THE REVIVAL OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DISASTER

Purpose of the study: COVID-19 pandemic has severely hit the global economy. It has also had a huge impact on the tourism industry. The purpose of the study is to identify the possible initiatives to be taken to revive the tourism industry during or after the COVID-19 era. Methodology: A qualitative analysis of secondary data has been applied. NVivo 12 has been used for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing the data. Main Findings: It is found that government will have to play the most prominent role in the revival of the tourism sector through financial stimulus packages and subsidies. The use of marketing activities, promotional tools, and social media platforms will also aid in the recovery process. Initially, tourism activities can be restarted at domestic levels and in travel bubbles, motivating international tourists. Most importantly, maintaining hygiene and maintaining social distance will be the main tool to revive the tourism industry. Applications of this study: The findings of this study will enable the decision-makers of the hospitality and tourism industry to make a strategic recovery plan Covid-19 stricken tourism economy. The originality of this study: Although most of the industries are slowly turning around during the pandemic, the tourism industry is still struggling to survive. This study proposes several possible recovery plans in light of past epidemic experiences.