Dear Yuri,
I write from a tiny island that longs for the gift of travel again; an island that is so greatly dependent on tourism that many of our businesses will struggle to find their feet again. Yet I write from an island so full of community spirit that I don’t doubt for a second it will come good again when the time is right.
The Isle of Wight, just off the south coast of England, UK, should be heaving with visitors this time of year. The beautiful weather makes it even harder for the empty hotels, restaurants, beach cafes and tourist attractions to bear as their owners plan how they are going to pay winter bills with low summer incomes. The ferry operators have reduced their timetables and the only trips permitted are those that are absolutely essential.
But we will be patient. And while we wait, our artists will paint different scenes, our musicians will play to a different audience and our home-grown produce will be served to those in need locally. We’ll clap for our carers and we’ll spend time with our loved ones at home. We’ll check in on our neighbours and we’ll support local businesses as much as we can.
The Isle of Wight may be different for now, but we have faith in the future, and we’ll take this opportunity to pause and reflect. We’ll bounce back stronger, more creative and with even more to offer our much-missed holidaymakers.
We might be a small island, but we are very much here, ready and waiting for the day we can welcome visitors back.