scholarly journals 'Splendid isolation': Embracing islandness in a global pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Agius ◽  
Francesco Sindico ◽  
Giulia Sajeva ◽  
Godfrey Baldacchino

Islandness is often considered to be a disadvantage. However, it has helped the residents of islands to delay, deter, and, in some cases, totally insulate themselves from COVID-19. While islanders have been quick to lock themselves down, this has had a tremendous impact on their connectivity and on tourism, which in many cases is their major economic sector. Yet, the association of islands with being safe, “COVID-19 free” zones has helped these spaces to be among the first destinations to restart the tourism economy once travel restrictions were lifted. After several weeks of lockdown, and with the COVID-19 threat still looming, social distancing remained the norm. Travellers were thus eager to immerse themselves in island environments while avoiding crowds and seeking small accommodation facilities in less densely populated rural areas to limit the risks of infection — a package offered by several islands in the central Mediterranean. With many travellers opting to travel close to home, islands benefited from domestic tourism — a key market segment for islands in this region. Islands have thus performed relatively well in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and in restarting their economies; but the pandemic has also exposed challenges including a dangerous overreliance on tourism.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10(1) (10(1)) ◽  
pp. 302-317
Author(s):  
Maisa Adinolfi ◽  
Vyasha Harilal ◽  
Julia Giddy

As the world came to a relative standstill during the initial stages of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly all countries having enforced some kind of COVID-19 regulations, the global tourism economy was one of the hardest hit. Travel bans and border closures resulted in many tourism businesses having to enter business rescue or shut down indefinitely. This new economic climate forced the tourism economy to imagine a new reality and to consider a negotiation of its revival in a post-pandemic world. Coupled with the impact on tourism itself, the pandemic resulted in a subsequent economic crisis, which unarguably, impacted upon travel, particularly leisure tourism. The South African tourism sector is no exception and will need to explore several avenues in addressing this new status quo. With domestic tourism being a weighty component of many countries’ tourism economies, it serves as an important building block for the resurgence of the industry. This is especially the case in a time when uncertainties are particularly prevalent for the re-emergence of international travel. Therefore, domestic tourism in South Africa has been a key starting point as travel restrictions have slowly started to lift, a context, which has been highlighted in current debates amongst South African tourism stakeholders. This paper explores the potential opportunities for opening up tourism to cash-strapped South Africans by specifically addressing their savings and travel cultures and prospects for future travel. The paper presents a desktop review of the recent introduction of savings and payment schemes available to travellers in South Africa, with particular focus on travel stokvels, leisure on lay-by and pay at your pace options.


2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 189-201

Coronavirus has changed many activities and sectors, but nowhere else are they as accelerated, visible and direct as in the tourism industry. Travel restrictions due to the health crisis have severely damaged tourism, which has made an important contribution to any economy. As of April 2020, the aviation industry reports an 80% decline in flights compared to the same period in 2019. Depending on the duration of the crisis, the considered possibilities show that the potential decline varies between 60-80% in the international tourism economy in 2021. The aim of this study is to examine the negative impact of COVID-19 on airlines and international tourism. A number of universally valid scientific methods are applied in scientific research – observation, analysis, synthesis, analogy, comparison and others. The result of the research is the specific measures for the development of tourism, related to health protocols for safe travel, information applications for visitors, campaigns to promote domestic tourism and a plan to restore tourism in destinations by promoting innovation and investment.


Author(s):  
Oderinu Hassana ◽  
◽  
Kadir Mumini ◽  
Tijani Adebayo ◽  

Nigeria has one of the countries whose experience of poverty and unemployment is on the high side makes this study to look into the effect of the economic lockdown during the global pandemic in the country, with the aim of making effort on how this effect can be translated into economic development. Survey research design method was adopted with self-administered questionnaire used to collect data. Findings revealed that in Nigeria COVID -19 outbreak effects was felt in almost all sectors and the aftermath greatly affected the country’s GDP and this adversely affect rural development in the country, which translated to a worrisome rate of poverty and unemployment. Hence, both individual and government have now seen that campaigning for economic diversification is not sufficient for economic development but rather a prompt swing into action by all is needed for sustainable development of rural areas to respond to the worrisome rate of unemployment and in turn high level of poverty caused by the COVID-19 lockdown in the country. It was recommended that government at all level as well as individuals and stakeholders should put in place actions that would gear up rural development and set policies at their various helms of affairs that would encourage economic participation of all citizens in all sector of the economy.


Significance The audit and wider structural economic reforms are preconditions for urgently needed foreign aid. Economic conditions in Lebanon are still worsening, with power cuts, food shortages and rising poverty. Impacts A new government would allow reform planning to resume and temporarily stall the decline of the currency. The easing of the global pandemic will somewhat reduce the financial strain, as Lebanon reopens its economy. Soaring poverty rates could provoke large-scale ‘bread riots’ in the coming months. Further devaluation of the currency will make poor Lebanese more dependent on sectarian protection and strengthen patronage. If the situation worsens, sectarian rural areas could revert to warlordism in the medium term.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Kock ◽  
Alexander Josiassen ◽  
A. George Assaf ◽  
Ingo Karpen ◽  
Francis Farrelly

People often demonstrate a home country bias toward their own nation over other nations. This bias is an important determinant of their behavior. Drawing on seminal research from marketing and psychology, the authors provide the first investigation of the tourism ethnocentrism (TE) phenomenon that captures tourists’ and residents’ motivation to support the domestic tourism economy. The research reported herein develops the parsimonious, reliable, and valid TE scale, and provides an empirical test thereof. The results show that TE is an important means to investigate both tourists’ and residents’ behavior. It drives tourists’ willingness to engage in and recommend domestic tourism, as well as residents’ support for domestic tourism development. The results further reveal that higher levels of tourists’ “perceived self-efficacy to contribute to the domestic economy” and lower levels of “perceived economy support of others” strengthen TE’s effect. The authors discuss the implications of these findings for research and practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-176
Author(s):  
Zakiya Salim Al-Hasni

Abstract Objectives: To identify the economic, social, and geopolitical impacts of the Corona pandemic on the country’s tourism industry; to identify ways to enhance domestic tourism so as to increase income in the Oman’s tourism industry which has since been declining; to identify specific travel destinations and associated recovery plans; and to suggest recommendations on the best approaches to improving the Oman tourism sector. Methodology: The research involved collection of primary data using interviews where opinions and perceptions of Omani tourism industry experts were collected regarding economic, social, and geopolitical impacts of the Corona pandemic on the country’s tourism industry; the rationale of lifting travel restrictions and the ways of increasing traveller confidence amidst the uncertainties and fears associated with Covid-19 in Oman; ways to enhance domestic tourism so as to increase income in the Oman’s tourism industry which has since been declining; and recommendations on the best approaches to improving the Oman tourism sector. Findings: The main impacts of coronavirus on Omani tourism industry include loss of revenue and reduction in hotel and occupancy rate. These effects resulted into massive job losses, unpaid leave and pay cuts amongst employees in the country’s tourism industry. The measures to be taken to enhance recovery of the tourism industry were categorized into two: government measures and business measures. Value added: With the multiple adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism sector, this study will help in establishing the potential measures of fostering the positive outcomes in the sector. Recommendations: Setting aside COVID-19 recovery financial kitty; Increasing the frequency of marketing the country as the preferred and the best tourist destination in the world in both local and international media; Public-private partnerships; and encouraging domestic tourism by offering discounts and incentives for the locals enjoying the country’s tourism facilities. Offering discounted rates and fees; adopting a flexible booking policy; cancelling or waiving all the fees and fines that were charged on customers who cancelled or amended their bookings as result of COVID-19 pandemic; offering attractive discounts to clients who want to re-book their previous cancelled bookings without conditions; and diversification of operations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-112
Author(s):  
Melissza Zita Lempek ◽  
◽  
Róbert Tésits ◽  

The study aims to answer the question concerning how effectively cities of the Siklós district can involve the surrounding settlements in the tourism economy, thereby promoting the development of rural areas. In addition to local governments and tourism organizations, our important goal is to understand the ideas of service providers and their guests related to rural development, as well as the space use characteristics of the latter group. The key method is the questionnaire survey, the target group of which is the mayors of all settlements in the district, as well as the guests of the accommodations belonging to the different product types. The primary sources are based on two further series of interviews, which explore the opinions of service providers and professional organizations. Empirical experience shows that thematic trips can play a prominent role in the development of the less frequented small settlements. The essence of this is to connect the places offering traditional crafts and local products by a bike route.


2021 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 03029
Author(s):  
A. A. Oshkordina ◽  
E. G. Radygina

The paper discusses current issues and problems of organizing and implementing event and tourist activities as an effective tool for popularizing and attracting attention to rural areas, which, in the context of the COVID 19 preventive campaign around the world, is a relevant factor for many categories of the population. The authors have identified the positive and negative factors of tourist activities organization, affecting the socio-cultural and economic level of rural development. The main directions of organization, implementation and development of rural and agroindustrial tourism on the territory of a separate subject of the Russian Federation have been determined. Most important, in the current difficult conditions of the tourist industry development, in many territories of Russia domestic tourism is becoming a priority, focusing, among other things, on the creation of new products of rural and agroindustrial tourism.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-42

Tourism suffers its deepest crisis with a drop of 74% in 2020 in international arrivals Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020 following an unprecedented health, social and economic emergency amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) plunged by 74% in 2020 over the previous year due to widespread travel restrictions and a massive drop in demand. The collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues - more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis. Asia and the Pacific saw an 84% decrease in international arrivals in 2020, about 300 million less than in the previous year. The Middle East and Africa both recorded a 75% drop in arrivals. In Europe arrivals declined by 70%, representing over 500 million fewer international tourists, while the Americas saw a drop of 69%. The latest UNWTO Panel of Experts survey shows a mixed outlook for 2021. Almost half of respondents (45%) envisaged better prospects for 2021 compared to last year, while 25% expect a similar performance and 30% foresee a worsening of results. The overall prospects for a rebound in 2021 seem to have worsened. 50% of respondents now expect a rebound to occur only in 2022 as compared to 21% in October 2020. The remaining half of respondents still see a potential rebound in 2021, though below the expectations shown in the October 2020 survey (79% expected a recovery in 2021). Experts foresee growing demand for open-air and nature-based tourism activities, with domestic tourism and ‘slow travel’ experiences gaining increasing interest. Looking further ahead, most experts do not to see a return to pre-pandemic levels happening before 2023. In fact, 43% of respondents point to 2023, while 41% expect a return to 2019 levels in 2024 or later. UNWTO’s extended scenarios for 2021-2024 indicate that it could take between two-and-a-half and four years for international tourism to return to 2019 levels. The gradual rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to ease travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
Андрей Околелов ◽  
Andrey Okolelov

Promotion of agritourism in Russian regions is a key condition for the formation and development of this promising trend of tourism industry. Comprehensive elaboration of regulatory and legal framework, as well as the consolidation and the multifaceted support of the municipal and regional authorities are in need for its implementation. The article is devoted to assessing the current state and development problems of agritourism in Tambov region. Agritourism in Tambov region is at the initial stage. In the region there is a complex of natural, cultural, historical and socio-economic condi- tions for its development. However, there are a number of difficulties (legal, infrastructure and others). The state and regional programs for the domestic tourism development and support for small businesses in rural areas are the most important element for the successful development of rural tourism. The article provides an analysis of tourist potential of Tambov region and identifies the problems and prospects of domestic tourism development. The author describes possibilities of agritourism for promotion and innovative development of domestic tourism, as well as justifies the necessity of the various forms of supporting tourism destinations. Tambov is currently one of the most promising regions of Russia for investments in tourism development, especially agritourism. However, successful development of this kind of business needs not only support at the municipal level. The solution of problem of agritourism development lies at the regional level. In addition, systematic work is needed in the field of professional training in rural tourism activities. For this purpose, in the region a system of continuous education in agribusiness has been developed It includes the implementation of the project activities with school children in the field of rural tourism, professional training of bachelors of technology and organization of excursion services (Agritourism) and advanced training courses for workers of RF Ministry of Agriculture


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