This week, Travel Weekly caught up with Melissa Ellison, area manager for Australia at Booking.com, to find out how she’s been faring since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
What are you reading?
Untamed by Glennon Doyle and Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham.
What are you watching?
Mare of Easttown.
What are you listening to?
Spotify playlists: We Be Vibin’ and Chilled Hits.
What are you cooking?
Nothing exciting!
How are you staying fit both physically and mentally?
Morning workouts and afternoon walks.
What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since the coronavirus hit?
More gratitude for the things we have and creativity to stay entertained/keep families entertained.
What have you learned about yourself amid the crisis?
After a few weeks of lockdown, I decided to hotel quarantine so I could be closer to family in Queensland, which taught me the importance of prioritising mental health. Since being closer to loved ones, I am now in a better place to support others.
What’s your advice for others in the industry on coping with the crisis?
Use the support available to you, and know that hope is coming and people will return to travel when it’s safe to do so.
Where is your favourite domestic travel destination?
Sunshine Coast. I have many fond memories of family holidays growing up there.
What is the one international travel memory keeping you going through this time?
Travelling to Budapest and Iceland with a friend right before COVID started.
Where do you want to travel to once international travel restrictions ease up?
The list is long! Top three would be the coast of Italy, South Africa and Japan.
