COVID-19 and tourism stakeholders: experience, behaviour and transformation

Abstract

PurposeThe tourism sector’s fragility lends significance to mental health and wellbeing, especially amongst workers in the hotel and tourism sectors. However, stakeholders’ subjective wellbeing and mental health in these sectors due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remain under-researched, especially for destinations with unique selling propositions (USPs). Thus, this study investigates the effects of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic on various stakeholders in Kerala, India. In particular, the authors assess the mental health and welfare of those involved in the tourism sector with an eye on how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the field’s psychological and technical developments.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs an ethnographic approach to understanding the idiosyncratic experiences of stakeholders using in-depth interviews (n = 68), focus group interviews (n = 3) and participant observation for 14 months. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.FindingsThe findings reveal the shifting perceptions in the tourism sector’s workforce by detailing various societal, technical and physical transformations, especially amongst the younger generations. The resultant psychological mapping generates a framework of the emotional perspectives of stakeholders during each stage of the pandemic. This study also highlights the urgency of crisis-management training for the workforce.Originality/valueThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected all spheres of global business, resulting in unprecedented challenges in both personal and professional life. The sector’s fragility lends significance to mental health and wellbeing, especially amongst workers in the hotel and tourism sectors. However, the subjective wellbeing and mental health of stakeholders in these sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic remain under-researched, especially for the developing destinations with USPs.

Local Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Urban Tourism-Related Services: A Perspective of Kochi Heritage City, Kerala

“…It has adverse effects from the pandemic in terms of unemployment, socioeconomic depression, bankruptcy, revenue loss, and other budget deficits [24]. Therefore, the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism-related services in Kochi Heritage City, Kerala, is considered a major concern because the crisis has expressed a wide range of local economic downturns and thus has shown a profound effect on the local urban ecosystem [15,25].…”

“…The most adverse effect of COVID-19 is not only limited to destruction for the travel and tourism industry but also to tourism-related services and their supporting sectors [1]. Some researchers have mentioned that, in Kerala, the hardest impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been more distressful on the workers of hospitality and tourism-related services such as performing arts and entertainment, restaurants, motels, and hotel businesses, art and craft industries, and other related local markets in comparison to other tertiary jobs like administrative and programming [15,25], thus resulting in increased inequalities and poverty at the highest risk in the region [24]. It is supported by Gössling, who stated that, in developing economies, the negative impact of the crisis is greater on the tourism-related supporting sectors [26].…”

“…And after an increase in cases in the state, the Government of Kerala announced a complete lockdown in the state, thus directly affecting the economy of the state because more than 30% of the state's GDP is dominated by the tourism industry and related services. Therefore, the job market of the state, and in Kochi City, where the local economy of the city is based on tourism and related services only, has been highly impacted due to this uncertain lockdown [15]. Hence, this paper tends to answer the one prime question, "to what extent local economy based on urban tourism-related services of Kochi city has been affected due to COVID-19?".…”

The Role of Stakeholders in the Development of Mangrove Eco-Tourism at Blekok Tourism Village, Situbondo, East Java

“…Stakeholders are defined as individuals or groups who have an interest, who are involved and influenced positively or negatively by tourism development activities and programs (Dileep et al, 2022). Tourism development must involve three interrelated roles of each group, namely the government, the community, and the private sector (Vande Velde, 2019).…”

Conceptualizing involvement: masyarakat desa wisata sebelum dan selama pandemi covid-19 di batu kabupaten malang provinsi jawa timur

“…Fenomena ini juga menghambat secara luas terhadap penyerapan tenaga kerja operasional bisnis hospitality dan pariwisata. Dampak pandemi COVID-19 mengakibatkan transformasi perilaku stake holders' juga travelers (Dileep et al, 2022). Kebijakan tegas yang terencana perlu dilakukan stake holders dalam pengembangan pariwisata berkelanjutan yang melibatkan masyarakat lokal, lingkungan, dan bisnis pariwisata skala kecil untuk memungkinkan kelangsungan hidup pasca COVID-19 (Lama dan Rai, 2021).…”