COVID-19 Pandemic and Tourism Industry: Impact and Reviving strategies

Abstract

Abstract: COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact not only on the Indian economy but on other countries’ economies. The tourism industry has significantly contributed to the economy of our nation. But during the COVID-19 pandemic tourism industry crashed and was amongst the most badly affected sectors of the economy. This study aims to check the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry and identify the revival strategies for the tourism industry from COVID-19 pandemic impact. In the present study four factors are taken for resilience building of the tourism industry: government role, technological innovation, confidence among employee and consumer and local belongingness. Secondary data collected by official databases, journals, reports and websites, etc. was used to study the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry and suggest strategies to overcome it. The result reveals that the Indian tourism industry is highly affected by the pandemic. The number of tourists and the foreign exchange to the tourism industry has dropped nearly 90 to 95 percent during the pandemic. It shows a huge downturn in the tourism industry. Tourism industry used to provide 330 million jobs worldwide by the year 2019 which is equivalent to 10.3 percent of global employment (International Labor Organization, 2020). ILO estimated 305 million jobs lost due to global pandemics. After the first wave of pandemic in India, the tourism industry started to bloom but the second wave of COVID-19 has again brought a downfall in the Indian tourism industry. The central and state governments need to devise a number of strategies for reviving the tourism industry from the pandemic.