How you can help the industries hardest hit by coronavirus

Governments around the world have issued advice to limit public gatherings in the interest of safety and to slow the spread of the virus. For restaurant owners, this is a huge blow to their businesses and livelihoods. In response, many places have posted on social media saying that they are limiting entries, spreading out tables, and stepping up their sanitation and hygiene efforts, while some have cut out sit-down meals altogether to focus on creating take away meals for those that might need it.

Supporting local cafés and restaurants by ordering food to go is one way to help them financially, while purchasing gift cards for future celebrations and events would also help see them through the coming weeks and months. Some families are worse off, with schools and offices closing.

If you’re feeling extra generous, you could even buy gift cards for people in need that supports local business and helps them feed the troops.

Independent musicians and artists rely on crowds to pay their rent. If a band can’t gig, there is virtually zero income. Likewise, many artists sell their wares at markets or in shops, which have been hard hit by people isolating themselves and crowds avoiding cities that are usually bustling.

One way to support creatives is to take the time to check out what else they are doing. Buy their CDs, vinyls or tour posters if they have online stores, fund them on Patreon, buy tickets to future shows, or invest in some hand-knitted gloves or some home-made soap for as gifts created by artists.

Technology has put a lot of power in the hands of ordinary people. When enough momentum builds, the general public can back those in need in a quick and easy way. With the current COVID-19 outbreak, people have turned to crowdfunding for assistance, creating GoFundMe campaigns to raise money to support people out of work.

East Nashville’s popular musical hub The 5 Spot announced recently that is was attempting to raise $70,000 to keep their staff afloat, while a trip of teachers in Virginia are aiming to keep money coming in to feed 8,300 students who usually participate in free school lunch programs now that the institution has shut down. Scouting online for worthwhile causes to support is one way to make a difference.

Let’s face it, the big corporations will probably be OK. But whether it’s your local coffee shop that roasts its own beans or your nearby yoga studio that sells vouchers for special courses, local business will appreciate your custom. If home delivery is an option, ordering produce or clothes from local businesses is a very positive thing, creating a stable home-grown economy and giving you what you need in a safer way.

The current state of affairs has changed how all of us view travel. Perhaps it’s not all bad though. We are now more aware than ever before of how interconnected the world has become, and how one occurrence in a country far away can have a chain reaction felt elsewhere.

There is positivity to be taken from it though, and we must remember that things can improve, and that we are all reliant on each other. Planning future trips now, whether it’s researching online, ordering guidebooks, or booking refundable hotel stays for months in the future are all ways to keep yourself inspired and prepare to support industries and people that rely on you to travel responsibly and sustainably.

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The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is now a global pandemic. Find out what this means for travelers.