How a Covid-19 vaccine could change travel for good–CNN, November 14, 2020
On November 9, it was announced that one of the candidates for a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech) was over 90% effective in preventing the virus. The hard-hit travel industry immediately got a boost, with airline and cruise company share prices rallying and tour operators seeing upticks in 2021 bookings. This article explores some ways that travel may change in 2021: 1) Travelers will make up for lost time (with people splashing out on more expensive trip bookings), 2) more bucket-list safaris, 3) people champing at the bit to get to Europe, and 4) how flexibility on 2021 deals are here to stay.
Covid pushes real estate into the future (and “healthy buildings” are the big shift)–New York Times, November 13, 2020
Explores how the coronavirus could be the crisis that finally propels the tech-averse real estate industry into the 21st century. How location matters less, now that the office is the kitchen, and it’s no longer the building’s bling-y amenity package—it’s peace of mind walking from the lobby to the living room. Some of the new technologies: robotic furniture that reimagines itself inside our shrinking walls, contactless apps that bring neighbors together, and ultraviolet wands in air ducts. The most important changes revolve around “healthier buildings”: systems that sanitize surfaces, diffuse viruses, and assuage resident fears.
Here’s why the business of sustainability has come of age–World Economic Forum, November 4, 2020
The CEO of a property business that invests in the Middle East puts it simply: impact investing has become a huge market (last year worth $715 billion globally) whose financial heft “reflects the growing reality among corporates and investors seeking to deliver strong financial returns for their shareholders while building a more equitable world for their stakeholders.” He explains the reason why for real estate affordability, liveability and resilience, investing in Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) is a “trade-on”—not a “trade-off.”
Three ideas for how to live a fuller life (it’s all about reimagining your relationship to time and coming to terms with death)–BBC, October 28, 2020)
The author of The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking (from which this article is adapted) argues that by reimagining our relationship with time—and coming to terms with death—we can improve our existence. The three ideas that are worth exploring: (1) “the dinner party of the afterlife”; (2) drawing on the wisdom of indigenous cultures whose worldviews dissolve the barriers between life and death, offering a sense of transcendence; and (3) taking the perspective of “deep time,” recognizing that humankind, and our own lives, are just an eye-blink in the cosmic story.
A Striking Stat: The stress storm that was the recent US election boosted meditation/mental wellness app installs that week by 30% for the biggest apps—Calm, Headspace, Pray.com, Breethe and Perception Timer.
Source: Sensor Tower’s Retailer Intelligence platform, November 2020
