Great article from CNN about what Nudist’s are during during the lockdown.
British Naturism’s commercial manager Andrew Welch tells CNN Travel there’s been a rise in naturism in Britain over the course of the UK’s lockdown.
He suggests that, for some, deciding not to wear clothing could be the natural next step to spending all day in your PJs or your sweats, no longer required to wear smart office wear.
Welch also connects this uptake to the shift to a slower pace of life and a growing appreciation of the sights and sounds of nature. Plus, Welch reckons that the naturist community’s pivot towards the virtual world has allowed more people to connect with like-minded individuals from across the country — and the globe.
Luft says he’s seen a similar shift in Paris: “People have been following our videos [and] sent emails saying, ‘You’ve inspired us to give it a go.'”
“When you’re feeling confined and closed in and imprisoned, if at least you can take off your clothes that is some way to free yourself a little,” he adds. “So, even in our tiny little Parisian apartments with no gardens and sometimes no balcony or anything, we still have that possibility.”
But while naturism may be gaining some new followers, both naturists say that a big part of the movement’s appeal is embracing nudity en masse.
For naturists, replicating that feeling online is tough — as is the realization that heading off to a nudist resort for a vacation is unlikely to happen for many this summer.
“When you are naked with other people, you are already showing yourself physically, there’s nothing to hide, no disguise,” Luft says. “And so, you tend to be more open, develop deeper relationships, and you talk more openly.”
With travel largely curtailed, vacation resorts across the world have been impacted by cancellations and complications.
Naturist resorts are, in some ways, no different — many naturist travelers and fully clothed travelers alike are being forced to cancel holidays and business owners are balancing the financial implications.
But naturist resort owners suggest that their resorts could bounce back quicker than average, because they offer something specific and attract fiercely loyal clientele.
Certainly, the naturist travelers who spoke to CNN said they’re keen to book a vacation as soon as they can.
“Naturism is something that you can do in your own house — of course you can — but actually, it’s much more about the fresh air and the sense of sunshine and the breeze on your skin. I think people will be craving those opportunities to go and do that within our community,” says Welch.
“There’s nothing like opening the door of your tent one morning or your caravan and just stepping out into the sunshine with nothing on, it really is the most wonderful feeling.”
French couple Martine and Pierre Dutray own Resort Naturista Grottamiranda, a naturist resort in Puglia, southern Italy.
Right now, the couple are in France and unable to travel to their resort, but they hope to return in June and reopen.
They expect their summer clientele will be largely local visitors — customers from the UK and elsewhere in Europe may struggle to visit this summer due to continued travel restrictions, mandatory quarantines and Covid-19 fears.
Martine Dutray says she’s not concerned.
“Our clientele is really very loyal,” she says, adding that many who canceled summer trips in February and March have rescheduled for the fall of 2021.
“You make some very genuine friendships that just don’t seem to happen in the clothed world,” says Parisian naturist president Luft, speaking about his trips to naturist resorts.
“I feel that every year when we go on a naturist holiday, we always meet some really interesting people that we just wouldn’t meet anywhere else.”
