Countless unique ideas to serve tourists during the pandemic.

Accompanying the teddy bear

Stuffed bears are also participating in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, playing a role in ensuring social distancing. At Dream World amusement park in Pathum Thani, Thailand, oversized teddy bears have been placed on roller coasters to provide companionship for visitors.

Some restaurants and cafes in France and Thailand also place plush panda bears to keep diners company. Plush bears are cute and make dining tables look more appealing, compared to the use of mannequins in some restaurants in Japan, Germany, and the United States previously.

Social distancing hat

Last year, to celebrate its reopening, Cafe & Konditorei Rothe in Schwerin, Germany, offered customers specially decorated hats made of foam, intended to help ensure social distancing.

In Germany, with a similar purpose, Burger King's giant paper crowns went viral. The paper crown became a trend, then appeared in Singapore, and Burger King posted instructions online so people could make their own.

Yoga bubbles

This innovative idea was introduced in June 2020, on the grounds of the Hotel X Toronto complex in Canada. An outdoor activity organizer partnered with local fitness and yoga centers to hold classes amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Fifty bubbles were set up, with each participant exercising in a private and safe space.

Greenhouse cuisine

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced restaurants around the world to find solutions to attract customers while ensuring safety and social distancing. Mediamatic Eten, a company in Amsterdam (Netherlands), came up with an idea: creating charming little glasshouses that can accommodate 2-4 diners.

Waitstaff didn't need to go inside the glasshouse and had minimal contact with customers. They stood outside and delivered food and drinks using long planks. This glasshouse model subsequently became popular in restaurants throughout Europe and America.

Art through the car window

The "drive-in" trend isn't limited to film screenings; it has expanded to music events across Canada, the US, and Europe. Opera lovers have been sitting in their cars to watch live performances, with music streamed through their car radios. In Germany, nightclubs like Club Index in Lower Saxony or World Club Dome in Düsseldorf allow drivers to drive right up to the stage, where DJs play music while people enjoy the show in their cars.

Art exhibitions showcasing automotive design have also taken place in Brazil, the Netherlands, North America, and Singapore, with visitors driving around to admire large-scale artworks.

Mobile bar

Many hotel bars remain closed to limit large gatherings, so many have adapted their services. The Ocean House hotel in Rhode Island, USA, has launched a bright red bar that is wheeled from room to room during cocktail service, along with a selection of drinks and snacks.

The Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon, France, has added a "Champagne, Please!" button to in-room telephones, allowing guests to order wine at any time. Le Bristol Paris has implemented a "Ring and Drink" service, where hotel bartenders mix cocktails in rooms from a mobile bar. The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore has gone even further: they offer cocktail-making classes in-room for guests.

A single table

"Bord för En" means "table for one" in Swedish. This service takes you to the middle of a field, with a table, a chair, no waiters, and no other guests. Chef Rasmus Persson and his wife served these single guests throughout last spring and summer. The table and chair were set up in the middle of a meadow in Värmland, Sweden, and the meal was delivered in a wheeled basket.

Similarly, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal restaurant in Mexico has opened a private dining spot perched on rocks overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The table is set outdoors, on the cliffside below the restaurant. This unique table can seat up to six people, and each diner must pay at least $1,500 to reserve a table.

Ha Le