Destination governance in times of crisis and the role of public-private partnerships in tourism recovery from Covid-19: The case of Macao

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a significant negative impact on many industries, tourism being among the most severely impacted. To recover from the crisis speedily, a responsive mode of governance that can draw on different stakeholders’ efforts is required. Through qualitative interviews with key informants from major associations and government offices related to tourism, this study examines how Macao adopted public-private partnership governance to aid the recovery of its tourism industry. Specifically, the study investigates the roles of government and the crisis leader in post-COVID tourism recovery, the changes in consumer markets, and collaborative efforts of tourism business sectors and destination marketing organizations. This study contributes to deciphering how public-private partnerships can help tourism recovery, as well as the importance of crisis leadership in the process. The study also provides suggestions for industry partners regarding how they can act and respond to crises more effectively.