The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis on the Travel and Tourism Sector : UK Evidence

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented uncertainty and fear to the global economies. In this article, first, we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry by examining the implications of the pandemic on the hospitality, leisure, and travel sub-sectors and conclude with recommendations to be adapted by firms to cope with the aftermath of the pandemic crisis. From the previous outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bird and swine flu, it is evident that these outbreaks have had an impact on the tourism and travel sector. Overall, this paper provides some of the initial insights on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and travel sector in the UK and proposes a five key point framework focussing on disaster and pandemic planning, sustainability, communication strategy, well-being of employees and investment in technology for coping with any future challenges arising from the aftermath of the pandemic crisis