In March 2020, the UK went into its first lockdown as part of its response to the Coronavirus pandemic. At this time, influencers were pushing the ‘stay at home’ message and supposedly using their platform to encourage compliance. So, why are the same influencers and celebrities justifying their decisions to travel out to Dubai, on alleged ‘PR trips’, after saying that they believe we should only go out if necessary?
Influencers or hypocrites?
I must admit I am struggling to see how a trip to Dubai can be categorised as necessary travel.
Lockdown restrictions may have been lifted in Dubai, but travelling to the other side of the world, when there really is no need, is inexcusable. The brutal reality is that the global COVID-19 death count is still rising and the pandemic still exists, yet celebrities and influencers continue to ignore and dismiss this through their careless actions.
This is beyond insensitive: so many lives have been lost from the virus and many more have been affected in the long-term, from those who have lost loved ones to those who have been socially distancing and self-isolating correctly even while facing economic and/or struggles with loneliness.
This pandemic has been harsh on us all, yet the actions of Britain’s so-called ‘influencers’ have shown complete ignorance.
“Are these influencers so unfeeling that they are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices required to keep us all safe?”
During the pandemic, people have suffered from mental health conditions; they have had to learn to work and study from home and have halted their lives in unprecedented ways but celebrities seem to believe it is ok for them to continue to jet off to Dubai. It seems unfathomable that these influencers claim that such trips are necessary for work when so many of us have adapted our work and home life to the pandemic. Are these influencers so unfeeling that they are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices required to keep us all safe?
Dubai’s struggles
Now Dubai is having to introduce further restrictions on its citizens. For example, from February, hotels will be required to operate at 70% of their total capacity and bars and pubs have been temporarily closed.
In addition, Dubai has been added to the UK’S ‘red list’, and in order to get to the country, you would have to travel via a third country. I highly doubt such measures would have to be in place if it were not for most of Britain’s influencers making unnecessary trips to the country.
Are influencers what we need during this pandemic?
Before the pandemic, privileges like being gifted upmarket clothes and products, going on brand trips, and living in luxury were already a part of day to day life for most influencers. However, it is unfair that their status as an influencer gives them opportunities to travel at a time when in reality no one should be leaving the country.
Do they have something special about them which means they cannot catch or spread the virus? Seems strange to me.
“There is absolutely no way we can tackle the virus if this continues; it will only get worse, not just for the UK, but for Dubai too.”
It is unsafe for everyone, and there is absolutely no way we can tackle the virus if this continues; it will only get worse, not just for the UK, but for Dubai too.
Recently on Twitter, Thomas Skinner spoke about how he felt influencers were promoting an unrealistic lifestyle that is unaffordable for everyday people and how this has heightened during the pandemic.
The idea of influencers jetting off to Dubai while people are becoming redundant and financially struggling is something that does not sit right with me.
“It is disgraceful that celebrities and influencers are able to use their wealth to simply ignore COVID-19 restrictions.”
Furthermore, the lifestyle that influencers lead is simply unattainable for those who are not making the salary of an influencer. An influencer can make between £100-£250 per post which is quite a hefty amount of money.
As such, it is unsurprising that influencers can afford to fund their Dubai trips or their general lavish lifestyle, but is this fair on those who have lost so much due to the virus? And is this the compassionate and responsible influence we need right now? I don’t think so.
A stark instance of a celebrity misusing their funds and privilege is the singer Rita Ora who hosted a lockdown birthday party in a restaurant and had the cameras turned off: she paid £5000 to arrange this. It is disgraceful that celebrities and influencers are able to use their wealth to simply ignore COVID-19 restrictions.
Rita Ora has also recently travelled to Australia to be a coach on ‘The Voice’ and has received significant backlash as a result of this decision. This gives the impression that she is unconcerned about the ongoing pandemic and the fact that her actions might increase the spread of the virus.
Leaving our home unnecessarily is the most selfish and inconsiderate thing we can do right now and to suggest that going on such trips to Dubai and other places are essential for work is an insult to the sacrifices being made by the general public during this time. I hope influencers realise they risk spreading the virus further by promoting such actions and that they start using their platform more responsibly.
Halimah Begum
Featured image courtesy of Christoph Schulz on Unsplash. Image licence found here. No changes were made to this image
Halimah Begum
Hi! My articles are mostly me sharing my thoughts and opinions, while also trying to inspire a reaction from my readers. I am most certainly not the best writer and I hope to enhance my writing skills. Hope you enjoy my work!