Tourism Degrowth in the New Normal: Exploring the Impacts of COVID-19 on Sustainable and Equitable Tourism Development

This chapter examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the tourism sector, with a focus on the idea of tourism degrowth, which strives to lessen the sector’s environmental impact and improve sustainability. Given the substantial changes in how people travel and interact with tourist places as a result of the epidemic, the function that tourism plays in society has been reevaluated. The chapter examines how people’s vacation habits, opinions on tourism, and its effects on local communities and surrounds have changed through time in order to determine the current and anticipated implications of the pandemic on the tourist sector. The chapter shows that the epidemic has had a significant impact on how people travel and interact with tourist attractions, leading to changes in travel patterns and attitudes toward tourism. The sector has also suffered greatly, with a decline in customer demand and financial turmoil for many businesses. In many tourist destinations, the implementation of health and safety measures like required face masks and social seclusion has disrupted the visitor experience, changing how visitors engage with local communities and cultural experiences and prompting changes in the available activities and attractions. The pandemic’s long-term effects on the anticipated slowdown in the sector and the shifting behavior of tourists may have an impact on policymakers and firms in the tourism sector. The chapter emphasizes the real-world ramifications for tourism businesses, who may need to modify their operations and marketing plans in order to keep up with changing tourist expectations and preferences. The research suggests a reevaluation of the role of tourism in society and a renewed interest in the concept of tourism degrowth, which policymakers may consider to promote sustainability and equity in the post-pandemic world. Additionally, the study identifies economic strategies and policy pathways that can drive global tourism toward sustainable development. This research is original and valuable as it provides an in-depth investigation of the pandemic’s effects on travel patterns, tourist attitudes, and their potential to continue altering the industry. It also examines the concept of tourism degrowth in the context of the “new normal” post-COVID-19 and evaluates how policymakers, tourist firms, and other stakeholders are applying or considering it. Furthermore, the chapter assesses the effects of the pandemic on visitors’ experiences in tourist destinations, their interactions with local communities, and cultural activities. Finally, the research identifies the practical implications of the pandemic for policymakers, tourist firms, and other stakeholders in assessing the role of tourism in the post-pandemic world and exploring alternative routes for more sustainable and equitable tourism development.