Wiping out an estimated 100.8 million travel and tourism-related jobs worldwide, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has effectively brought the industry to an abrupt standstill, currently accounting for a mere 10% of global GDP. Hitting the Asian Pacific region the hardest with an approximate 63.4 million jobs lost, many cling to fleeting hopes of a potential vaccine capable of diminishing this fatal disease. However, while the outbreak may inevitably end, innumerable reports have suggested the tourism industry may take up to 10 months, or longer depending on each individual nation’s restrictive measures, to recover from the heaviest economic blow yet.

New Normal Experiential Luxury Travel

Chambre Séparées

Beyond disrupting the international flow of medical supplies and other essential needs, the disastrous pandemic may change the way civilians work, live, and play, long after the dust settles. Whether it’s short getaways reachable by car and on foot, or opting for an increasingly isolated accommodation, much of our newly acquired social distancing habits are here for the long-haul.

The Hialeah Park Casino

With everything from restaurants, cinemas, casinos and the Las Vegas Strip shuttered up for lockdown, businesses aren’t left with any other choice but to adapt their operations, facilities and marketing strategies to a demographic of highly unnerved and health-conscious consumers.

NEW: Casino in Hialeah, Florida tests their updated poker tables. pic.twitter.com/VEQ6XuJZAO

— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) May 14, 2020

Unveiling the first-ever ‘Covid-Free’ poker table at the Hialeah Park Casino just outside of Miami, the Floridian gambling den prepares itself to provide unparalleled entertainment on top of a whole new set of stringent demands for safety and sanitation. Gone are the days of crowding nine to eleven players around a single regular-sized table, the casino’s latest set-up will officially accommodate no more than four players and one dealer at a time, ensuring appropriate physical distance between each participant, with the added security of a transparent barrier attached to each table.

Following similar ques, is the UNESCO protected Maldivian site known as, the Beach Bubble Tents of Seaside Finolhu resort. Supporting one of the largest groups of coral reefs in the Indian Ocean, the overall resort houses up to 125 private villas located on stilts above the lagoon or shoreside. Fully equipped with its own shower and WC, wooden floor, and a double bed clad in the finest bed linen, the Beach Bubble experience promises exclusive beach barbecue sessions, a personal butler and mouth-watering breakfasts on the beach. Conceptualized by ‘Eye in The Sky’, the tent features high-tech polyester fabric, UV-protection, and climate control settings – promising more than uninterrupted views of the vast sky and shoreline.

Perhaps not built specifically in light of Covid-19, the family-owned Panorama Glass Lodge in Reykjavík, Iceland is awe-inspiringly reminiscent of the intimate glass-and-greenhouse-style Chambre Séparées dining experience I was just raving about. Featuring fully furnished cabins to suit your every vibe, the lodge is revered for its exquisite craftmanship and stylish design details such as, traditional horns, cement tiles, and warm wood – plus picturesque views of the twinkling night sky, glazed facades, and modern facilities which include a kitchenette, ginormous bedding, bathroom, living area, and an outdoor hot tub. The Panorama Glass Lodge is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one of the few accommodations equipped with the facilities which allow guests to catch the northern lights on full display without leaving the comfort of their bed.