Children swiping the airport floor with their stuffed toys. Their parents discretely pushing forward, so nobody would jump into the precious queue. No officer in sight who would alarm us that we were not keeping the prescribed distance. We all seemed like one happy group, a family almost. Thrilled we will enter the promised land of corona-free tourism. Only Moses could separate us!

I always had a problem with the term “social distancing”. But now I finally understood. It seemed that social distancing was an activity of distancing from certain objects or rules we engage in together. It’s a – social activity! Taking a physical distance would just be an individual act. But social distancing is a term to describe that we do this act of distancing from the “2-meter rule” together. Like a flashmob, let’s say. We are all there together to distance ourselves from the rule.

It was obvious that countries such as Croatia or Greece, which heavily depend on tourism, had to open up to visitors sooner or later. But under what conditions, under which measures? If the two-meter distance rule becomes just a mellow euphemism for digging a hole under one’s feet (and we all know what lies two meters under the ground), what kind of touristic promotion would that be? Tourism which gambles with the lives of its visitors and locals can only prosper as a funeral business. Six feet under.

Coronavirus in Croatia is a racist!

“Do you continue for Zagreb?”, that was the only question the passport control officer asked. Sure, I left my contact details back on the plane. But here, entering the promised land free of disease, they gave no further instructions. Flying in from Greece, I was allowed to enter the city of Split, even if it was known as the center of a major COVID-19 outbreak that decimated one retirement home.

As an EU-citizen, I didn’t have to enter quarantine. I did have to follow special recommendations for the first 14 days on Croatian soil. However, nobody apart from Google informed me about this.

I didn’t get any informative leaflets. Nobody checked my temperature. Nobody asked me for test results. I didn’t even have to remove a mask from my face for the purpose of identification!

The tiny dangerous virus proved to be racist! According to the Croatian border policy, the virus checks the nationality of its victim before attacking it!

When I flew into Greece from Serbia, a month earlier, my experience as a traveler was much more reassuring. Greece was conducting COVID-19 tests on all passengers from Serbia (regardless of their nationality). Greece was protecting its citizens and tourists by testing everyone coming in from a high-risk country. Unlike Croatia where people who need to take a test are charged 200 Euros, the state of Greece was covering these costs.

On the other side, Croatia was allowing in visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina (a non-EU state) without quarantine, as long as they had Croatian citizenship. This came in handy for the political elections in the country, but also promoted an unusual theory that the tiny dangerous virus is a racist! It checks the nationality of its victim before attacking!

EU-members were allowed to enter Croatia as before the pandemic. Non-EU members had to have a personal, business, touristic, or educational reason for coming. Could you have any other?

The temptation of touristic income

Wiggling with safety measures had to show the first results. COVID-19 cases in Croatia were again on the rise. But it seemed summer made Croats snooze this alarm. Tourists started pouring in and, after a lockdown, Croatia welcomed them as saviors of the stumbled economy.

The shuttle bus from Split airport to the city center was packed this week. Passengers were sitting not only in their seats but also on the aisle floor. It didn’t seem that any measure of social distancing was in place. Sitting on the floor was not a hygienical solution even in the pre-COVID era! The transport in the time of the infectious disease looked more like an emergency evacuation from a war zone. Priorities were not set right.

There was an another Pleso Prijevoz bus parked in front of the airport terminal. It could have certainly taken the excess of passengers. But it seemed the pandemic opened the opportunity for extra profit here, not extra care. Take the money and run! was almost official. Out of change, the driver of the full bus ran towards the bank to get smaller denominations, just so he could sell even more tickets and pack even more passengers into the aisle of the bus!

In Greece, which clearly marked if certain seats in public transport (be it ferry, metro, or bus) should not be sat on, in order to maintain a safe distance, I experienced that fear of infection is much more real than a hunger for extra profit.

Do you wonder how will the hospitality industry be after the pandemic ends? Imagine these hotels after COVID-19!

‘I prefer to sit alone!’

I was traveling with a friend in Crete. We bought two tickets for a bus heading from Chania to Rethymno. Even if our tickets had reserved seating, the seats were occupied. A lady on number 9, and her purse on number 10.

“I’m sorry, I believe you are sitting on our seats, madam”, I politely approached her.

“Couldn’t you sit somewhere else?”, she nonchalantly responded, showing towards the end of the bus.

I looked around, and the vehicle was full of single travelers, occupying every row.

“I’m really sorry, but the bus is full of single travelers. We would like to sit in our seats!”

She was not showing signs of changing her mind. She liked this row.

“What is your problem, madam?”, I still tried to be nice but had to repeat this question several times, drawing the attention of other passengers. Our voices were slightly rising, and I was now thinking that someone could be making a viral Youtube video out of this.

“I prefer to sit alone!”, the lady exclaimed.

“Well, buy a car!”, I lost my temper. “These are our seats, we cannot give them up for you and your purse!”

Our back and forth lasted for a minute or so, and the bus was already on the go. In the end, I called her out for being ignorant letting a disabled person stand in the aisle during the ride. My friend has Parkinson’s disease, and I didn’t really want to pull out that argument just to exercise the right of sitting in the seats we paid for. Only when he yelled out something in Greek, which sounded like thunder, but was probably “just move away”, did she finally lower her queen-Elizabeth guard and shifted to another empty seat.

The difference between Cretan and cretin bus

When this Crete bus episode happened, I thought it was primarily telling about how selfish we could become in times of crisis. I was thinking it was mainly a story of caring for one’s own behind, disrespecting people who surround us.

I had to leave Crete and discover Croatia, in order to find out that disrespect for others could have even more fertile ground. This fertile ground flourishes in the circumstances when care is absolutely absent. When nobody cares about extending one’s own personal safe space but accepts that loading up the bus to the fullest is just a new norm, something we shouldn’t object against, we welcome this universe of the ultimate disrespect. We do not care about our own life or about the life of our fellow passengers, ultimately serving just the profit of a bus company carrying us around like potatoes.

If I could choose, I would always opt for quarreling with an arrogant lady in the Cretan bus than not quarreling with anyone on the cretin bus.

Croatia full of risk

Making a quick profit should not be a new normal. Not testing enough citizens and tourists will not make the number of infections lower.

Loosening up the Croatian measures of taming the disease might have been a useful pre-election stunt for the old-new ruling political party. But open calls to tourists no matter where they come from and no matter what they carry inside of them is just a gamble game.

Croatian minister of tourism Gari Cappelli was inviting Swedes to come over when their COVID numbers were skyrocketing. He claimed that Swedish tourists do not present a greater risk. As long as they can provide proof that they booked a room, of course! Now again, Croatia became the first country to open up to American travelers, ignoring the crisis in the United States, as well as the EU recommendations.

The uprising against the regime of Aleksandar Vučić in Serbia shows that people in the Balkans cannot stand the lockdown measures for long. But even more, they cannot stand being played out by the politics, shifting from a need to need on a daily basis. Always led by politicians more invested in quick fixes to the problems, Balkan countries hardly ever develop and follow long-term strategies.

The Croatian economy was not glittering even before the COVID-19 crisis. The decision to fix the economic problems by exposing the country to greater risks is one of those short-term strategies that could prove detrimental.

Not obeying the six-foot distance is the quickest way to six-foot-under. And if that starts to happen more often, Croatia that is currently still “full of life”, might have to invent a new touristic slogan.

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Could remote locations of The Balé and Sojourn Boutique Villas be their advantage point after the pandemic?

I’ve visited two hotels in Cambodia that could have certain advantages in the upcoming years. The Balé resort is located half-an-hour car ride from Phnom Penh center, 15 kilometers to the north. Sojourn Boutique Villas are located 5 kilometers south of Siem Reap, which requires a 15-minute car ride to the center of this buzzy town. Could the location of these two hotels in major Cambodian travel hubs represent their hidden ace after we win the battle over COVID-19 and tourism fully returns to the country?

The Balé Phnom Penh resort – Mekong’s finest riverbank

Even if it carries the same name as The Balé in Nusa Dua, the Cambodian resort bears similarities with the Indonesian namesake mainly in the elegant and minimalist design concept. Unlike the Bali property that seems to be a perfect hideaway for lovers, the sole resort in Phnom Penh aims to cater to a variety of guests. It provides the setting for weddings, but also business meetings, family fun times, or even extraordinary parties.

This five-star hotel on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital city is not a place you would accidentally wander into. Leisure and pleasure at The Balé, the member of the Lifestyle Retreats, are always intentional! With only eighteen suites hidden on the banks of the Mekong River, this secret retreat is a literal metaphor of escape from the masses of the central Phnom Penh.

Entered through a long corridor with greenery-covered walls, via a levitating pathway zig-zagging over a black infinity pond, The Balé universe delivers modern architecture on your way to a relaxation fantasy. Adorned with traditional Buddha images of various kinds on one side and contemporary street art translating the elements of Khmer art on the other, this luxurious spaceship seems to be well-connected with local culture and people.

Courtyard suites center around the lawn dominated by a Bodhi tree, the symbol of Buddha’s enlightenment. Riverfront suites overlook the waters of Mekong, where observing the passing boats brings you at the state of zen.

#stayinside

All suites’ sizes at The Balé Phnom Penh are 100 square meters or more. Most of us have bedrooms that are smaller than their bathrooms!

The spacious courtyard room combines living, sleeping, and working area; from the sofa, via the working desk, to extra-long king beds, space is the last thing one will miss here!

With sliding doors, the room extends even further. The private patio has another daybed, now in the shadow of a frangipani tree. It gives a feeling of a “Big Brother” chill courtyard, but without the surveillance.

The bathroom has double sinks, a large bathtub, as well as a walk-in rainforest shower. It gives you a feeling of a spa! A yoga mat in the corner reminds you to expand your search for inner peace.

Of course, you can always opt for a day in front of a smart TV. It is loaded with hundreds of film titles! Grab some homemade cookies or the complimentary fruit basket, and dive into a movie marathon! You can also read books, or play a game of Jenga! If you need anything, there is always a butler to ring!

The four riverfront suites have their own special benefit. They all offer stunning sunrise views you can enjoy from your private terrace with a refreshing plunge pool.

For everyone else, there is a small gym and a central outdoor swimming pool of a decent size, with only palm trees separating you from the Mekong River flow. After a good swim, one can relax on sun loungers, shaded daybeds, or one of the pool floaties. Personally, I’d prefer to see some less conventional plastic animals floating in the hotel of such a clean design. But swans and unicorns surely have their clients among the trendsetters, always returning for more.

The gym at The Balé Phnom Penh may not be as big as the one in The Samata Sanur, Bali, even if both hotels have the same owner. But it’s still a useful add-on! For a truly fitness-style vacation in the state-of-art training facilities, check the Indonesian resort I wrote about in my article on top resorts in Bali.

Know where your food comes from

Besides our expectations of space and services in hotel rooms, our food rituals will also change. Hotel buffets will probably become history after the pandemic. Lavish tables filled with gastronomic wonders have become a synonym for a royal treatment when starting a day with five stars. Goodbye to that!

The Balé Phnom Penh, with its limited number of suites, doesn’t provide a buffet-style breakfast. But this doesn’t deprive you of the opulence of choices in an open menu! Eat their homemade pastries, hand-crafted granola, fresh farm eggs and vegetables, or seasonal fruits! For a more Asian flavor, try their Miso soup with silk tofu or ice-cold Somen noodles. If you want to completely indulge in Khmer cuisine, your breakfast could include Kuy Teav (rice noodles in rich pork broth with Mekong river lobster), Bor Bor (rice porridge with slow-roasted chicken), Lort Char (short rice noodles stir-fried with marinated Wagyu beef and fried organic duck egg) or Bay (roasted chicken thigh in lemongrass and garlic with pickled veggies).

Their in-house restaurant called Theato will provide all-day dining as well, so no need to leave the resort! You can enjoy the giant prawn from the river passing-by, fillet of a water buffalo with sweet potato, banana blossom salad with chicken, or salt and chili duck! There are enough creative options to fill a week or two of your stay in The Balé! And you can also ‘water’ it down with signature cocktails that use Cambodian first premium rum and gin!

If you want to have special and meaningful food experiences in Cambodia, check out these unique restaurants in Siem Reap!

Make your own meal at the cooking class

You should also try making your own food at The Balé! The cooking class with chef Men Somera was not just an educational, but also a fun experience for me! It’s refreshing to find someone who can loosen up the serious front, and whisk some humor into all that food business!

The day started on the Chroy Changvar market where we bought the ingredients for our one-on-one class. We even tried some local sweets, which were not on our shopping list! The market is a very authentic and vivid place, with no tourists, but a lot of typical families in their daily routines.

Later at the hotel, in open-air, I was able to cook a full-course Cambodian meal under the chef’s guidance. Our menu included the appetizer Nhom Suary Chearmuy Trey Chrer (green mango salad with smoked fish), Sngor Jruk Sach Mon (chicken sour soup with lime, basil, and sawtooth coriander), the main course of Amok Trey (classic snakehead fish & prawn soufflé in Khmer spice and coconut), and as a dessert – Sang Xyar Larpov (pumpkin & coconut custard).

You don’t just get an introduction into the Cambodian cuisine, but also have a fun-filled morning, eat what you’ve cooked, and last but not least: you get the recipes in writing! Once you return home, you can try to be your own masterchef!

Sojourn Boutique Villas in Siem Reap also offer an opportunity to learn to prepare meals in Khmer style. Their cooking class will open a window into the daily life of a Khmer rural household. After a village visit, it will also introduce you to a professional chef who will uncover the secrets of the Cambodian dishes in a hands-on experience. Mango salad, fish amok, Cambodian curry, and local desserts are a part of your learning menu!

Sojourn Boutique Villas – Siem Reap’s hidden retreat

Welcome to the Khmer scents and flavors starts with a check-in to Sojourn Boutique Villas. A complimentary coconut pancake, a glass of lime juice, and the scent of the lemongrass oil filling the room, wait for you as soon as you enter this green oasis surrounded by dusty roads. Tuk-tuk from the Treak Village to Siem Reap center will cost you 2 dollars each way, and the driver will wait for you. You can also rent a bicycle if you’re keen!

Cashing in on their remoteness from Siem Reap, a base for exploring the famous Angkor Wat sunrise, Sojourn Boutique Villas profit from both worlds. Guests are close enough to effortlessly reach the archeological-cultural excursions. But Sojourn also offers them a secure getaway when the pressure of the crowds and chaos in Angkor Park or the Pub Street get overwhelming.

The number of 10 villas in a small but lush tropical garden seems to be quite optimal. No overcrowding on the lovely central pool with a swim-up bar! It is an excellent spot to replenish your vitamin D reserves, maybe with a cocktail awaiting next to your sun lounger.

If you want more privacy, you can always retreat under the shade of your terrace. Enjoy the cicadas’ songs just after the sunset! For even more seclusion, there is an indoor sitting area, perfect for consuming a cup of tea or reading one of the displayed books or magazines. The room is decorated in a minimalist way, with some plants and flower installations, as well as locally produced Buddha statues that are available for purchase.

Future trends in the hotel industry will be framed by sustainability

Even after a decade of operating, Sojourn Boutique Villas’ contemporary design does not seem to be outdated. The bathtub comes with a waterfall feature. For those who prefer standing, there is an indoor and outdoor version of the shower. The hot water comes from solar panels!

The initiatives to preserve the environmental resources are visible in both The Balé and Sojourn. While the first reclaims water irrigation, generates electricity from the sun, and uses biodegradable products, the latter emphasizes low energy lighting, advanced water management system, waste reduction programs, and composting.

Sojourn Boutique Villas also focus on local and sustainable food suppliers. Some examples are Eggselent Eggs from free-to-roam chicken, the organic Ibis Rice which costs more in order to ensure that the farmers will not expand their fields into the wetlands – the nesting sites of birds, Wild Samlout Honey with proceedings being invested into creating social and economic opportunities for women and girls… From pottery via cushion covers to soaps, products in this 4-star hotel come from the locals.

The straws here are made of metal, and there is a Refill not Landfill water container in the lobby, supporting the campaign to reduce the plastic pollution which is omnipresent in the Cambodian tourist industry.

There have been great initiatives in diminishing unnecessary waste in recent years. COVID-19 already poses a threat with all those discarded gloves and facemasks! We can only hope it will not hit our eco-responsibility like a boomerang. Just after showing great progress in making hotel bathrooms more environment-friendly (for instance, larger and refillable shampoo containers), there is a risk that post-pandemic times could bring a comeback of small single-use products. Which means more plastic waste, and more health hazard for the planet!

Some Cambodian hotels such as Jaya House, Treeline, and Mulberry continued implementing their no-plastic policy even during the lockdown. They donated thousands of meals to Siem Reap citizens. Check how you can support the initiatives that deal with the effects of coronavirus in Cambodia!

Social distancing as a challenge

Social distancing measures may have a negative effect on those job opportunities which rely on the human touch. For many workers in Cambodia, especially those who lost their sight in the minefields, massage service for the tourists was always a secure source of income.

In the case of Sojourn Boutique Villas, their in-house Origins Spa follows the general hotel principles of employing local villagers. Girls who had just a few years of primary school education were trained for providing spa therapies here. A young woman named Prii gave me a good pressure massage. I could have been in any other well-established city parlor, and wouldn’t feel a difference. The hotel enabled the possibilities of a brighter future for Prii and other girls, and it worked!

I put my hopes into raising of precaution measures and hygiene standards in the hotels after COVID-19 comes to a halt, so that all those Cambodians, who were underprivileged even before the pandemic, can return to work!

Hotels after COVID-19 – chasing the future of the hospitality industry

Phnom Penh, as the capital of Cambodia, and Siem Reap, as the country’s cultural hub, have experienced rapid growth of tourism in the years preceding the coronavirus pandemic. While their somewhat chaotic hustle and bustle is a cultural experience in itself, it is an intense one. Staying at a calm and peaceful, tucked-away retreat was always a remedy for active explorers.

The post-COVID-19 travel industry will change. Even the most social ones among us will need a decent space just for themselves. Getting away from the urban jungles and their crowds is a logical trend that may define the future of the hotel industry.

Travelers will be dreaming of a great escape, but the one that will offer them a full experience. They will be looking for a unique setting, but also a feeling of higher security and lower risks. Smaller hotels on the outskirts of busy cities, close to nature and authentic villages, already have a strategic position that could guarantee the serenity of isolation. If we add luxury to the equation, these retreats could be a perfect city break escape.

Booking.com’s research already showed that modern travelers aim for more sustainable travel decisions. Surely, the pandemic experience will stay a constant reminder of the impact we have on the environment. The eco-friendly resorts, which celebrate cleanliness but not on the account of the negative environmental impact, should profit in the long run.

Future trends in the hospitality industry will also include a very personal guest service with a human touch. Those hotels that will convince travelers that they support their working force as much as the environment, will have an additional social appeal.

At The Balé Phnom Penh resort and Sojourn Boutique Villas in Siem Reap, the future of hospitality is already knocking on their door.

If you’re interested to stay in these hotels after COVID-19 pandemic ends, click on the following links for the best available prices: The Balé or Sojourn Boutique Villas.

What is your vision of the hotels after COVID-19? Leave your comment below!
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Disclosure: My stay at The Balé Phnom Penh resort and Sojourn Boutique Villas in Siem Reap was complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

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These numbers look great, even if we ignore for a moment all those doubts over the extent of testing. Cambodia certainly didn’t come anywhere close to the tragic scenarios of Italy, Spain, or the USA. However, in a world under lockdown, the country’s reliance on tourism as a key booster of the economy may become a true nightmare!

This April, Angkor Wat received only 654 visitors! With tourism on its knees, Cambodia faces challenges as serious as the coronavirus epidemic!

The effects are already here. Before the crisis that started in Wuhan, practically every third tourist in Cambodia came from China! The most famous Khmer tourist site Angkor Wat welcomed 122 Chinese tourists this April. In the same month last year, there were 78.917 visitors from China!

The largest religious structure in the world is one of the main reasons why international tourists visit Cambodia. From 185.403 visitors in April 2019, the total numbers dropped to 654 in April 2020! The nightmarish crowds visiting Angkor Wat I wrote about in December, are now just a distant memory!

Even in the heyday of Angkor Wat tourism, Siem Reap Province was one of the poorest in Cambodia. Every second inhabitant here lived below the poverty line, earning barely 79 Cents per day!

The drop in tourist numbers severely impacted the income of many Cambodians. The country that experienced famine during the terror of the Khmer Rouge regime, is now facing new challenges that could have a seriously detrimental effect.

Luckily, there are initiatives that recognized that the lockdown is not a moment for shutting down the spirit. There are still ways one could make a meaningful difference!

Support these initiatives dealing with coronavirus effects in Cambodia!

1. Hotels joining hands

With no tourists in sight, the hotels could have easily put the key in their lock and waited for better times. But three properties in Siem Reap, already famous for their responsible approach to tourism have partnered up to make a difference!

Jaya House Hotels, Treeline Urban Resort, and Mulberry Boutique Hotel joined with the Cambodian Landmine Museum in an initiative to deliver food to those in need.

“Now that the coronavirus crisis has hit, the hospitality industry has come to a devastating and grinding halt. Many jobs have been lost, many hotels closed and many Khmer without an income to provide for themselves let alone their families”, says Christian de Boer, the managing director of Jaya.

Hotels Joining Hands is a community-based partnership that wishes to provide basic nutrition in these hard times. With the rice harvesting season still a long way off and the monsoons fast approaching, there is a serious risk of malnutrition and waterborne diseases.

In the past weeks, the partner hotels have donated thousands of meals and tons of rice to fellow Cambodians. The current capacity of the project is 300-400 meals per day, but demand is higher. The hotels aim to double production.

Local suppliers provide all meals, which means that the project is creating jobs even in times of crisis!

In accordance with sustainable practices of the hotels (remember, plastic-free Jaya House RiverPark was my favorite hotel of 2017, and Treeline Urban Resort won the same title in my 2019 year review!), they serve all the meals in natural, biodegradable parcels!

The initiative is entirely based on donations so help it out at the Hotels Joining Hands website!

2. Transforming life through arts

Besides hotels, restaurants, and shops, Cambodian entertainment venues have closed too.

Phare Ponleu Selpak, the NGO improving the lives of underprivileged youth through fine arts and circus, was especially affected. Both of their venues, in Battambang and Siem Reap, were ordered to close. Over 1000 students lost the source of their income! These circus shows were financing 60 % of the school’s budget, which raised a great question mark on the future of this extraordinary project.

COVID-19 did not break their spirit! The artists created “Stay home, stay fit” TikTok video showing how you can train even at home. The visual arts students and their alumni created inspiring artworks and shared them on social media. The school also partnered with Minor Act to create an engaging music video with an important public health message – “Wash Ya Handz!!!”. The proceeds from every stream of the track go directly to Phare artists, so make sure to watch the video! It is also linked to the “Save the circus kids” crowdfunding initiative.

The Phare has prioritized emergency food relief for the most vulnerable members of their staff and artists. With the circus not performing and no income arriving, the basic nutrition support became a priority. Phare plans to deliver emergency relief packs of food and sanitary products in the following weeks as well!

However, without outside support, this cannot be a long-lasting measure. Consider making a donation to the school, so they can continue providing food, as well as art education and employment opportunities for Cambodian youth and their families! Did you know that your donation of 50 Dollars can supply one Cambodian family with food for a whole month?

3. Taking care of the elephants

Besides people, even elephants are threatened by the coronavirus crisis in Cambodia!

These gentle giants who built the famous Angkor Wat, are the endangered species in Cambodia today. They fell victim to the loss of habitat, poaching, and snares.

To save the elephants from heavy farm work and elephant rides, animal sanctuaries, such as the Mondulkiri Project, have been established. The idea was that tourists would be willing to join the jungle treks with the elephants and provide a more ethical source of income.

With no tourists, no alternative solution for the elephants is available. Mondulkiri Project asked for donations so they can continue paying mahouts to take care of the animals, renting the forest where they live, as well as renting Sophie, the elephant that the sanctuary doesn’t own permanently.

If you wish to support the five elephants of the Mondulkiri project, click to donate here!

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