Tourism in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Perspective with Swot Analysis

Abstract

Over recent history, a huge number of diseases affected the human race, whereas the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19, remains the utmost noticeable pandemic disease. The virus spreads with a distinct composition with a substantial concentration whereas people around the biosphere were locked, imposed social distancing rules, and restricted human mobility. Tourism considered a vital economic sector and contributes foreign exchange earnings for a large number of countries. Tourism bonds people with nature, cultures, livelihood, and entertainment by inspiring lives. Consequently, international tourist arrivals have been declined by 70% to 75% ratio during the year 2020, within the first and second waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Since the sector is more vulnerable to external environmental shocks, the outcome of this downturn is severely affecting numerous economies, specially where the main foreign exchange earning is Tourism. Therefore, the author discusses the main highlights of the downturn, followed by Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT Analysis) as a way forwarding strategy for the Tourism in the Pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic, economic downturn, external environmental shock, SWOT analysis, Tourism

JEL Classification: L83, Z30; Z32, Z32