September 11, 2020

Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash

Today, we’re commemorating a very heavy day in our collective history.  Words cannot capture the stir of emotions we feel on this day of remembrance.  Some things in life simply require us to feel.  They call for a collective empathy.  Days like today invite us to recognize a common and shared grief - one deeply personal but also universal.  So, we remember.  We let it overtake us.  September 11th belongs here, in our hearts. 

As global citizens, our lives were profoundly changed by the events that took place on this day in the year 2001.  Our world of travel, this incredible community and family that we love, owes so much to this fateful day.  In so many ways, we are here because of 9/11.  We carry on for those who cannot.  

The world we woke up to on September 12th was filled with more uncertainty than any of us had ever experienced.  Our industry was faced with an unprecedented crisis.  Nearly every element of the global travel ecosystem ground to a screeching halt.  Travelers stranded.  Planes grounded.  Hotels vacant.  Tour operators and hospitality workers left unemployed.  Communities, cities, and countries, all powered by tourism were crippled and crushed.  There was only fear, and the long shadow of doubt cast across an entire industry.  Many of us wondered if we would ever get out from underneath.  

The parallels to our present situation and the global COVID-19 pandemic should not be lost on anyone.  So, let’s all agree not to waste this moment.  September 11th has taught us so much, and can continue to be a guiding light for our way moving forward.  What have we learned that we can use today?  

We learned that we’re strong.  And we are.

We learned that a united community can make a difference, so let’s continue to invest in our travel community.

We learned that our success is critically dependent on our ability to adapt.  It’s dependent on our perseverance, dependent on our desire and our stubborn will to carry on in spite of all the uncertainty and fear.  We adapt, persevere and carry on.

We learned that fear can freeze us in our tracks or it can motivate and challenge us to move forward even without all of the answers.  Let us continue to move ahead.

We learned that we can all be a catalyst for change, a change that allows us the opportunity to improve, to be better.  We must continue to be a catalyst, to be the good we wish to see all around us.

We learned how important it is to take care of ourselves, and to take care of all of those whom we are entrusted to look out for.   We must care more.

We learned that we needed to make travel safer, so we did.  But we must continue to improve.

We learned that we are all responsible for our collective safety.   We stepped up.

We learned that we have move in common than that which separates us.  We must understand.

We learned what it means to stand together, side by side, supporting each other and our industry as we fight for a common goal.  Today, we are united.

Most importantly, we’re here.  We fought through the fear and the uncertainty and the doubt and slowly but surely, we rebounded.   We opened our doors again and welcomed new guests.  We boarded planes and set out to rediscover the world around us.  We connected to new cultures and new places, expanding our global consciousness.  We revived our industry and ushered in an unprecedented period of incredible growth.  We reimagined nearly every aspect of how we travel the globe - getting us from point A to point Z safer and more securely.  We ushered in new technologies to improve our lives and how we connect with one another.  We reinforced the power of face-to-face, the power of meaningful and personal interaction, and the role that travel plays in connecting, sharing and understanding other people and other cultures.

We learned that there’s still so much that we don’t know, and that’s ok. There will always be that next thing that we can’t plan for.   But we’re resilient.  We know that on the other side of any challenging situation is long list of lessons learned that will help prepare us for whatever arises next.  We’re going to step up.  We’re going to be united.  We’re going to stand together and remember everything that 9/11 and the seemingly relentless global COVID-19 pandemic taught us and use that to get better.  We’re going to adapt again.  We have to.  

Because we are travel.  We represent the universal adoration, appreciation and acceptance of all people, places, and cultures.  We represent the endlessly curious, the explorers, the dreamers, and the searchers.   We unite communities and countries.  We are beacons of peace, love and understanding.  We know that the only way to really get to know a person is to walk where they walk, to see what they see, eat what they eat, and feel what they feel.  We live for the stories and experiences that can only be gained by seeing and doing.  We need to go all of the way there.  Along the way, we stand up for each other, and look out for each other.  We care for each other.  

So today, let’s remember it all.  The grief, sorrow, and suffering, for sure.  But let’s remember the lessons as well.  The strength we found when we needed it most.  The change we navigated our way through, to come out on the other side once again.   

Today, just like every day, our true calling in travel is to bring the world together, and the world needs that now more than ever.