Forget The Bat Kiss; the US has had bat crazy year. From much-maligned Missouri pool parties to crazy Manhattan scenes (screw cake: let them drink Prosecco) to stock market madness the rest of the world could be forgiven for thinking America has lost the plot (if you were left in any doubt Matt Damon’s latest haircut recently pulled out the last straw).
Apart from the societal upheaval centered around race-relations, polarised politics and Matt Damon’s mullet, there has also been a pandemic, which has left many US tourist attractions looking dystopian.
In Times Square, this century’s most iconic 11,600 square feet of concrete, the usual billboards have taken a back seat to graffiti like: “Never, never give up” and “We are all in this together.”
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This has been reported as “a chilling reminder of the incredible struggle the city has endured over the past few months, having at one time been the global epicenter of the deadly pandemic.”
Sports games are also illustrative of how things have changed. From NBA title celebrations like no other to carboard fans (as well as virtual reality ones) replacing real ones at baseball games, it’s been a big shift.
Las Vegas has also re-opened, with the city of debauchery now operating under strict new rules. news.com.au reports that in famous casinos on the Strip, “some machines are out of play with social distancing and plastic safety shields separate players and dealers at the tables.”
“There’s been criticism about Vegas visitors flouting the rules — hopefully what happens in Vegas truly does stay in Vegas.”
Lavish Instagram posts by the likes of luxury resort and casino Bellagio also suggest the high end of the Las Vegas industry is now picking back up too, and is keen to emphasize its classy side.
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“Like in Australia, American businesses have struggled to stay afloat during the economic downturn and major retailers are no exception,” news.com.au reports. “Luxury department chain Neiman Marcus — a popular destination for tourists with spending money to burn — has shut down stores across the country after it filed for bankruptcy due to the pandemic. H&M is also shutting 250 American stores.”
With major urban attractions, sports and shopping all radically different to the pre-Covid era, the US tourism industry could look quite different for quite some time.