Are we moving apart or is the world shrinking albeit virtually?

Published on : April 07, 2020

Author : Raj Shroff & Pooja Motani

The coronavirus has curtailed the movements of people across the globe… Borders have already been shut down to stop its further diffusion… Trade and investment has come to a halt… Virtual meetings has become the new norm…

In the post COVID19 era, firstly, the host countries will likely make the visa norms stricter for persons traveling from the most affected countries. Besides thermal scanners, it is likely that there may be other medicals checkups at the airports. Secondly, individuals themselves will be apprehensive in taking up international travel. The biggest fear being quarantined because of airport checkups. Thirdly, the business travel will require a higher compelling threshold to make physical travel than was earlier because most are (forcibly) finding out that we can hold meetings virtually as well.

All this would also require global companies to have their base/represntative locally for swiftly grabbing business opportunities. On the other hand the unquantifiable damage of all this being reduced personal interaction and cultural exchange between countries.

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