“When are we going to return to a normal life so we can travel again?” This is a question I hear from many clients and friends weekly, a rhetorical question for which naturally I do not have an answer. They are among many Americans who want our world to be different than what it is now – obviously for health and economic reasons – but also so they can travel again, exploring and experiencing new places and people. Going to vineyards in Europe are at the top of many “can’t wait to travel again” lists. The European Union, among other countries, has forbidden Americans from arriving on their soil, and this has caused stress for many, on top of the already existing economic and social stress.
Travel, whether close or far away in another country, can provide us with mental and physical downtime, new experiences and an escape from the monotony of our weekly routine. All of this naturally is good for our health and brain function. I know it gives me some bit of mental escape when I go to new places, whether on my own personal time or for work. The pandemic has not just upended vacation travel; corporate travel has taken a nosedive with no possible lift in sight. Everything in our lives has been grounded.
My pre-COVID work included regular travel to Italy, leading wine trips for clients who want to experience that sense of connection to something new, meaningful and rich. While I endured long, sleepless hours at times, I was jazzed about the in-person connections to vineyard owners, wine makers and artisans with whom I worked. It also gave me an opportunity to have my own mental escape. While on the plane, I always felt a sense of calmness even while working feverishly on my laptop. I am not alone in this sense of “ahhh” on the plane. Other friends who had corporate travel abroad concur with this sense of in-flight stillness, a precursor to the frenetic activity that would ensue once on the ground.
While the advent of the pandemic forced an indefinite moratorium on our ability to travel and in-person experiences, we as entrepreneurs, business owners and corporate executives can’t remain idle; we have a duty to our teams, clients and companies to try to survive and thrive. We must pivot and make changes strategically yet swiftly on many business facets, which has included an attempt to maintain and create new in-person connections and experiences with clients and colleagues, virtually.
For me, there is no better experience than seeing clients enjoy their own mental escape with vineyard owners, sipping wine, gazing out over the horizon’s beauty and learning about the passion and craft of families who have continued winemaking traditions for generations. I cannot do that now. But I adjusted quickly to bring a similar connection to them from afar, virtually, and it has opened a whole new world for us and them, one I never thought would have emerged pre-COVID-19.
Clients and I are now not limited by overbooked airline schedules, company budgets or travel locations. The in-person connections and experiences that I cherish so much and upon which most business is built have shifted. I never could have imagined, seven months ago, that I would be embracing, as well as creating, a plethora of virtual tasting experiences and vineyard visits like I have been. What a great opportunity for all of us – clients, companies and friends can have this enjoyment and connection from anywhere!
As business leaders, we always must be agile and open to a shift in mindset. While I cannot wait for the time when it is safe to pack my bags and travel abroad again, I think that our travel will look different in the future. Our new manner of virtual connection is here to stay.
Jessica Norris Granatiero is the founder of The Savory Grape, a wine, beer and spirits shop in East Greenwich.
