Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only a significant impact on public health but also severely affected the tourism sector, one of the drivers of the global economy. Although this situation crisis makes tourism highly vulnerable, the sector is also in a unique position to contribute to broader and just effective recovery plans and actions. This chapter considers the major significant impacts, behaviours, and experiences that four major tourism stakeholders are experiencing during the COVID-19 period. Research on (1) tourism demand, (2) tourism supply, (3) destination management organizations, and (4) policy makers will identify the main challenges and opportunities in tourism sector in the post-COVID-19 period.
TopBackground
On December 8, 2019, the government of Wuhan in China, announced that health authorities were treating dozens of new virus cases identified as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (Bakar, 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
LOHAS Concept: A demographic defining a particular market segment related to sustainable living, “green” ecological initiatives, and generally composed of a relatively upscale and well-educated population segment.
Smart Destination: Is a geographical space (which can range from a neighborhood to a network of cities) where tourism development is planned and executed based on technological infrastructure, allowing local sustainable development while providing quality of the experiences for visitors and the quality of life for locals.
COVID-19: Is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus.
Sustainability: Means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to natural resources, we also need social and economic resources.
Digitalization: Is the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it is the process of moving to a digital business.
Security: Is freedom from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercive change) caused by others. Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be of persons and social groups, objects and institutions, ecosystems or any other entity or phenomenon vulnerable to unwanted change.
Tourism: Comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year (12 months) for leisure, business or other purposes.
Bleisure: Is a neologism formed by the union of the words business and leisure and therefore identifies the combination of work and leisure time. In particular, it indicates the practice of indulging in moments of relaxation during the business trip.
Domestic Tourism: Can be described as tourism involving residents of one country traveling within their own country. It does not involve the crossing of international borders at entry points.