Introduction

Abstract

This co-authored book was researched and written during a time that few had foreseen, let alone prepared for. The impacts of Covid-19 are being felt across the world’s societies, economies and natural environment. Some industries have been more impacted than others, including the international tourism industry. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) predicts that due to the travel related impacts of Covid-19 international tourism could decline by between 60-80% in 2020, with US$80 billion already lost in exports from the industry for the first quarter of 2020 (UNWTO, 2020a). In these unprecedented times, it becomes more important than ever to consider what the future might hold for the industry. By examining current and future capabilities of the industry, this research book explores the opportunities available to shape the future through rebuilding, disrupting and developing greater resilience in the tourism industry. The common theme throughout the chapters is change – no matter how change emerges, the authors of this book recognise that the industry is always going to face times of turbulence, whether it be climate change, political or financial disruptions or pandemics, those in the industry need to have resilience, understand the forces of change and be prepared to adapt. This chapter sets out the core principles associated with anticipating the future of the international travel, hospitality and events sectors. It starts with a broad overview of the global tourism industry, followed by the definitions and scope of the sectors that will be covered in the book. A discussion on tourism futures as an area of research is presented and finally, the sections and individual chapters are introduced.