COVID-19 and Changing Tourism Demand: Research Review and Policy Implications for South Africa

Abstract

The tourism sector in South Africa has experienced the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and in response national government is charting initiatives for a recovery plan. In common with other countries the promotion of domestic tourism is a core focus. Arguably, the magnitude of the pandemic will reshape existing patterns of tourism demand and supply which need to be understood and researched for designing appropriate policy interventions. Against the backcloth of the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for recovery strategies, and the increasing focus on domestic tourism, the aim in this article is to interrogate COVID-19 impacts on the demand-side of tourism looking at changes in consumer demand and of intentions to travel. A desk top review is conducted of research produced by national governments, international organisations and of academic surveys completed in over 20 countries. The research findings are discussed in four themes, namely, (1) risk perceptions and the new tourism psyche; (2) travel intentions and changing mobilities; (3) travel intentions and changing patterns of demand; and, (4) the contactless economy and ‘untact’ tourism. The paper concludes with eight sets of policy recommendations for South Africa.