The Contribution of the Tourism Sector to the Regional Spatial Economy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant global changes, and one of the most affected sectors is the tourism industry. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the impacts of the pandemic on tourism by comparing the spatial economic classification before and during the pandemic using four analyses, namely the regional Klassen Typology, sector approach, the Location Quotient (LQ), and Shift-Share Analysis. The processed information is secondary data from the Central Statistical Agency of Karo Regency and North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. This area is one of the mainstay areas of the national economy and part of the Lake Toba Super Priority Destination. The obtained results showed that the tourism sector was classified among the fast-growing and uncompetitive sectors before the pandemic. However, during the crisis, it became a slow-growing and competitive sector.