An Open Letter to the Coronavirus

To the Novel Coronavirus That Causes COVID-19,

Congratulations on your meteoric rise to fame. In the span of a few mere weeks, you have become the media's darling, the world's biggest celebrity, and the puppeteer manipulating how we as a race go about our collective life. Bravo.

Far be it from me to stand toe-to-toe against such a herculean being, but I must make myself vulnerable and beg your mercy on just a few fronts.

More so than anything, I beg that you cease your theft of life and of the health of our most vulnerable. We know you have the ability to live silently; why must you be so selective with how you do so?

When, and only when, you accept my terms in regard to restoring our collective health, I must make another request: Can you please stop your bullying of the tourism industry?

Since you are still in your infancy and have had but a few months to gain an understanding of the world you have so badly shaken, I will give you a courtesy primer of what this is:

The tourism industry is the global community that helps us all to remain just that: a community. Ten percent of the entire world can proudly state that they put their talents toward this noble line of work, and I have the privilege of being one of them. Through tireless planning, networking and research, we help make this vast world fully accessible to all of its creatures.

I want to make sure that you understand that you have robbed us of something, the value of which cannot be stated: our end result. At this point in the year, it is not uncommon for us to be working 14-hour days, giving every ounce of ourselves to our work, ensuring we do right by our travelers. Something miraculous happens, though: You don't hear us complaining. When you receive photographs and videos of the people for whom you work living out paradigm-shifting experiences, it makes every late night at the office more than worth it.

This year, we are still working those long days and nights, but, due to the carnage you have splattered all over the planet, it is all without that payoff. You have viciously watched and laughed as we are forced to disassemble all of the tireless work we have devoted to our art, and, most brutally, you have given us no sign of when you will stop this.

Please, Virus, I beg you, let us know when you will stop. Decimating the part of the year to which we most look forward is selfish enough; why must you threaten to be even more gluttonous in your thievery?

Theatres are dark, buses are immobile, museums are shuttered, and people are lonely and disconnected.

You've had your time in the sun. Please stop.

Please let me and my millions of colleagues and friends worldwide continue to help make this crazy world fun and friendly.

Sincerely,

A Travel Coordinator, Sitting at His Dining Room Table, Trying to Clean Up Your Mess

Written by Ryan Kramer, Travel Coordinator, Bob Rogers Travel.