The effective responses of a tourism and gaming city towards the devastating effects of pandemic: a case study of Macao

Abstract

Purpose COVID-19 has hard-hit the global economy when the majority of developed countries could not demonstrate effective resolutions even a year after the outbreak. This study aims to present how government or policymakers could minimize the negative impacts of major incidents (pandemic) and speed up the process of recovery. It was also intended to identify effective strategies for crisis management. Design/methodology/approach A mixed research method was applied. Qualitative research studies of interviews were used to collect primary data from the stakeholders while archival research method of textual and documental information was used for secondary data on the pandemic facts. Findings The impacts of the governmental and enterprise actions with a focus on effective mega-crisis management strategies were structured based on the three themes, namely, appropriate measures, timely decisions and the role of the government. These strategies can minimize the destruction to the economy (or organization) while stabilize the emotional and psychological aspects of the people during the crisis and lead the society back on track once the crisis starts to diminish. Originality/value The experience of Macao in successfully responding to the crisis of pandemic provides constructive references to policymakers on the set up of timely strategic plans and business management on remedy actions, particularly to regions where the pandemic is still out of control.

Business model adaptation as a strategic response to crises: navigating the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Though many scholars have emphasized the prominence of government and business collaborations in managing the COVID-19 crisis (e.g. Im et al, 2021;Koh, 2020), few have examined the operational business mechanisms underpinning such initiatives (e.g. Usher et al, 2020).…”

Effects of agritourism businesses’ strategies to cope with the COVID-19 crisis: The key role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) behaviours

“…Some papers provide arguments and evidence in favour of the application of CSR by tourism firms to address the Covid-19 crisis. Among them, Im et al (2021) found that the tourism destination Macao benefited from the initiatives of local large enterprises inspired by the government and informed by CSR (such as, for example, avoiding laying off their employees). Another study reported that hospitality companies listed on Chinese stock exchanges registered positive reactions from stakeholders within five days of press releases presenting companies' CSR activities related to Covid-19 ( Qiu et al, 2021 ).…”

Metaverse in the urban destinations in China: some insights for the tourism players

“…Despite China’s remarkable achievements in urban tourism over the past four decades (Bao, Li, & Liang, 2020), the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the global tourism industry, with China being no exception. The number of tourists and revenue generated by the tourism industry have both been significantly threatened, and tourist behavior has changed as a result (Im, Lam, & Ma, 2021; Wang, Tian, Filimonau, Ning, & Yang, 2022). As a result, the recovery of urban tourism has become an urgent issue (Anguera-Torrell, Vives-Perez, & Pedro Aznar-Alarcon, 2021).…”