The success of the initiative could shape the hospitality and tourism industries to survive the pandemic and social distancing.
An Amsterdam restaurant called Mediamatic capable of serving customers in compliance with social distancing measures in what looks like an outdoor garden is already fully booked until the end of June.
This development highlights many issues plaguing the hospitality and tourism industry as it attempts to advance into the post-coronavirus business era.
In recent months, social distancing and other measures taken by national governments and private companies have hit some businesses hard. In particular, they forced restaurants, hotels, bars and many other industries to close in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus.
According to a study by scientists from Harvard University's Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, published in the journal Science, some form of social distancing may be needed until 2022. We could see measures of social distancing throughout 2020, and perhaps beyond.
This means that business owners, managers and servers in industries that rely on face-to-face interaction must find ways to work.
In the photos you see groups of customers inside glass warehouses. They are placed delicately on a stone patio covered with vegetation, under which there is a canal.
A "new normal" restaurant
The waiter dresses as always, with the addition of a mask and gloves to ensure that his short time in direct proximity to his customers minimizes the risk of mutual contamination. Each unit appears to have a pocket door. On the door is a number showing the guest units in the "dining room".
Of course, nothing is absolutely foolproof. Especially against coronavirus contamination. This however could be one of the ways of providing meaningful experiences to people.
