Life in the time of COVID-19 with World Resorts of Distinction’s Tess Willcox

Life in the time of COVID-19 with World Resorts of Distinction’s Tess Willcox

This week, we interviewed World Resorts of Distinction’s CEO, Tess Wilcox, to find out how she’s coping amid the corona-craziness.

What are you reading?

Make a Living, Living by Nina Karnikowski, Tales from the Roads Less Traveled by Pie Aerts and Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield (for the 100th time, but very apt at this time).

What are you watching?

Chef’s Table and Story of God (both on Netflix).

What are you listening to?

A deep eclectic mix of Ethiopian jazz, Ayub Ogada (Kenya) and French soundtracks.

What are you cooking?

My famous Moroccan chicken stew, Yotam Ottolenghi’s Tunisian chicken pie, and spicy shakshuka with halloumi.

How are you staying fit both physically and mentally?

I’m lucky enough to live right on the beach, so I meditate on the sand at sunrise, then spend an hour doing yoga and finish off my days with a sunset beach walk with a podcast backdrop.

Every few days, I will head out to the valley and do my secret bush walk whilst I embark on another Spanish lesson.

What’s the one thing keeping you sane?

Books, candles, red wine, and the view of the ocean. Oh, and FaceTime. God bless FaceTime!

What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since the coronavirus hit?

Slowing down. We aren’t often blessed with the time in this era to allow slowness and stillness. I have learnt to surrender to what is and bask in the privilege of having a home that I am safe in, an oven that cooks my meals, and putting pen to paper for a lot of the day.

There is such a resurgence of people getting back to their roots – baking bread, spending time with their families, reading books. The ability to let our planet breathe for a couple of months is not a benefit that is lost on me.

What have you learned about yourself amid the crisis?

That I am more resilient than what I gave myself credit for, and that I find a lot of beauty in stillness. I’ve been travelling non-stop for 15 years, so an invitation to slow down has been extremely self-reflective for me.

Also, after this is over, and our world finds a new normal, that my efforts in campaigning for conscious travel will be more essential than ever before.

What’s your advice for others in the travel industry on coping with the crisis?

Sit in grace (after you’ve allowed yourself the freefall into despair). It’s difficult when you watch everything you’ve built all but collapse overnight, but as an industry, we have weathered many storms together, and this one will be no different.

Use the time to slow down, to plan, to recalibrate and decipher where you want your mark in this world to be made. If you weren’t on the right path previously, you are definitely being given the opportunity to find it.

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]