Our world is being shaken. Writing personally, Covid 19 has given me the chance to reflect on my actions, goals and ambitions, questioning my individual place and role in society. Adding to the pandemic fear, there are the demonstrations and protests around the globe, speaking out against racial inequality with the Black Lives Matter Campaign. Both have impacted society in a great wave, fuelling a sense of social discomfort and pain.

As an owner of an established travel business, I've certainly wrestled with thoughts and unanswered questions about the future, especially the industry I only really know - travel & tourism. On the environmental impact, realising the stark reality of the negative impacts of tourism, I signed a declaration Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency at the start of 2020. Bitter sweet that a global pandemic has brought the travel and tourism industry to a virtual standstill, with lack of demand for airlines, cruise lines, hotels, railways, car rental companies, tour operators and travel agencies like Travel Matters, my business.

**Travel Matters - established 21 years**

On the social impact, I am reminded of the International Institute For Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) a not for profit organisation dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation. A movement to preserve heritage, create poverty reduction and heal the wounds of conflict through initiatives to help bring about a peaceful and sustainable world.

As I see the world opening up again to the movement of people, I realise that I have my greatest opportunity to do things better. To use common sense, to be responsible and mindful when I travel, respecting the host communities I visit, remembering that it’s their environment, their destination I pass through, sensitive to the land & nature around me, enhancing my knowledge of other countries and cultures. This code of conduct and awareness should apply to how I live at home as well as when I travel. The Make Travel Matter campaign was created to help with those tips and ideas. It’s a campaign that I have wanted to share with everyone who knows me personally, as well as those who I have not met.

Early in 2020, Travel Matters partnered with Jump , the UK’s leading supplier of employee engagement programmes that drive sustainable behaviours within a range of industries. From corporate employers to university students, Jump has a proven record of 15.2 million positive actions recorded. By promoting Jump within the travel industry, we’d love to drive positive change across the entire sector. As part of our Make Travel Matter campaign, we’re actively encouraging other industry partners and travel companies to look at their impact, producing a chain effect in the travel sector. A focus on behavioural change is the main ambition of this initiative. The travel sector, pre covid 19 employed over 300 million people globally. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the global travel and tourism market is predicted to see a loss of over 100 million jobs worldwide in 2020 alone. It’s utterly devasting, however, I cannot give up hope.

What else can we do at Travel Matters? We’ll continue to engage with travellers who are keen to broaden their perspective, venture to new places, connect with new people, learn about different cultures and heritage as well as build international relationships. We know all too well that nothing changes the way you view your own life experience like seeing the way other people live. Your visit to a destination can provide an important source of income and sometimes the most important stream of revenue in many countries and regions around the world. Tourism creates many job opportunities and we can’t forget that.

In conclusion, despite the setbacks, doubts and fears, I’m persevering in my role within the travel industry as a business owner, keen to be a kind global citizen, eager to participate in IIPT’s vision of the travel and tourism industry – to become the world's first global peace industry; sharing the belief that every traveller is potentially an "Ambassador for Peace.”

Karen Simmonds is the owner of Travel Matters

A personal reflection halfway through 2020