COVID-19 pandemic and the hospitality and tourism industry: effects on socio-cultural environment

Abstract

The World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) reported that the Covid-19 outbreak will have much more severe consequences than the 2008 global financial crisis, and the number of tourists will decrease by more than 50 percent in 2020. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) also announced that there will be the biggest decline in the number of tourists since the 1950s due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and reported that the number of tourists could decrease by 58 to 78 percent in 2020. As a result, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the countries and regions whose economy is dependent on the tourism sector much more deeply. At the same time, the Covid-19 pandemic has considerable effects on the social and cultural environment of the society as well. Social and cultural effects rather than economic effects cause more crucial concerns. Cultural and social influences lead to a change in society's values, beliefs and lifestyles. By analyzing this chapter from a sociological perspective, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector will be discussed in the socio-cultural environment axis