Here are Our Thoughts on COVID-19

These are strange and unprecedented times that have been devastating for businesses and individuals around the world. As we are easing out of lockdown in France, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on the past couple of months and share our thoughts on how this may impact the travel industry in the near future.

The impact of COVID-19 has certainly proven to be trying and has posed challenges that are some of the most difficult we’ve had to overcome since the inception of our company. On a professional level, we know that we are not alone in this and everyone has been dealing with similar issues and challenges, no matter the industry – whether you’re a business owner or employee, these unique circumstances have tested our ability to thrive and to overcome. 

One of the guiding principles that Andre and I live by is to not waste time and energy on things that are out of our control. At times, this is easier said than done but I have found that, when applied, it’s been very helpful in every aspect of my life. Applying this guiding principle to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 allowed us to dedicate all of our time and energy on the things we could control. 

I find that staying positive is crucial in overcoming any difficult situation. As unexpected and trying as COVID-19 has been, Andre and I remind ourselves that dealing with new and difficult challenges is part of what we love about being entrepreneurs. Like so many of us, the constant need to improve, learn and adapt is what drives and motivates us every day. 

Quarantine and business slowing down over the past couple of months has, surprisingly, had its positive side. Andre and I had the time to spend entire days discussing the future of our company and ways we can improve our service, business model, systems and processes. In a way, this time has been absolutely freeing because it allowed us to step out of our usual day-to-day routine and analyse the last six and half years of business. This has been an opportunity for us to hit the ‘pause button’ to build a clearer and stronger vision for our company, which we couldn’t feel more confident about. 

We have a lot of exciting things coming up. We took this time to establish a new partnership which is a significant step and key milestone for our company (stay tuned to find out more about this). We are expanding to a new destination in Spain before summer and have completely redesigned our website which we will be launching soon (again, stay tuned)! 

Another positive note was seeing the support and comradery there was among, not only clients and property owners, but our competitors. Acquaintances with whom we have only worked with one or two times in the past have reached out and shared their data and insight on bookings for the coming season and their thoughts and ideas on how to navigate the situation. 

As countries begin life after lockdown, things are far from being ‘back to normal.’ We are seeing an increase in inquiries which shows that people want to travel again and remain hopeful that they will be able to do so this summer. It’s very clear that this summer we will see a greater influx of ‘local tourism.’ Less people will travel abroad, choosing instead to explore different regions within their own country. We will have a much clearer understanding of what the summer season will look like in June, once we’ve seen data from European countries post-lockdown.

We look forward to things getting back to normal and welcoming all of our guests in our destinations. We look forward to unveiling the projects and changes we have in store. And, more than ever, we look forward to seeing what the future holds for A.M.A Selections.

Stay positive and stay safe!

Cheers,

Mariek and Andre

Founders of A.M.A Selections