Mapping out the Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Industry: from Crisis to Recovery

The tourism sector has gone through a severe paralysis of activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Worse than any other in recent history, this crisis seems to be particularly difficult to overcome. Its impact is spread over every line of business, at any possible level, into related industries, across the world. The complexities of recovering from such a setback are deeper than they might seem, with both practical and ethical ramifications. Everything is up for debate, even the very rules of the game. However, before we can start thinking of sustainable recovery strategies, we must truly grasp the scale of the touristic disaster. Using a compilation of data on country, regional and global level on the impact of Covid-19 on tourism, we do our best to paint a clear image of where the industry stands a little over a year since the virus started massively spreading. Then, based on these insights, we look into some visible general trends born as adaptive strategies, touching upon what the “new normal†might mean for tourism entities and visitors. The aim of this article is thus to contribute to a better understanding of how Covid-19 affects tourism and how it needs to adjust in order to survive.