Sincere question about traveling

[Honey12346]

I'm on holiday right now in a country that heavily relies on tourism. They do not have furlough, UC etc.

They need money. And yet those of us who want holidays get told on mumsnet we're selfish for possibly spreading variants to other countries etc.

But there is so many countries where people literally need to work to eat and keep a roof over their head. They do not get benefits. From the obvious third world countries where I read 100s of millions will starve to death due to western lockdowns to countries here in Europe who are not as lucky to have a UK type benefits system.

How is it selfish to not want people to lose everything and starve? I've never seen an answer to this.

Is it just British people not realizing that not all countries can pay citizens not work?

Or is it a genuine belief that the spread of covid is the worst possible thing that can happen to people so that should be the priority no matter if the consequences are people going destitute and starving? As long as it's not covid?

I'm really curious because I am trying to understand this way of thinking

It’s a global disaster.
I’m not sure which part is ambiguous. It is a disaster. Until people accept it is once in a hundred years disaster, then we start moving forward.

The wealth of the any nation is in the health of the nation.
It’s unfortunate that this particular nation has no other source of income other than tourism, but there’s nothing that can be done whilst you are in the middle of a disaster apart from being done already.
People aren’t suddenly going to feel sorry for this particular country and start flying there to help their economy. People simply don’t want to get ill, end up with long covid, or die (unlikely but could happen) plus they don’t want to import any viruses back into the country, and have no appetite or the financial means to quarantine when back home.
Overwhelming their hospitals with covid tourists doesn’t feel very altruistic either.

Not the only global disaster though… seems no one gives a rats ass about the climate… at least not enough to not travel. To name just one. Oh, and cancer, for another…

We have somewhat gotten our knickers in a twist about this one though.

@puppeteer I was going to mention climate change but I doubt it had a hand in the decline of travel rrecentky. People I I know seem very concerned about climate change and speak passionately about the subject , but they quickly forget about it when they start talking about holidays. Pre covid, many friends and acquaintances were jetting off at every single opportunity abroad even if it was for the weekend because the flights were so cheap. These are the same people complaining why the gov aren’t doing enough to tackle climate change.
Bizarre.

People complain about covid, at least there’s. vaccine for covid.
There’s no vaccine for climate change.

They need money. And yet those of us who want holidays get told on mumsnet we're selfish for possibly spreading variants to other countries etc.

I think the 'selfish 'comments are actually in relation to risking bringing back variants to this country, thus risking further lockdowns, all so some people can go on their holiday jollies.

Whether that's more or less selfish than leaving countries which rely on tourism with massive holes in their economies is a different issue. But to the vast majority of people the selfish part is risking bringing more variant back here (when we're doing pretty well compared to other places), not taking variants elsewhere.

How is it selfish to not want people to lose everything and starve

Do you really believe that’s why people are going abroad?

If they want to support people they can stay in their own countries and donate the cost of their holiday and spending money to charities helping people through covid. I’m sure there are plenty.

Last year my cousin was telling me of a family in the next small town over.
The dad had previously worked in finance but had lost his job during the peak of greek austerity. Jobs were few and far between so he took a job at a Greek hotel group and his wife waited tables at a small family run hotel.
For a whole chunk of last year there was no work. None.
Their daughter collapsed outside a bakery so was taken to hospital thinking it was heatstroke or something. Turns out the family hadn't eaten in 3 days as they couldn't afford to.
Their neighbours rallied round and the support was amazing but it shouldn't come to that.
People who bang on about how we "need to spend money here" seem to forget that other countries have had no furlough or support and lives can literally depend on our tourism.

The truth is poverty also kills but no one cares cos you can't sneeze "poor" onto someone

I’ve stopped listening to those that call me selfish for wanting to travel to see my family and also for wanting to travel because I love traveling.
If I manage to go I’ll self isolate and do the corresponding pcrs. Traveling is not banned so if I’m selfish then I don’t give a t*ss. Put up with enough selfishness from others in the last year.

If you want to travel then do it so. When you fly back then make sure to follow what the government says and there should be less risk than going to the pub on a Saturday night or going to a wedding with 100 people

I do hear what you're saying but the reality is that a lot of countries that rely on tourism are not as far forward in their vaccination program. I have family a country that relies on tourism with no welfare system, they are desperate for the vaccine so they can work again. In fact one family member took a pay freeze and lived on savings so the company could give out food parcels. They're currently under curfew for 19 hours a day due to a third wave. A third wave caused by returning nationals bringing in a new variant (borders are currently closed to non residents). There is no vaccine for them, it hasn't arrived yet (not in big enough quantities anyway). People are still dying, in the highest numbers they've seen with no end in sight. My family and I talk about repatriating my relatives bodies more than when we might see each other again because at the moment that seems more likely. We can't judge the rest of the world by our own rate of vaccination or our welfare system. There has been the phrase "we not safe until we're all safe" thrown around, that means the entire world.

It’s the same posters wanting to vaccinate British 12 year olds before helping vulnerable neighbours that are screaming selfish at people who want to go on holiday. Not worth any more than an eye roll and a downward scroll.

The tourist industry of a foreign country is never going to be an important concern for most of us whether we holiday abroad or not. Why should it be?
Yes, we need to care about others. Yes, we need to vaccinate the world. Yes, we need to promote trade by spending on overseas development, but just now we don’t need to import new variants.
We want this disaster to end.

Good one op trying to justify the fact going on holiday is benefiting someone.
Of course your right but Covid trumps everything.
Me Personally nobody should travel unless essential until vaccinated.

@Imnothereforthedrama

Good one op trying to justify the fact going on holiday is benefiting someone. Of course your right but Covid trumps everything. Me Personally nobody should travel unless essential until vaccinated.

But why does covid trump everything? And what if people would choose to rather get covid than starve? Still covid trumps that because imnothereforthedrama from mumsnet says so?

There are plenty of answers on here, Honey. You seem to have only read one. Are you as curious as you claim?

@Imnothereforthedrama

Good one op trying to justify the fact going on holiday is benefiting someone. Of course your right but Covid trumps everything. Me Personally nobody should travel unless essential until vaccinated.

if it was for me personally British pubs would be closed, banned mixing indoors and no weddings allowed but... luckily not me nor you are the PM.