Let’s Remember – We All are Part of A Bigger Community
ANIL PARASHAR । PRESIDENT & CEO । INTERGLOBE TECHNOLOGY QUOTIENT
We all are stuck in a time where keeping indoors is the best way to stay safe. With the hysteria slowly picking pace, it is best advised to practice mindfulness, taking one moment at a time and living it while remaining hopeful and spreading hope as much as possible.
Albeit confined behind four walls, it does not mean goals cannot be achieved and progress cannot be made. Take, for example, ITQ (InterGlobe Technology Quotient) teams have been coherently working from home for over a month now with remarkable results; engaging not only with each other but also with travel fraternity and providing trainings as well as critical updates. ITQ teams have been extremely vigilant to the community’s needs and have ensured all needs are duly met, queries timely resolved and support is provided swiftly, whether it is for setting a system at home for agents via helpdesk or linear entry to process refunds quickly on Travelport Smartpoint, our teams have been available to aid at just a call.
As far as staying strong is concerned, engaging in activities that promise development be it via creative indulgences or intellectual will certainly deliver optimism in these tough times. One look at the digital channels today tells us how innovative everyone has grown, finding fancier means of bringing outdoor games and activities, indoor. It is a fantastic fact to note that connectivity is still apparent and strong between masses and individuals alike, courtesy to a variety of digital mediums. We are not only connected in duties but also in spirit. We see people taking time now to do things that were perhaps a farfetched dream earlier; while some are learning to play musical instruments, others are engaging more with family, some are even completing two books a week while juggling between work and home.
Yet, the way this whole situation has impacted the travel industry is no hidden fact. We are all holding tightly to a rope; hoping things will stabilize soon. It seems, for the safety of our people, cautious moves, as exhibited by Government of India are mandatory and much supported. We, as an industry, are standing by the government and doing our bit with innovative ideas and amendments in procedures. For instance, look at how airlines are carrying cargos, even in passenger flights, and travel fraternity is coming forward to help the healthcare community.
Mentioned above is an exemplary example of our industry’s strength in coping with crisis and its ability to innovate with an attitude of servitude. As witnessed in past crises like recession, Asian financial crisis, gulf and oil crisis, and disease outbreaks like SARS and Swine Flu, the travel and aviation industries have portrayed resilience and come back strong, so have economies around the world. By standing strong as a community in the face of crisis is how we thrive and succeed. History has plenty of examples of the same.
With future in sight, mildly blur as it may seem at the moment, we are looking forward to impressive times where the entire community comes together to showcase a remarkable feat at innovation. As domestic travel is likely to embark sooner than international, we are expecting modifications to meet the situation. A middle seat may remain auxiliary for some time, its application could be turned to airline’s and passengers’ favour by transporting cargo, albeit in a rather refined and acceptable manner. This shall solve the purpose of social distancing and cost-management. Passengers could, in fact, welcome this move considering its impact on the final cost of flight to the traveller.
Overall, with a positive outlook despite this troubling situation we, as an industry, can sail just fine and come out stronger in due time to a period of wider growth and bigger developments; provided we work as a community – as we say at ITQ, for the travel industry and by the travel industry.
