China's Tourism Crisis During the Pandemic: New Approaches and Transformation of «Zero-COVID-19» Policy

Abstract

In 2020-2021 the global tourism sector was undergoing profound transformations. Global lockdowns and border closures, restrictions on the movement of citizens have led to a recession in the tourism industry and to long-term negative consequences for the global economy. The pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of the sector, insufficient government support, excessive fragmentation and a lack of experience in effectively dealing with new risks and threats. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was a key global tourism power. In the fight against coronavirus infection, the country has chosen a “zero COVID-19” strategy. However, the return to the “bamboo curtain” policy and the closure of borders did not lead to complete stagnation of the sector. The gradual liberalization of domestic tourist travel, the lifting of bans on the first outbound travel of citizens in the Macau SAR, discussion of vaccine diplomacy issues, and the high pace of the vaccination campaign will open a new page in the development of the tourism sector in the country. During the fight against the pandemic, Beijing has not implemented an incentive policy aimed at increasing the number of domestic tourist travel. The recovery of the sector proceeded at a slow pace due to the forced need to coordinate the activities of tourism enterprises with the “zero COVID -19” policy. Using the analysis of statistical data and regulatory legal acts of 2020-2021, the author traces the evolution of approaches to controlling the spread of the pandemic in the tourism industry and analyzes the trends that have emerged. The study proves that in China there are no contradictions between two opposite concepts: “zero COVID-19” approach and the strategy of “coexistence with the virus”.