Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 20089

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lajos Boros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Depertment of Economic and Social Geography, University of Szeged, H-6721 Szeged, Hungary
Interests: tourism; sharing economy; tourism planning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Cezar Morar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Geography, Tourism and Sport, University of Oradea, University Str, C Hall, Office 221, 410087 Oradea, Romania
Interests: sustainable tourism; tourism development; nature-based tourism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented shock to the tourism sector. Before the pandemic, tourism was one of the main sources of economic growth and job creation. Tourism was among the first sectors affected by the pandemic; due to the travel restrictions, limited availability of services (e.g., restaurant and hotel closures), social distancing, the broader economic problems caused by the pandemic and the perceived travel risks have led to the fell of tourist arrivals worldwide. The crisis has put millions of businesses and jobs at risk and caused macro-economic problems as well. The availability of vaccines made the pandemic more or less manageable, but the crisis is not over yet; new virus variants emerge, and the vaccination levels are varying across populations. Thus, the future of the tourism sector remains uncertain.

During the pandemic some analysts argued that the pandemic would transform tourism industry. New trends such as virtual tourism, staycations or visiting remote, less crowded areas have emerged and strengthened. Due to the risk acquiring reliable information on travel became more important than ever. Furthermore, COVID-19 was often seen as a turning point to move from overtourism towards a more sustainable future. However, there is only limited evidence in this regard. At the same time, COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of global tourism sector, thus it is important to highlight the lessons learned to increase resilience against future crises.

The aim of the special issue analyse the effects of the pandemic on tourism and the lessons learnt from the crisis. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

changing travel preferences and patterns
national, regional and local policies supporting the survival and recovery of tourism
crisis management in tourism
planning and forecasting in tourism
analysis of tourism indicators
innovative data sources and analysis
innovations in tourism in relation to the pandemic
(the lack of) tourism and wellbeing
sustainable tourism
safety, risk perception, trust
vaccination and travel
short term rentals and COVID-19
aviation industry and COVID-19
employment in tourism
new forms of co-operation between various actors of tourism
virtual tourism and COVID-19

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

You may choose our Special Issue in JRFM.

Dr. Lajos Boros
Dr. Cezar Morar
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

COVID-19
tourism
Airbnb
short term rentals
hotel industry
tourism recovery
crisis management
sustainable tourism
travel restrictions
vulnerability
uncertainty
virtual tourism
travel information

Published Papers (12 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

43 pages, 5214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

G20 Tourism Carbon Footprint and COVID-19 Impact

by Akihiko Tsutsumi, Ryuzo Furukawa, Yusuke Kitamura and Norihiro Itsubo

Sustainability 2024, 16(5), 2222; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16052222 - 06 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1079

Abstract

The Glasgow Declaration called for scientifically based measurements of CO₂ emissions in the tourism industry to monitor progress toward the achievement of the goals of the Paris Agreement. Despite the economic and employment downturn caused by COVID-19, there are limited cases of environmental assessments related to tourism. In this study, we estimated the CFP of the tourism industry in the G20 countries before and after COVID-19. By combining the MRIO and Tourism Satellite Accounts, we clarified the different impacts on the markets for domestic tourism and inbound tourism, aiming to provide a quantitative basis for setting scientifically grounded goals towards the transition to sustainable tourism. The GHG emissions from tourism mainly stem from transportation, but souvenirs, accommodations, and food and beverages also result in significant differences among countries. The pandemic has greatly impacted the tourism industry. In 2020, the GHG emissions from both domestic and inbound tourism significantly decreased due to the decrease in the number of tourists. In some countries, measures against COVID-19 influenced these figures, and although signs of recovery were observed in 2021, the degree of reduction varied by country. These emission reductions should be the goals pursued by the tourism industry in the post-COVID-19 era, and efforts should be made to achieve sustainable tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 991 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Intellectual Capital of Intensively Tourism-Dependent Countries Between, Prior, and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Ratapol Wudhikarn, Photchanaphisut Pattanasak, Vorathamon Cherapanukorn and Boontarika Paphawasit

Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1510; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041510 - 10 Feb 2024

Viewed by 986

Abstract

The tourism industry has grappled with the challenges posed by the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since the start of 2020, experiencing a complete lockdown that profoundly affected travel activities. This viral outbreak had a critical impact on both the financial and non-financial aspects of life, including the intellectual capital (IC) of the tourism and hospitality sectors. However, there is a scarcity of studies addressing this issue within the context of tourism-related businesses. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the changes in the overall IC and its components before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on understanding the transformation of IC in the tourism industry of Thailand, a country that is highly dependent on tourism. The study involved 37 tourism-related companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Organizational data from financial and annual reports published between 2019 and 2020 were collected for analysis. The assessment of value added intellectual capital (VAIC^TM) was employed to evaluate the performance of the overall IC and its components during the pandemic. The results, based on the testing of four hypotheses, indicated that most hypotheses were accepted, signifying a substantial transformation in the overall IC performance of tourism-related companies during the pandemic crisis. This transformation was observed in the IC components of physical and human capitals. However, the structural capital was the only IC component that did not experience a significant impact from COVID-19. To comprehend the reasons and effects of the IC transformations during the pandemic, this study delved into the relevant literature. Additionally, the paper includes implications to support firms in preparing for future challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Higher Education Mobility through the Lens of Academic Tourism: Portugal as a Study Case

by Dina Amaro, Ana Maria Caldeira and Cláudia Seabra

Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041359 - 06 Feb 2024

Viewed by 778

Abstract

This study seeks to expand the understanding of international academic tourism by revisiting concepts and their associations with the internationalisation of higher education and analysing the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research takes Portugal as a study case, drawing on secondary data. From a theoretical standpoint, this work makes a significant contribution to addressing persistent conceptual ambiguities. In managerial terms, the findings hold significance for advancing Portugal as an academic tourism destination and raising awareness among tourism and educational stakeholders about the relevance and competitive advantages of international academic tourism. Finally, we reflect upon the pandemic effects and potential repercussions of future challenges on international academic tourism globally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying the ‘Yellow Card Policy’ Effect: An Intervention Analysis of Chinese Tourist Migration to South Korea amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Yugang He and Guihua Bai

Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15610; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115610 - 03 Nov 2023

Viewed by 760

Abstract

The focal point of this investigation is to unravel the intricate consequences of the ‘Yellow Card Policy’ enacted by South Korea on the inflow of Chinese tourists, set against the backdrop of the tumultuous global disruption instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leveraging a dataset delineating monthly periods from January 2020 to May 2023 and invoking the intervention analysis method for empirical evaluation, we excavate a series of salient findings. We discern that South Korea’s “Yellow Card Policy” casts a significant negative shadow over the magnitude of Chinese tourist arrivals, with a particularly profound impact on the long-term outlook. Simultaneously, our investigation illuminates a discernible negative correlation between South Korea’s inflation rate and the influx of Chinese tourists, thereby underlining the critical influence of domestic economic health on international tourism trajectories. Conversely, we observe a distinct positive association between the China–South Korea exchange rate and the influx of Chinese tourists. This insinuates that an advantageous exchange rate can serve as a compelling economic catalyst, stimulating tourism demand by making the host country more financially appealing to potential tourists. In essence, this array of findings paints a multifaceted tableau of how policy maneuvers, economic landscapes, and global health upheavals converge to sculpt the contours of international tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fuzzy Analysis of the Strategic Actions of Travel Agencies in Boyacá, Colombia, in a Post-COVID-19 Era

by Fabio Blanco-Mesa and Ernesto Leon-Castro

Sustainability 2023, 15(21), 15207; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152115207 - 24 Oct 2023

Viewed by 997

Abstract

The economic impact of COVID-19 is undeniable, and one of the sectors most affected by this situation was tourism; when departures were canceled and what is known as “The Great Lockdown” began, the activity of this sector was paralyzed. In this regard, knowing which strategic actions must be implemented in order to recover economically is vital. This study aims to identify the importance of the strategic actions of travel agencies in Boyacá following the COVID-19 crisis using aggregation operators and fuzzy techniques. The methodology uses the experton method, Bonferroni’s OWAAC method, maximum similarity sub-relationships and Pichat’s algorithm, and the relative incidence analysis method to determine the importance of the actions taken. The findings show that most managers’ implemented strategic actions, including highlighting financial capacity and marketing (improvement actions and establishing alliances), which were the strategic actions with the highest incidence. These actions identify a focus for activities to reactivate the business and are related to the company’s routine operations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 1626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Empirical Assessment of Students’ Tourist Preferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Gender Perspective: Evidence from Poland

by Jan Zawadka, Jarosław Uglis, Magdalena Kozera-Kowalska, Anna Jęczmyk, Joanna Pietrzak-Zawadka and Monika Małgorzata Wojcieszak-Zbierska

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14346; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914346 - 28 Sep 2023

Viewed by 973

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to reveal the tourist preferences of students during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on differences between genders. This study was carried out in January 2021 and relied on the CAWI technique with a questionnaire distributed on social media. The snowball method was used to reach a wider audience. Valid questionnaires were retrieved from 870 respondents, primarily women (66.8%). The results demonstrate that tourist activity was witnessed despite the pandemic, but it differed between men and women. The latter travelled more often and for longer periods, and they chose August and September from the summer months. Although most travelling students sought active recreation, female students more frequently decided to be less active or opted for passive leisure during their stays. Unlike men, women sought safety and therefore mostly opted for individual apartments or hotels; staying with family or friends was a much less popular scenario for them, primarily because they feared it could expose their loved ones to the virus. For the whole group covered by the survey, sanitary and epidemiological restrictions, the reduced availability of attractions in tourist destinations, and increased prices were the main inconveniences that they faced when travelling in 2020. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2383 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Farm Tourism Development for Sustainability: A Case Study of Farms in the Peri-Urban Area of Novi Sad (Serbia)

by Bojan Đerčan, Dragica Gatarić, Milka Bubalo Živković, Marija Belij Radin, Danijela Vukoičić, Bojana Kalenjuk Pivarski, Tamara Lukić, Petar Vasić, Milena Nikolić, Miloš Lutovac, Milena Lutovac Đaković and Dajana Bjelajac

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 12952; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712952 - 28 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1067

Abstract

Farm tourism is often considered a form of tourism whose main characteristic is sustainability. Nevertheless, the existing literature also provides a partial approach, where the development of farm tourism is analyzed within the context of sustainable development and crisis situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the paper is to analyze environmental, social, and economic factors as vectors for the sustainable development of farm tourism by applying a specially designed SFT model. An empirical study was carried out on a sample of nine farms in the peri-urban area of the city of Novi Sad (the Republic of Serbia). Sustainable development was analyzed using dynamic social, economic, and environmental indicators with the aim of finding a model that could be used to ensure more stable economic income for the population, social equality, and environmental protection. By applying the SFT model, it was determined that the current position of farm tourism is not fully compliant with the aims of sustainable development due to its clearly dominant economic dimension and less developed social and environmental sustainability. The results were further analyzed with the aim of achieving a balanced development of farm tourism, which needs to be based on the continued application of the concept of sustainability. The results could be used by public and private institutions in the tourism sector, as well as creators of legal regulations and strategies in the field of sustainable and rural tourism, with the aim of further developing and improving its sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 1768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influencing Travelers’ Behavior in Thailand Comparing Situations of during and Post COVID-19

by Woraanong Thotongkam, Thanapong Champahom, Chartaya Nilplub, Warantorn Wimuttisuksuntorn, Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao and Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha

Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11772; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511772 - 31 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1152

Abstract

Tourism is the primary source of income for many countries, particularly developing ones. However, due to the impact of the 2019 Coronavirus epidemic, the tourism sector has been significantly affected. This study aims to identify factors that influence motivation and travel frequency. Two scenarios were compared: during COVID-19 and post-COVID-19. The questionnaire was developed based on the Health Belief model. The data collection process involved distributing a comprehensive questionnaire throughout Thailand, with the aim of achieving a fair and balanced representation of respondents from six distinct regions: northern, central, eastern, western, north-eastern, and southern. The study included a total of 2100 participants. Twenty hypotheses were formulated to analyze the relationship between the latent constructs. Factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were utilized to analyze the data from the questionnaires. The results from SEM found that the model was consistent with the empirical data. The model of the during COVID-19 pandemic had three supported hypotheses, namely H2d, H5d, and H9d, which were the correlation between tourism motivation and perceived severity, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations, respectively. In the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, seven hypotheses, including H1p, H2p, H3p, H4p, H5p, H9p, and H10p, supported the correlation between intention and perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and frequency. The support for H10p indicated that stimulated motivation could lead to behavioral changes and increase people’s travel frequency. This study proposes policy recommendations and public relations guidelines to encourage more frequent travel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping the Nexus between Sustainability and Digitalization in Tourist Destinations: A Bibliometric Analysis

by Youssef El Archi, Brahim Benbba, Kai Zhu, Zineb El Andaloussi, László Pataki and Lóránt Dénes Dávid

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9717; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129717 - 18 Jun 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2946

Abstract

Sustainability has become a key consideration for tourist destinations, and digitalization is increasingly being used as a tool to enhance sustainable tourism development. This paper aims to map the intersection between sustainability and digitalization in tourist destinations using a bibliometric analysis. The study is based on a bibliometric analysis of the existing literature in academic journals, conference proceedings, and books published between 2012 and 2022 from the Scopus database. Biblioshiny is used to visualize data. The results show that there is a growing interest in the convergence of sustainability and digitalization in tourist destinations, with an increasing number of publications in recent years. The co-occurrence analysis identified key themes and concepts such as sustainable tourism, digital technologies, smart tourism, social media, big data, smart city, COVID-19, digital marketing, and destination marketing. The study also highlights the different ways in which digitalization is being used to enhance sustainability in tourist destinations, including the use of smart technologies, data analytics, social media, and online platforms. However, the study also identified challenges and limitations to the integration of sustainability and digitalization, such as the need for stakeholder collaboration, data privacy concerns, and the potential for a digital divide. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 8044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Travel to Mars-like Places on Earth: A New Branch of Sustainable Ecotourism in Lut Desert World Heritage Site, Iran

by Amir Ghorbani, Ali Zangiabadi, Hossein Mousazadeh, Farahnaz Akbarzadeh Almani, Kai Zhu and Lóránt Dénes Dávid

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9677; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129677 - 16 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1417

Abstract

Traveling to space and walking on other planets has always been a great dream for many tourists. Given that space tourism is not available to everyone, adventurers have always been looking for special and strange places that evoke the feeling of traveling to other planets, especially Mars. One of these places which is very similar to Mars is the Lut Desert World Heritage Site. The present study aims to introduce the Martian sites of the Lut Desert and offers a special type of trip to this beautiful desert that can further preserve it with a sustainable development approach. The statistical sample of the research is based on the qualitative analysis method, consisting of 18 participants, which consists of experts, desert tour guides, and tourists who have visited the studied sites. After the data collection process, the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Maxqda 2020 software. The results of the research indicate that the four sites identified in the research, according to the participants, are similar to the images and videos published of Mars. Moreover, this new branch of desert ecotourism can develop sustainable ecotourism in the Lut Desert. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tourist Behavior in the Cruise Industry Post-COVID-19: An Examination of Service Quality, Corporate Image, and Intentions to Pay and Revisit

by Bodur S. Alonazi, Thowayeb H. Hassan, Mostafa A. Abdelmoaty, Amany E. Salem, Mahmoud I. Saleh, Mohamed Y. Helal, Yasser Ahmed Mohamed, Magdy Sayed Abuelnasr, Daniel Alemshet Gebreslassie, Mona Hamad Aleedan and Salaheldeen H. Radwan

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8623; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118623 - 25 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2047

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak has had detrimental consequences on the cruise industry due to the suspension of commercial cruise trips, and these effects remain apparent in Saudi Arabia. The offered service quality (SQ) in the post-COVID-19 era seems to be a critical element for improving customer experiences and satisfaction, enhancing destination attractiveness, increasing revenue, and maintaining repeat business. The current study aimed to assess the impact of service quality on tourists’ satisfaction and corporate image as well as the intention to pay for cruise trips and revisit the destination among 315 tourists in Saudi Arabia. Service quality was measured using five subscales of the SERVQUAL scale, including reliability, tangibles, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Tourists’ satisfaction was significantly influenced by four domains of SQ, whereas the intention to pay more, intention to revisit the destination, and corporate image were significantly predicted by ≤3 domains of SQ. The study’s findings can help the cruise industry to improve its offerings and create more personalized and engaging experiences that meet the changing needs of customers in the recovery period after the COVID-19 outbreak. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reconceptualizing Customer Perceived Value in Hotel Management in Turbulent Times: A Case Study of Isfahan Metropolis Five-Star Hotels during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Amir Ghorbani, Hossein Mousazadeh, Farahnaz Akbarzadeh Almani, Masoud Lajevardi, Mohammad Reza Hamidizadeh, Mehrdad Orouei, Kai Zhu and Lóránt Dénes Dávid

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 7022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15087022 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4412

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the tourism and hospitality industry. This study aims to reconceptualize the concept of customer perceived value (CPV) in Isfahan’s five-star hotels during the pandemic using the grounded theory (GT) approach in the context of qualitative research. The objective of this study is to explore the key dimensions of CPV and identify the main strategies that enhance the value perceived by hotel customers. Data were collected with interviews with 30 experts in the hotel and hospitality industry, and MAXQDA software was used to analyze the data. The dominant themes that emerged from the content analysis included health-oriented self-gratification value, financial value, quality value, emotional value, social value, epistemic value, information value, and health security value. Additionally, the subthemes identified were trust, satisfaction, and information access. All these themes could potentially be employed by hotel sectors as solutions to enhance customer satisfaction during the pandemic. From a practical standpoint, this study provides insights to hotel managers or practitioners to implement updated strategies that contribute to knowledge development about customer perceived value in the hotel sector, which can lead to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. The article makes theoretical contributions to the literature on CPV by identifying new dimensions that are relevant to the pandemic. This extension of the literature provides a more comprehensive understanding of CPV in crisis situations and can inform future research on the topic. The article also discusses future research directions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Impacts of COVID-19 on Tourism

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (12 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI