PUBLISHER’S NOTE

I write this note at an unprecedented moment in modern history, when an increasing number of countries are closing their borders and advising against all travel in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Flights are being canceled, cruise lines are suspending their operations, and national lockdowns are threatening to keep everyone at home. I know the world will recover from this, and I fervently hope that the tide will turn in the months ahead. Until then, though, we must all brace ourselves for major disruptions to our lives. For DestinAsian, this means the cancellation or our annual June/July Islands Issue. The magazine you’re holding in your hands will regrettably be the last one you see until August, when I hope our regular publishing cycle will resume. This has not been an easy decision and I apologize for any disappointment this brings to our readers and business partners, but I also look forward to coming back stronger than ever once this health crisis is under control. We’ll be using the occasion to ramp up our online content to give you the latest travel news and updates, so do check out our website and social media platforms.

In the meantime, while we don’t expect the stories in these pages will have anyone packing their bags in a hurry (I’m looking at you, Parma), we want this edition to be a reminder of the world’s infinite beauty; that it is always worth exploring and full of experiences that enlighten us and make us realize our shared humanity. I hope you’ll consider visiting these places once life returns to normalcy; I know I will.

Until then, stay informed, wash your hands religiously, take care of your health, and practice social distancing as much as possible. The situation may now be bleak in many nations, but as I write this in the third week of March, the indications are that China has turned a corner. So hope remains on the horizon. For just as the rising sun warms the darkest winter morning, there will be better days ahead and we will all once again take flight.