or speedboat driver in the tourism industry, or started his own company to meet the needs of tourists, and returned to the most familiar places to make a living through the wind and waves.

Li Wenxiong is short, slightly hunched and has a bad waist. He has to support six relatives, and everyone is squeezed under a mud tile house with wooden shutters, and there are not many rooms. Their lives are barely passable.

Since September, there have been violent storms and rough seas here. Le Van Hung has been afraid to go into the water for fear that his hot boat the size of a bucket will capsize. In late February, watching the waves, the brick toilet of the restaurant was still buried under the messy beach. He told himself that he would be safe the day after tomorrow.

So, at sunrise on a recent Tuesday, Hong Huang rowed his boat and rocked in the 3-foot-high waves. On the sea blue water about 400 yards from the shore, he began to spread out transparent fishing nets. He started rowing with a fishing net, which formed a 6-foot-deep net and finally extended for more than 500 yards, and began to catch fish.

The sea is as calm as meditation, but the fishing net is still empty after a yard of rowing.

Mr. Hong grew up in Hoi An, which has been a fishing village sandwiched between green oceans and green rice fields for centuries. This atmospheric ancient town is flanked by long wooden porcelain shops and mustard-colored French colonies.

In the past 15 years, Vietnamese developers and international hotels have invested billions of dollars to build seaside resorts, and both locals and foreigners have opened hundreds of small hotels, restaurants and shops in and around the historical core area of the city. International tourists flock to the beach during the day and to the old city at night. Because Hoi An is too dependent on foreigners, the epidemic is particularly serious. In 20 19, among the 5.35 million tourists it received, 4 million came from abroad.

Around the old city, many hotels have sprung up on Dancheng Beach near Mr. Hong's home. In 20 17, Mr. Hong's family borrowed dozens of sun beds and thatched umbrellas from relatives and opened an open-air restaurant on the sand dunes behind the house.

Hong Van, a 23-year-old daughter, can cook seafood such as shrimp, squid and spring rolls. His two sons help to cook and entertain guests. He is responsible for washing dishes. In the summer of 20 19, Hong completely withdrew from the deep-sea fishing fleet, firmly believing that tourism was their ticket to a better life.

Mr. Hong, a widower, said through an interpreter, "I am happier. Working at home is very relaxing, and working with my family every day is also very comfortable. 」

His income is five times that when he went to sea, and his monthly fishing income is 3 million guilders, which is about RMB 850 yuan.

However, the virus swept through Southeast Asia. For most of April, Vietnam imposed a nationwide blockade and restaurants were empty.

Then, just as the local people were full of hope for the recovery of the nascent tourism industry, Vietnam suffered a second epidemic in July. The whole meeting was paralyzed for several weeks. Mr. Hong's savings are almost exhausted, and he knows that he must return to the sea. In August this year, he mastered the skill of pushing a basket boat with a single paddle in the waves, and his daughter sold his extra fishing tools on Facebook. But as the rainy season in 2020 is extended to 202 1, the sea becomes too dangerous.

The fishing boat swayed on the calm sea. Mr. Hong, wearing a plastic smock and gloves, began to pull the net and roll it into a pile. Occasionally, he will pick out a small jellyfish as clear as round ice. Twenty minutes later, a 5-inch whitebait and a small crab appeared in the net skirt. 15 minutes later, a small fish appeared.

Because the sea is stingy, Mr. Hong rowed back. He told himself that grilled fish can save a few cents, and fried fish will waste oil. He dreams of abundant catch.

Hong said: "I hope so, but I never know what happened underwater." 」

Skagway, Alaska: a cruise town without cruise ships

At this time, the residents of Skagway generally began to take summer seriously. This is no joke, because May to September is the peak tourist season, and they want to earn all their money for a year in five tense months. In the busy summer, 654.38+0.3 million passengers will disembark from the cruise ship and experience this gold rush town in southeast Alaska, which is surrounded by glaciers, mountains, deep fjords and the wilderness of Tongas National Forest.

Although the population of the town is only over 1000, before the outbreak, Skagway was the most popular cruise port in the world 18, with an annual tourism income of $6,543.8+6 billion. In the summer of 2020, it was originally expected that 6.5438+0.3 million tourists would stroll on the main road of Skagway, and the historic salons and hotels on the street became souvenir shops. This is a tourist-oriented town, and even the mayor Andrew Cremata has a sideline, that is, traveling at the pier.

The epidemic turned Skagway, a bustling town supported by cruise ships, into a ghost town. There are no cruise ships to swim in 2020, and the situation of 202 1 looks very serious. To make matters worse, the epidemic not only destroyed its economy, but also cut off the land links between Skagway and the rest of the world. The only way out of the city is the Canadian border 20 miles from the town, but it is closed now.

In order to avoid large-scale outflow of residents, the town put forward a unique method. Instead of using the stimulus funds of COVID-19's Aid, Relief and Economic Security Law for municipal operations, Skagway's leaders redistributed most of the funds to residents. Every full-time resident, regardless of age, can get a monthly subsidy of $65,438+0,000 yuan from June 2020 to February 2028, but there is one condition: the town's money must be used. The money can be used to pay the mortgage, shop at two grocery stores in town, buy home decoration products at hardware stores, or visit DVD rental stores, but you need to provide proof of receipt for local purchases.

For local leaders such as Mayor Andrew Cremata and Jamie Brick, Chairman of Skagway Heritage Committee, the basic principle is simple: ensure the survival of the town until tourists come back. They started other projects, such as vaccine distribution, COVID-19 testing, paying residents' medical rescue insurance, and helping food banks and schools in small towns. The mayor said, "A year ago, we had a goal, which was to stick to the tourist season of 2 1. This goal has been achieved very well, and we want to stick to it until the 2 1 tourist season. He paused and continued, "So now, we must make a new goal. 」

Andrew Cremata pointed out that on February 4th, the Canadian government extended the ban on cruise ships in its territorial waters until February 28th, 2022. This decision made Skagway's 202 1 summer tourism season a bubble.

The town leaders tried all kinds of methods. For example, they put forward a "Save Our Skagway" activity to encourage migrant workers to come back for a visit in the previous tourist season. Andrew Cremata said, "You can come here and have the best holiday of your life. In a small town with no traffic jams, you don't have to work 70 hours a week, but you can still do what you didn't do last summer. 」

But no one expects this plan, or anything else, to make up for the influx of cruise ships the previous summer. Jaime Bricker said, "The enterprises here are used to the scale of the cruise industry. 」

Ashley Call, the owner of Alaska Ocean Raft Company, has three boats that have been sealed for nearly two years. Previously, he predicted that 2020 would be the busiest season in history.

In order to survive the year of 20021,the mayor of a small town hopes that all the targets of the new economic stimulus plan can include funding for cities like the hardest hit areas. Not only did he live an extra year, but the mayor said that the current situation has caused residents to question the future of tourism and Skagway.

The mayor said, "what's good for skagway? Not only from the economic point of view, but also from the personal point of view, will it be healthier to work 70 hours a week without caring about children, or if the economy is more sustainable? People once said that I couldn't even walk on Broadway. The cruise ship is coming, and even the post office is not going. 」

He said with a smile: "In Skagway, there is always binary opposition. Although people will complain about going to Broadway, people here like tourists. Me too. 」

Paris: Let people send meals to the kitchen, not to mention life.

Today, the blood-red exterior wall of the restaurant looks the same, but it is quiet inside. Simple oak table with iron frame, no tablecloth, plates, balloon glasses, naked. Some pubs' chairs have been put into the storeroom, the zinc bars have been polished, and the oversized oblique mirrors, ivory walls and green and rose tiles have also been polished, waiting for the opening of the Paris restaurant.

Alain Ducasse, the boss of Aux Lyonnais, seems a little frustrated. Over the years, Michelin crowned him, and rich people from France and all over the world flocked to his restaurant. Among the restaurants owned by Alain Ducasse in Paris, 40% to 60% of the customers are tourists, including his three-star restaurant in Athens Square and two-star restaurant in Le Meurice Hotel, as well as Aux Lyonnais, Dickas-sur-Seine, Reich, benoit, Allard, Spoon and Cucina.

The epidemic overturned his world and the whole French food industry. Restaurants and cafes all over the country are closed, and I don't know when they will reopen.

Like many chefs here, 64-year-old Alain Ducasse turned to take-out, but not ordinary take-out. He temporarily changed Aux Lyonnais into a "naturalist", and turned the kitchen that once served pike meat rolls with strong Nantua sauce and veal liver with parsley and potatoes into what he called a "healthy" food distribution center-there was no meat, salt, sugar and dairy products, mainly fish, soybeans, fruits and vegetables.

The appetizer is 6 to 9 euros, the main course 12 to 14 euros and the dessert is 7 euros. Along one wall of the restaurant, there are dozens of lunch boxes waiting to be delivered (about 100 to 150 copies a day).

Alain Ducasse said, "I like the crazy way. 」

Marvic Medina Matos, a naturalist, is a 25-year-old chef from Peru. She and her staff carefully designed a menu, including pumpkin fish with pickled vegetables, red onions and hummus, smoked eels, cabbage and pine nuts, roasted apples with ginger and chestnut milk and caramel coffee, and soy milk chocolate Mu Si. They really want to create a brand-new menu that can be prepared in advance.

The day's work starts at 9 am, and Marvic Medina Matos and most of her six-member team will come to the restaurant. "Museum" has 1 1 independent wholesale suppliers, including fish, grains, seasonal fruits, vegetables and eggs, who deliver goods in advance every day or every other day.

The team members put on white chef's clothes and aprons and began to work together. An intern chef is in charge of appetizers and making pickled fish. Another young chef is in charge of the main course, making soup with onions and carrots, cutting mustard greens and adding lentils. An apprentice is in charge of dessert. He made cakes with flour and jam with lemon and kiwi fruit.

This process goes very fast. Marvic Medina Matos will announce loudly after the order is printed, and the team will reply "OK! After three or four minutes, the food will be ready.

Everyone in the team is responsible for putting the food into a box made of sucrose syrup, and the tableware is put in an envelope with the words "naturalist" printed on the front. An operation manager is responsible for packing, and handling distribution matters through many service agencies such as resto.paris supported by the Paris municipal government.

At present, take-away food can at least keep some employees in Alain Ducasse working and maybe make some money. Eating in Paris, of course, is for the sake of delicious food, but it is also for the sake of "le partage", that is, the same experience enjoyed together in the restaurant space.

Alain Ducasse said: "In France, when six people eat around a table, the ceremony begins. You opened a bottle of champagne. Then discuss what to eat. Then, you order and discuss what you are eating when the food comes. After that, we'll discuss what you ate. Finally discuss what to eat next week. People want to socialize through a bottle of good wine and look at beautiful and well-dressed women, instead of just sitting at the table and looking at their spouses. 」

"Let people send food to the kitchen, not bad. 」

Apollo Bay, Australia: a zombie enterprise that barely survives

Since March 2020, most Chinese restaurants in Apollo Bay have been closed. Before the Australian border was closed, it mainly served China tourists.

Apollo Bay, located in Victoria, southeast Australia, is a beach town along Dayang Road, which is 150 miles long, and it is also a popular scenic spot for a day trip along the coast in the tourist season.

Apollo Surfing Coast Chinese Restaurant is a restaurant facing the beach, which can go in and out from front to back and can receive nearly 200 customers who want to taste the taste of their hometown in a hurry. But now, it's lunchtime, and the restaurant is dark. Big wooden tables and benches just installed on the sidewalk before the epidemic have been neglected.

In 20 12, Michelle Chen walked around Dayang Road and found that there was no place suitable for her China stomach, so she opened this restaurant. With the rapid growth of tourists from China in this area, she saw an opportunity that should not be missed and was rewarded, but everything stopped last year.

In 20 17, China surpassed New Zealand and became the largest overseas tourism market in Australia. In 20 19, in Victoria with Melbourne as its capital, China tourists spent 3.4 billion Australian dollars (about1700 million RMB, exceeding the sum of the following international markets), accounting for nearly 40% of all international overnight visitors' spending. In the same year, 45% of overnight visitors from China visited Victoria on Dayang Road.

With the growing middle class in China and its geographical proximity to Australia, this decade-long tourism boom has prompted tourism enterprises in small communities such as Victoria and Apollo Bay to find ways to adapt, such as creating customized experiences, hiring Chinese-speaking staff, and translating menus and national park signs.

But last February 1, Australia banned flights from China, and in March, it banned foreign travel, as if someone had turned off the tap.

Ms. Chen said, "My business is almost gone. Except for a short time around Christmas, this restaurant has been closed since last March.

Ocean Road is a rugged jungle on one side and a surfing mecca on the other. Further on is the Twelve Disciples, a natural scenic spot made of limestone rising from the water, which is very popular. Sue Ladewig, head of Victoria Park's business team, said: "During the Spring Festival peak, tourists here jostled each other, but this year I enjoyed it alone. 」

Strict border closure, blockade and compulsory quarantine enable Australia to better control the virus. Of the 25 million people, 909 died. However, Australia may remain closed until 202 1, and enterprises that rely on foreigners may not be able to persist.

Evergreen Travel Agency provides Mandarin tours, and customers from China account for about half of the total customers. During the peak season, they send 16 buses to Dayang Road 20 times a week. Tom Huynh, the general manager, said, "If there are fewer tour groups than 10, we will be very lucky. 」

Mr. Huynh said that 1994, a travel agency established in Melbourne, has cancelled the insurance and registration of more than 20 buses, which have been idle in the warehouse.

In late February, Mr. Huynh said that the company had entered the liquidation stage and employees including him had been fired.

At Apollo Bay Bakery, the owner Sally Cannon said that after the travel ban came into effect, she took off the Chinese signboard in the window. For years, it has been promoting the store's signature scallop pie.

Sally cannon said, "We thought that's it. It may not change for a long time. 」

After the emergency blockade in February, most tourists in Victoria began to visit Apollo Bay again, and Sally Cannon's business also improved.

Max Zaytsev and Bilby Travel *** both run a travel company, and their customers are mainly Southeast Asians and Americans. He has no time to adapt to these changes. Before the outbreak, Max Zaytsev borrowed money to buy four luxury buses, and he still owes an expensive monthly payment.

In desperation, Max Zaytsev tried to switch to being a courier. He removed the seat of a bus and put on an express parcel, but his income was still not enough. He also tried to diversify, applied for certification in April, and provided car transportation services for the disabled, paying a fee of about 5,000 Australian dollars.

He said, "Do you know how many jobs I have found? No, zero. I'm just doing my best. 」

Like many Australians whose business or work is affected by the epidemic, Max Zaytsev, who lives in Melbourne, receives a support fund called JobKeeper from the government every two weeks. The amount is as high as 1 000 Australian dollars, but the money will expire at the end of March.

For travel companies like them, Max Zaytsev said, "Thanks to the support of JobKeeper, we seem to be alive, but we are already like zombies. 」

Virgin Islands: Horses cannot starve.

When the epidemic struck, Jennifer Olah had just signed a contract for a two-acre farm, which was her new home for a non-profit equestrian organization in the west of Santa Cruz Island.

In 20 13, cowgirls from Kruzan began to rescue and transform horses on the island, and gave animal education to local young people. Ms. Jennifer Ola relies on volunteers to help take care of horses and also on the income brought by international tourists. Visitors can ride horses and stroll through the rainbow beach and the rain forest on the island. The tour lasts about one and a half hours and costs about $65,438+000 each time, excluding tips. Jennifer Ola receives about 25 tourists every week.

On March 23, 2020, after the isolation at home began, all non-essential enterprises on Santa Cruz Island were forced to close down, and cruise ships could not come at all. In the busiest season of the year, Jennifer Ola's customer base disappeared. Regarding her 25 horses, she said, "We were forced to close down in March, but our horses must be taken care of and we must find ways to support our families. 」

Santa Cruz Island is one of the three main islands that make up the United States Virgin Islands. It is an archipelago in the Caribbean and belongs to the territory of the United States. Mainly rely on tourism and hotel industry to drive the economy. Usually, tourism accounts for 60% of its gross national product. However, in 2020, the number of tourists in the US Virgin Islands decreased by more than 60% compared with 20 19, from more than 2 million to more than 800,000 (excluding 12).

In Santa Cruz Island, this means that the unemployment rate on the island has doubled, petty theft has increased, and many enterprises have closed down, some of which have closed down 10 months. For Kruzan cowgirls, food shortage, theft and other problems followed.

Jennifer Olah said, "It's really expensive to buy feed here, because all the feed needs to be shipped from the island. So is the veterinarian. Because there are no horse doctors on the island, when horses are sick or need nursing, they can only let veterinarians fly from the mainland. Including proper medical care and food, each horse costs $500 a month.

Because she has no regular employees who need to pay monthly wages, she is not eligible for a loan through the wage protection plan. In order to survive the closure, she expressed her predicament on Facebook and other social media, and held several fund-raising activities online.

Jennifer Olah said: "We have sent text messages to everyone who has ridden with us in the past eight years, asking them to donate or buy gift certificates. Once the ban is lifted, these gift certificates can be used. They managed to raise enough money to spend the difficult March.

Frequent thieves also worry her. She said, "A few months ago, all our horse feed was stolen. Another time, our generator was stolen, all the harness was stolen twice, and there were several saddles and saddle pads. Someone even stole some chickens and ducks. Last Friday, someone stole three horses, but these horses were later found. 」

In order to save money, she reduced the weekly horse feed from 18 pounds to 16 pounds. If the feed is reduced by 10%, the existing food will last longer.

At one time, she began to suffer from insomnia and even suffered from ulcers. Because she was really overwhelmed, she also arranged a weekly treatment course for herself.

"I've been thinking about what these horses will do if they don't survive. This is really terrible, and now this fear has not disappeared. Because we don't know when this will end. 」

Despite the challenges, she is in a good mood. Jennifer Ola saw that tourism began to recover. The island is open again. In the past few months, more and more tourists have arrived by plane, and some popular restaurants on the island need to queue up.

She said, "We have barely survived until now and are still adapting. However, the tour group has resumed operation, although the number is still lower than that before the epidemic, with an average of-0/5 tourists per week, compared with the previous figure of 25.

Jennifer Ola said: "I think the vaccine has given people some confidence and they can start walking around." Recently, many health experts visited us. Yesterday, I also took four nurses to visit the racecourse. 」

This article is compiled from the article A Year Without Travel published by The New York Times on March 8th, 20021.