Local and foreign climes always get a buzz from a heap of Filipino travelers who seek for fun adventures and extraordinary encounters. Amid the peak of the pandemic, tourists and locals alike were compelled to change gears and reinvent their plans.
But after a long period of being restricted and staying at home– travel seekers can now yearn again for vacations and getaways as the world is slowly clawing its way to the new normal.
Anchoring on this wonder, the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP) held their April General Membership Meeting entitled, “The Future of Travel: Travel Content in a Post-Pandemic World” last April 28 via Facebook live stream.
Together with esteemed travel content creators Wil Dasovich, Jako de Leon, and Daniel Marsh, CICP Host Marco Ho steered the conversation toward the evolution of these digital content creators who discovered ways to connect with the pandemic world.
Traveling in uncertain times
Hit hard by the pandemic, the content creators said how they endured a “travel bug” after being stuck at home for too long. Despite that, Marsh affirmed that being under lockdown also makes him learn new things.
“Handling content creation is like an athlete; it takes seasonal breaks,” he stated, highlighting that the pandemic is one of those breaks.
But when the COVID-19 started to wane and borders reopened again, the travel content creators continued in pursuing their delight for trips and journeys anew.
When asked about what they learned during pandemic travels, Dasovich shared that one just has to get out of the box, see what’s going on in different parts of the world, and learn about new cultures.
“I don’t fear death, I fear not living,” he added.
Adapting the future of the new normal
The new normal brings countless possibilities to the world of travel content creation. Manifesting the goal to empower its viewers in pursuing their passion, the CICP, together with Cebu Pacific, shared travel reminders and tips and tricks to maximize such valuable experiences.
They also highlighted how they hope to successfully revert to the pre-pandemic level in 2024, noting that their airline prioritized the welfare of their staff during the pandemic with a 100% vaccinated workforce.
To uphold their goal of prioritizing the safety of their passengers, Cebu Pacific launched Fly Easy, a self-service and contactless campaign that encourages travelers to do their transactions like booking and checking in online.
Content creator, Kimpoy Feliciano also shared and encouraged people to start booking flights now, since most of the airlines are offering promos–unlimited rebookings, travel funds, etc.
“There are a lot of destinations that you can choose from like Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia that are pretty much operating as normal,” he added.
Traveler Content Creators in the Post-Pandemic World
Given their content’s massive reach to audiences, these creators recognize that their videos do not only give their audience an opportunity to see the world but also give them a much-deserved break from all that is happening around them.
The role of content creators in the post-pandemic world is geared towards a more valuable connection with their audiences. Their journey allows them to show the best of the places that they go, virtually bring their viewers to different places, inspire them to explore, and rediscover a place of interest.
Just like any other traveler, these content creators think of their purposes whenever they embark on a new journey.
“[I have] to fully immerse myself and be part of that place. Understand how these people are living,” De Leon said.
“Pandemic made travel bloggers create more conscious, thoughtful and responsible content.” Lucky from Discover MNL also added.
Australian content creator–Evie Farell left the viewers some tips on how to enhance content creation even though we’re still in the middle of the pandemic by diversifying into different niches, including statistics when reporting and giving value to the people that you work with.
Indeed, the future of travel may be different from what we have witnessed growing up but our desire for different journeys can be a gateway for much more memorable experiences– albeit, with masks on.
