Post-Pandemic Sustainable Tourism Management: The New Reality of Managing Ethical and Responsible Tourism

Tourism, as with many parts of the economy, is at a pause-reflect-rest stage in the post pandemic world. This book puts forward some positive and practical concepts for the reset stage in terms of pushing towards wholly sustainable tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous in terms of the loss of human life, the physical and mental strains placed on large numbers of populations across the globe who have been quarantined in their homes and in terms of the costs of dealing with the pandemic and supporting business and citizens through the period. Tourism has been comprehensively damaged, not only in advanced economies, but also in poorer developing economies where tourism provides a vital source of income and employment. The problem has been complicated by the shattering effect on mass tourism, which has been far more sensitive to the shutdown of travel and accommodation than ethical and responsible tourism activities focused at a local sustainable level. Therefore this book evaluates how the pandemic and economic decline affects ethical and responsible tourism - the type of tourism which sustains and develops local communities in a balanced way for the benefit of future generations. It reflects on the position the authors established in ＂Ethical & Responsible Tourism - managing sustainability in local tourism destinations＂ and then determines how ethically and responsibly focused tourism may adapt, develop and maintain safety for consumers in the post-virus world.

This book will be essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners of tourism, environmental and sustainability studies.

Marko Kosčak is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism Brezice, Slovenia. In the past 30 years, he has worked as an Advisor to UNDP LoSD on sustainable tourism initiatives in the South East Balkan countries of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia. He was also involved in the number of sustainable tourism projects and development initiatives across Europe and Asia. He is the Founding Member of the Slovenian Rural Development Network, which is part of the European Network ＂PREPARE＂.

Tony O’Rourke works with Green Lines Institute for Sustainable Development in Portugal. Since retiring in 2011, he has taught part-time at MSc and MBA level as a visiting/part-time Professor and also carried out advisory work for Co-operatives UK. His current academic interests are in the fields of Sustainable and Responsible Local Tourism, Financing of Local Tourism/Destination Management organisations and the creation of tourism credit co-operatives.