PREPARE NOW TO GET THESE SIDE JOBS IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD
When the pandemic struck, millions of jobs in travel and entertainment simply disappeared. It didn’t matter whether you were a waiter or a tour guide — as cities shut down, job prospects vanished. However, as vaccines become more widely available, travel and entertainment side hustles are likely to be a hot spot in the post-pandemic world.
The reason is pent-up demand. People tend to delay discretionary spending during recessions to focus on necessities. The pandemic not only created those recessionary pressures, but also closed travel and entertainment venues to stop gatherings where the virus could spread. This meant that even people who could still afford these luxuries simply couldn’t have them.
If coronavirus infection rates fall, those strictures could evaporate, giving people the chance to satisfy their long-suppressed desires to dine out and travel.
Of course, this shift won’t happen overnight. Even optimistic projections of vaccine availability suggest it could be many months before enough of the population is inoculated. And consumers are likely to remain cautious, inclined to avoid large crowds, for some time.
That, however, is good news for some of the best travel and entertainment side hustles, which involve hosting small tours and preparing meals or hosting cooking classes. You need some preparation to set yourself up for success in these pursuits, and they are ideal for a world that prefers small gatherings.
What are the best travel and entertainment side hustles, and what should you do now to prepare for
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of Inc. Magazine.
1. Any and all things COVID/vaccine. Biotech and drug discovery are going to be a good place to spend time and money.
2. Remote working and videoconferencing. There are a dozen new companies making work-from-home clothing. You need a bit of style, at least from the top up.
2A. If you are in the real estate business, I think there are some empty office buildings that could be repurposed into housing.
3. Contactless delivery and shipping. It has been magical the last few months. The doorbell rings and when I answer it there is a bag of food lying there. Yes, I did order it and I did pay the delivery fee, and I did leave a tip, but for sure, the entire food/supply chain is going to be re-invented. And along with it, the whole gig economy, Proposition 22 redux.
4. Telehealth and telemedicine. Anything that makes the “doctor visit” less aggravating is a win for society. If you are going to tell me to take two aspirin and call you in the morning, don’t make me drive and park and sit in the waiting room. Seeing your shrink over Zoom can be liberating, if you get to an emotional tough spot, you can just hide the camera for a moment.
5. 5G. EvoNexus and Qualcomm have launched a 5G incubator. If you can get in, do it. The world of elearning will need speed and scope. And you’ll be able to send a video of your daughter dancing the Nutcracker in real time.
6. Robotics and A.I. I am clueless here, but my son thinks my driving skills are lousy, and that I should get a new car with those features that will keep me in my lane.
7. Augmented reality and virtual reality. See No.
5. It takes a lot of processing power to do facial recognition and send your avatar to the market to pick up a quart of milk.
8. Micro-mobility. This one is nuanced. San Diego has danced with the scooters and the bikes and the jury is still out. But you can see that the conf luence of working from home and the massive increases in bandwidth might suggest that people are going to drive to work less — and by extension, maybe they will walk or ride their bike.
9. Autonomous driving. See No. 6. My children think I will be safer sitting in the back seat and leaving the driving to technology.
There is no 10 because you, the reader, are going to be the inventor of that number. Stay safe.