Impact of COVID-19 on tourism demand in European regions - An analysis of the factors affecting loss in number of guest nights

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 had a major impact on the European tourism sector, with substantial variations recorded between regions. To build a more resilient tourism ecosystem, a deeper knowledge of the factors underscoring tourism demand loss is necessary. However, research is still limited to country-specific case studies. In this paper, we investigate COVID-19's impact on tourism demand in EU-27 and EFTA countries at the NUTS2 level during the pandemic's first year. Through a fractional response model we find (1) higher losses of tourism demand in urban destinations and in destinations highly dependent on foreign tourism, (2) lower losses in domestic destinations, in proximity, or that have natural assets. Recommendations to build a more resilient tourism ecosystem are outlined.