Tourism – resilient but vulnerable as “the times they are a changing” in the “new normality”

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a viewpoint about the short- and long-term future of tourism in the light of the effects of the response to Covid-19 and the implications of potential changes tourism might be facing. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a review of current media and academic commentaries and articles on the impact of Covid-19 on tourism, and the likelihood of changes being forced on tourism by external agents of change desiring a different form that the industry should take. Findings Current concerns and changes in patterns of tourism are being driven by two main forces: restrictions imposed on travel, both domestic and international, and fear by potential tourists and destination hosts of infection being caused by the resumption of tourist travel. The situation is extremely vulnerable, changing long-established patterns of behaviour and the effects of tourism on economies, communities and environments. The future for tourism is seen as generally positive in the long term, but agents of change opposed to the traditional patterns of tourism may create a negative environment that could cause severe disruption to the industry and its customers, unless tourism displays willingness and resolve to correct previously inappropriate ways of operating. Originality/value This paper presents a viewpoint about the short- and long-term future of tourism.

African Tourism in Uncertain Times: Covid-19 Research Progress

“…The second concerns 'adaptation' which is a stream of investigations including responses in terms of the application of new technologies as well as explorations of the capacity of destinations and tourism businesses to adapt to change and build resilience. The third is 'transformation' which relates to the major corpus of work which is forwardlooking to the extent that it is analysing the prospects for restructuring future tourism and offering post-pandemic outlook analysis (Bianchi, 2020;Brouder, 2020;Butler, 2020;Higgins-Desbiolles, 2020a, 2020bNiewiadomski, 2020).…”

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“…Smart cities that optimize technology functions for halal tourism services, while also providing solutions in the prevention and transmission of Covid-19 for surrounding communities who have tourism destinations and guarantee their health and well-being (Kunzmann, 2020;Sonn & Lee, 2020) amidst the current decline in global tourism. In the end, the development of smart cities and halal tourism can bring about changes in the tourism system for the sustainability of the city and tourist destinations themselves which are integrally developed with aspects of public health (Butler, 2020;Koh, 2020).…”

“…In its implementation, digital technology in smart cities can inform the use of masks to everyone in public places through the city network's Closed-Circuit Television [CCTV] cameras to reduce the spread of Covid-19 through the health care system (Rahman, Manik, Islam, Mahmud, & Kim, 2020), in addition to social protection measures, such as social distancing, lockdowns, border closings, and tracking of people who have confirmed this disease (Kang, Choi, Kim, Lee, Lee, Park, Park, & Seo, 2020). During the Covid-19 pandemic, restrictions were imposed on travel and the fear of tourists and local residents with the transmission of this disease (Butler, 2020), so the application of digital technology in smart cities is very useful in presenting Covid-19 literacy and . Smart City and Halal Tourism during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia.…”

“…The short-term and long-term future of tourism in relation to the effects of the response to Covid-19 and the implications of potential changes tourism may face (Butler, 2020). However, transformative travel and tourism as a growing trend are important media to find new ways to reset the global tourism system (Ateljevic, 2020).…”

Has tourism the resources and answers to a more inclusive society?

“…The next stop takes us to the contribution by Butler (2020) where he focuses on the current state of tourism, showing that despite being a resilient industry it is also vulnerable. He looks at the short- and long-term future of tourism in the light of the effects of the response to Covid-19 and the implications of potential changes tourism might be facing.…”