Everyone needs a vacation. You can relax while soaking up the hot sun on a beach or breathe in the cold winter air in the snow. Wherever you choose to vacation, everyone can agree that it’s a place where you can de-stress and hang out with friends or family. However, we are still experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, and people everywhere have lost their jobs, homes, family, and friends. It’s been a stressful year, and people have had to budget their money for bills, food and clothes, not leaving much for entertainment by having to cancel concerts and vacations. Some, however, think the lower prices of hotels and plane tickets are considered better than the risk of catching COVID-19. But the question is, is vacationing ethical? Similar to every discussion, there are two arguments, and we here at Her Campus are going to give you both sides. Where vacationing is ethical or the opposite that it’s unethical.
Vacationing can be considered ethical.
Now some forget that there is a whole business surrounding vacationing. The airline pays the flight attendants and pilots, the hotels that pay their staff and the travel agents who arrange the vacation plans. This is how people make a living, and it’s safe to say they are also adjusting to the pandemic.
Take the Marriot hotels as an example. Their hotels can be seen everywhere and have adjusted their cleaning routine to fit into the COVID-19 safety protocols. They use electrostatic sprayers to maintain social distancing while sanitizing public and surface areas. Their employees also wear masks and gloves to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Marriot even went as far as to re-arrange their lobbies to remove or re-arrange the furniture to allow more space for distancing.
There’s also the concept of tourism. Many states in the U.S. and other countries depend on tourism, especially those surrounding communities and local businesses. By spending money at the local souvenir shops or restaurants, you’re supporting the owners and their employees.
The unethical aspects of vacationing.
Again, we are in a pandemic that has killed over two million worldwide, and the hospitals everywhere are over-worked and understaffed. Simply traveling for leisure isn’t the best decision, especially since there’s a risk for you and those around you.
There’s the additional ignorance to other’s suffering. Some celebrities and influencers are seen doing this as they post their vacation pictures on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok. The majority of the issue lies with them ignoring COVID-19 protocols to keep everyone safe and being blind to everyone else’s struggle as other people also wish to travel for vacation but won’t as it puts them and the people around them at risk.
Although, there is a counterargument that celebrities must travel for jobs and influencers travel to make content, which is their job. So vacationing for your pleasure is considered unethical, but if it’s necessary for work or family, it can’t be deemed unethical.
The essential thing is to stay safe. Ethics are important, and we here at Her Campus want to hear all sides of the story or argument but not at the expense of your physical and mental health. Whether you’re vacationing or going the safer route and having a staycation, the risk of COVID-19 should be your priority. Before you decide to plan a vacation, look over the COVID-19 safety protocols to make sure you protect yourself and those around you.