The Impact of COVID-19 on the Performance of the Tourism Industry: Reflections on Zimbabwe

Abstract

Globally, Tourism is a key sector that contributes significantly to national economies through employment creation, export earnings, and revenue generation. The sector has steadily grown over the last decade in all source markets. In 2019, the sector experienced a downturn in performance following as the sector was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdowns and travel restrictions that were imposed by different source markets to contain the spread of the disease. Like any other country, Zimbabwe was heavily affected as it also instituted the same containment strategies as guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The objective of the study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Zimbabwe's Tourism industry. The findings reveal that international tourist arrivals, hotel occupancy, and tourism receipts, inter alia, declined from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, crises have presented a common denominator of diminishing the desire to travel. Policy interventions that can be adopted by the Tourism industry to mitigate and recover during times of crisis include: Adopting global guidelines, Offering stimulus packages, Developing disaster recovery plans, Identifying recovery and growth strategies, Establishing communication plans, and Enforcing effective governance through collaborations