These are tough times for anyone with itchy feet. Here’s how we at Bradt see the situation for anyone in travel – long post alert!
You won’t need reminding what an awful time we’re all facing. For the moment, stuck at home, the world feels a smaller place. But it’s not – it’s all still out there, as big as ever.
And the only certainty right now is that this will pass. The time will come when we venture out once more. It might be later this year or it might be in 2021, but it will come – and what now seems an impossible distance away will loom large and exciting.
But, placing cards on the table, we hope to enlist your help during these difficult months. Many industries are suffering, but none more than travel. As the only independently owned guidebook publisher in the top 5, with no parent company, we find ourselves fighting for survival.
This isn’t a plea, though – it’s a rallying call! We want to mobilise those who have used our books over the years. Those who value the type of travel that we value and want to protect it as far as possible. So, if you’re at all able to help, we ask three things here:
First, stay as outward looking as you can. As we hunker down, let’s push the four walls back by anticipating what’s on the other side. We’ll provide all the material you need to indulge that wanderlust. Join us in celebrating a shared love of travel, even if that’s from our armchairs.
Second, plan for 2021. We’ll be travelling again soon, so why not get ahead? If you’ve a dream trip, research your ideal itinerary. If you’ve booked a trip for the coming weeks, consider pushing the date back rather than cancelling it altogether.
Third…please buy a Bradt guide! What better way to fill the hours than by reading a good book? And we’re offering 50% OFF all our titles for the foreseeable future. We’ve travel guides to inform and inspire, of course, and to help you plan.
We’ve a host of other titles too: books about Slow Travel in your local area; travel literature describing epic expeditions; celebrations of wildlife, in Britain & around the world; & activity guides that might provide some ideas for preventing you going stir-crazy.
OK, we’re not stupid. We know that no-one is unaffected by this, and if you have an elderly relative or run a small business then your priorities will lie elsewhere. Our thoughts are with you; we hope you find a way through.
But, if you feel you can afford to do so, please buy a few Bradt books during this lock-down rather than waiting until it passes. And please share this message. It’s only through the forward-thinking of readers like you that we’ll be around to publish guides when things return to normal.
Finally, whatever your situation, we hope you can stay positive. If nothing else, we’re all in this together.
Much love from all of us at Bradt.
Read our statement in full here: https://bit.ly/3dsQa4K