If this is Normal, then I must be crazy!

Pandemic pandemonium and Virtual Expo's?

The moment I hear the media (usually pandering to clueless governments) referring to the current situation as "The New Norm" I roll my eyes. Be clear, there is nothing whatsoever "normal" about the way we are being asked to behave at this time. Our reaction in the face of the danger is totally out of all proportion. If current estimated figures are true, that 12 times the number of recorded cases is the actual number of infections, it makes this merely a bad case of La Grippe. The problem is, it's new, it's very contagious, it's probably man made and it is particularly bad for you if you're not built like Usain Bolt.

What is clear is that, as previously mentioned, no government, scientist or crystal-ball psychic has the remotest idea how this is going to play out. They are all making it up as they go along. So what chance have we, in our travel and hospitality sector got, to possibly make a plan for the future?

The answer is plainly none and this becomes clear when you listen in on, or participate in the literally countless webinars that continue to litter the timeline with themes like "Life after Corona" or "How to win back the business" or "Surviving the disaster". All kudos and support to my friends and colleagues in this business commenting, but sorry to say, I have yet to hear anything at these sessions that gives a clue what we need to plan. Talking-shops about what airlines, caterers, suppliers are doing to survive or anticipate the future are all well and good but as for solutions? ....... no-one knows.

VIRTUAL VIRTUE - or lack of...

As if the situation wasn't bizarre enough, we now have the concept of the "Virtual Expo" to contend with. Looking at how this is being sold causes me to comment again why the Suppliers get the thick end of the wedge - again. I commented before on the appalling distortion of costs for attending and exhibiting at these affairs between airlines and their suppliers. In the 80s and 90s the revenue model was very different to today. Everyone has moved on it seems except for the organizers of these events who still believe that it should all be funded by the supplier base.

And now, where Airlines and Airports are getting multi-billion dollar hand-outs from various quarters the hapless caterers and consultants are still to be clobbered 5 times the cost compared to an airport whilst the airlines still get freebies. Frankly it's unsustainable and very unfair.

Quite how these virtual Expos are expected to work I'm still unsure. Being asked to fork out $250 for what looks like access to a website with information and access that any company would be more than willing to make available for free in the name of promotion, seems quite bizarre.

You simply cannot "Virtually Network"

Particularly in the F&B sector - what can we expect, a virtual wine-tasting, with a cube of virtual cheese on a virtual cocktail stick? Maybe I have misread the intention here but it looks like a desperate attempt to squeeze revenue from already struggling suppliers in the in the absence of the ability to meet properly.

Surely, this was the opportunity to appear a little more virtuous and write off this year. The institutions that claim to fight for our cause could have created an online platform - which would cost virtually (and I mean that actually) nothing for all participants to share their products and services at minimal or no cost. It would build respect in the associations, give suppliers a much needed break in costs and give us all time to build back in time for the proper event in 2021 or whenever this nightmare ends.

We all know the suffering that suppliers especially are experiencing. Surely the focus now has to be on giving them every possible means to avoid recession or worse, and aid recovery.

I am not being disingenuous here, but in the many conversations I have, with my colleagues, there is a somewhat bitter taste left in the mouth by those who are being hit the worse. And taste is something that you don't get to experience in reality - at a Virtual Expo.