Societies across the world are still shut down as populations race to flatten the curve of coronavirus, and corporations are racing just as fast to find new and innovative ways to work for their employees, as well as experiences for their customers. Plenty of people are telecommuting to their jobs, students are learning via digital classrooms, and artists are hosting Instagram concerts. While these digitized experiences may not be perfect substitutes, they work pretty well for our current situation where social distancing is incredibly important. But, there are certain industries that have been unable to participate in this new trend, leaving them without much to offer in the current moment.
Lindblad Expeditions, however, is seeking to change this with their new virtual expeditions program. Through their website, the company is offering a variety of different experiences that are all available from the comfort of your home. The offerings change from day to day, but you can expect live music being contributed from artists around the world, slideshows, and activities curated by experts. There will also be a a daily recap for those that missed any aspect of the excitement.
The slideshow promises to be great fun and is largely contributed by users of the Lindblad website. It’s a weekly thing, and they announce the theme of the slideshow early, giving you time to scour through your camera roll to find your best shots that would fit right in. The themes are meant to give off a sense of adventure and exploration; for instance, as of the time of writing this article, the theme is sunsets, and anyone is allowed to contribute a photo.
In addition to guest-contributed content, there will be lots of activities that are curated by Lindblad themselves. There’s already a good amount of video content on their site, and they recreate some of the experiences one might have while on a cruise vacation. You can check out spider monkeys, go snorkeling or watch ants go marching in Costa Rica. The videos are essentially digital guides to different areas and types of wildlife, and they are led by naturalists that work with Lindblad.
As time goes on, the virtual experiences will evolve, so there will be plenty of reasons to stay tuned in. They are already planning activities for kids, cooking lessons, lectures and more. If this is the kind of thing you’re interested in (which, let’s be honest, how could you not be?), you can see what it’s all about on Lindblad’s website.
