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The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable and proximity tourism

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Tourism Geographies
An International Journal of Tourism Space, Place and Environment
ISSN: 1461-6688 (Print) 1470-1340 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rtxg20
The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable
and proximity tourism
Francesc Romagosa
To cite this article: Francesc Romagosa (2020) The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities
for sustainable and proximity tourism, Tourism Geographies, 22:3, 690-694, DOI:
10.1080/14616688.2020.1763447
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2020.1763447
Published online: 13 May 2020.
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ARTICLE COMMENTARIES
The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable and
proximity tourism
Francesc Romagosa
School of Tourism and Hotel Management & Department of Geography, Autonomous University of
Barcelona, Cerdanyola (Barcelona), Spain
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received 25 April 2020
Accepted 27 April 2020
Introduction: the impact of COVID-19 on tourism
In light of the health crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic—and which has now
become a global economic and social crisis—a large number of questions are being
raised about its impact, in the near and long term, on the tourism sector. The crisis is
so far-reaching and has developed so suddenly and unexpectedly that it has become
very difficult to make predictions that are even slightly realistic. To paraphrase Pliny
the Elder, the great Roman naturalist who lived 2,000 years ago, the only certainty
right now is uncertainty. No-one knows what will happen, even in the short term, the
almost immediate future. However, there is consensus that nothing will ever be the
same again. Moreover, there are likely to be socioeconomic changes that will have a
very significant impact on tourism as we have come to know it: changes in mobility,
socialisation and consumption patterns, our leisure and work, and many other dimen-
sions of our social lives. Based on the evidence we have and on recent trends in the
tourism sector up until now, we reflect on the implications that this crisis may have
for the sustainability of the sector and the challenges it faces.
Based on the latest preventative measures being taken by countries, recent devel-
opments in Asia and the pattern of previous crises (SARS in 2003, the economic and
financial crisis in 2008–2009), the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has esti-
mated a decrease of between 20% to 30% in international tourist arrivals and corre-
sponding economic earnings in 2020 compared with 2019. However, the UNWTO
acknowledges that such estimates must be treated with considerable caution, given
the magnitude, volatility and wholly different profile of this crisis with respect to previ-
ous ones (UNWTO, 2020). For now, the evidence we have is of the closure, albeit tem-
porarily, of most of the world’s tourism destinations and, consequently, of all the
companies, large and small, that depend directly or indirectly on the sector (air trans-
port, cruises, hospitality, travel agencies, leisure and cultural activities, etc.). The level
of economic and social upheaval is unprecedented.
CONTACT Francesc Romagosa francesc.romagosa@uab.cat School of Tourism and Hotel Management &
Department of Geography, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Cerdanyola (Barcelona), Spain.
ß2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
TOURISM GEOGRAPHIES
2020, VOL. 22, NO. 3, 690–694
https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2020.1763447
Furthermore, it is not yet known how long the crisis will last; nor do we know its
implications, from the point of view of restrictions on our mobility or so-called social
distancing that must be maintained to prevent the spread of contagion. In this sense,
from a sociological and anthropological point of view there are also a number of
questions concerning the social impact of this crisis—at least until the pandemic is
over—especially in those places that until very recently welcomed tourists. Apart from
a considerable sense of bewilderment, suffering and social unrest among the popula-
tion, could tourists be seen as potential carriers of the virus and therefore a threat
(Korstanje, 2020)? Could this be the start of tourismophobia or, in those destinations
where it already exists, cause it to increase? The role that social media could play in
disseminating pandemic-induced perceptions and discrimination that affect the image
of companies and destinations has already been identified as being a major one (Yu
et al., 2020).
A (new) opportunity for a more sustainable tourism
It has often been argued that the tourism sector has high resilience and the capacity
to adapt to and recover from catastrophic or unexpected phenomena. This time, how-
ever, the sector will have a very severe stress test to pass. There are analysts who
believe that once the worst moments have passed, we will gradually return—they do
not venture to offer a timescale—to a certain level of normality, or at least to a situ-
ation relatively similar to that which existed pre-crisis (Navarro Jurado et al., 2020). If
this is the case, the black swan theory would be confirmed. That theory posits that
once an unexpected event of great socioeconomic impact, such as this crisis, has
passed, it becomes rationalised, making it seem predictable or explicable and giving
the impression that its occurrence was anticipated (Taleb, 2007). According to such a
point of view, the current crisis would not imply substantial change to the tourism
sector, at least in terms of its future management and planning. Rather, a ’business as
usual’philosophy would prevail. This would be worrying, if we consider the repeated
warnings that the sector has received both for its unsustainability (lack of long-term
vision) and for the increasingly recurring risks it poses with respect to climate change
and global health emergencies (Jamal & Budke, 2020). Ignoring these risks would
be reckless.
In light of the current situation, there have been calls for taking advantage of this
period of stoppage in order to make far-reaching structural changes to the tourism
sector, starting with a reflection on its sustainability. This is particularly relevant if we
are to take account of criticisms levelled in recent years, mainly by the academic field,
around the concept of sustainable tourism.Those criticisms highlight the need to
rethink that concept and bring it closer in line with resilience (Bosak, 2016; Cheer &
Lew, 2017; Hall et al., 2018). With the current crisis, this need has become more evi-
dent than ever.
Higgins-Desbiolles (2020), for example, wonders whether the COVID-19 crisis is
really an epic disaster. Given that human activities need to change if we are to avoid
the worst effects of climate change, this crisis, she says, presents us with an unex-
pected opportunity. Rather than return to our previous operating model as soon as
TOURISM GEOGRAPHIES 691
possible, COVID-19 challenges us to think about the unsustainability of the pre-crisis
travel and tourism industry. This links into another debate that began a few years ear-
lier, which highlighted the need to curb what appeared to be the unchecked (and,
therefore, unsustainable) growth of international tourism travel and to opt instead
for degrowth strategies, especially in oversaturated destinations suffering from
‘overtourism’(Higgins-Desbiolles et al., 2019). However, suddenly and unexpectedly,
those destinations that previously suffered from this problem are now faced with the
completely opposite concern: ‘undertourism’or, rather, the absence of tourism. It
should be said that this crisis has nothing to do with degrowth, which entails
voluntary and planned contraction. Nevertheless, as authors such as Fletcher et al.
(2020) suggest,
…even if the COVID-19 crisis ends relatively soon, we cannot afford to return to levels of
travel experienced previously, particularly by the wealthiest segment of the world’s
population. This is not only because of the social unrest overtourism provoked, but also
because the industry’s environmental damages (including climate change as well as
pollution and resource depletion) which were already beyond unsustainable.
According to the same authors, the current restrictions and controls on mobility of
people imposed by the health crisis show how, where there is the will and political
consensus to do so, it would be possible to regulate tourist flows according to certain
sustainability standards—when it had often been argued that this was not possible
(Fletcher et al., 2020).
Despite the uncertainty we referred to at the beginning of the article, one of the
most likely consequences of this crisis is the bolstering of proximity tourism (Navarro
Jurado et al., 2020), understood it as doing tourism and travelling near home (Diaz-
Soria, 2017; Jeuring & Haartsen, 2017). This prediction is based on the fact that with
greater social and environmental awareness (Lew, 2020), post-crisis tourists will prob-
ably choose to travel to destinations closer to their place of residence. In the context
of growing insecurity and uncertainty, nearby destinations could be considered ‘less
risky’by many potential tourists who, having been noticeably affected by the eco-
nomic crisis arising from the health crisis, have seen their purchasing power reduced.
Added to this, there may in fact be restrictions on international (long-distance) travel,
at least for a while; in helping to reduce overall emissions, this would certainly be in
line with both the promotion of more sustainable tourism and the concept
of degrowth.
Conclusions
Needless to say, there is considerable concern over the sustainability of destinations
and tourism companies (in this case, sustainability in the sense of survival). Faced with
an uncertain future, destinations that appear to be in a less disadvantaged, more resili-
ent, position are those that have a more diversified offer, are less dependent on a par-
ticular market and have opted for qualitative rather than quantitative criteria (i.e.
development instead of growth). As for the tourism companies, the larger ones may
have more wriggle room compared with small ones, although nothing is guaranteed
(consider the collapse of giant Thomas Cook, in September 2019). If we consider the
692 F. ROMAGOSA
above-mentioned predictions, companies that have believed in and been loyal to the
principles of sustainable tourism, regardless of their size, are those that could be well
positioned in the new context. At this point, we should make special reference to the
myriad of micro and small enterprises that are deeply rooted in the destination: those
companies that offer ecotourism products or products based on the local natural and
cultural heritage and do not contribute to overcrowding, offering both high-quality
experiences for tourists and high added value to the destination. In any case, as Lew
(2020) has pointed out, companies that survive the pandemic will need to make their
products more resilient to future pandemics—which health experts warn will continue
to occur—and be able to adapt to the predicted change in consumer interests, which
will include greater demand for sustainable products.
In developed countries and emerging economies, where most of the world’s tour-
ism demand is concentrated and where proximity tourism is expected to help save
the sector, the situation is more promising than it is in developing countries. The latter
are highly dependent on outbound markets that come mostly from developed coun-
tries. Therefore, the challenge to the global tourism sector is major. Sustainability tells
us to look for balances (i.e. between the environment, society and the economy).
Thus, the challenge for global sustainable tourism will be to strike a balance between
maintaining activity in rich countries, while avoiding overcrowding, and bringing activ-
ity to poor countries, some of which are overly dependent on the sector and markets
that will need a lot of incentives to recover. Tourism can be a good tool for local
development, but it should not be the only one. Thus, it will also be necessary to find
a social balance in terms of equity and justice, as well as an economic one, in every
destination. This is where tourism planning and management policies come into play,
in terms of implementing sustainability and resilience at all scales (local, national and
international) and with appropriate forms of governance, integrating the public and
private sectors in a co-ordinated manner.
In brief, all stakeholders, including us as researchers, have a task of great responsi-
bility: to help redirect tourism—from the point of view of both supply and demand—
towards a truly sustainable and resilient profile that is fit for a future that is constantly
changing and full of new challenges.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
ORCID
Francesc Romagosa http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9963-4227
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Research
Full-text available
  • Mar 2020
The COVID-19 crisis shows what degrowth in the global tourism industry could look like. But it would need much more concerted planning to address the social impacts of this transition. https://politicalecologynetwork.org/2020/03/24/tourism-degrowth-and-the-covid-19-crisis/
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Tourism in a world with pandemics: local-global responsibility and action
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2020
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a swift perspective to JTF readers on the novel coronavirus outbreak that commenced in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and is currently ongoing. The study situates the current outbreak within prior pandemics and offers some directions for research and practice. Swift attention is needed to this event and the future of travel and tourism in a world where disease outbreaks and pandemics will become increasingly frequent due to increased travel and ease of access to destinations worldwide. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws from published academic research studies, as well as current media sources emerging, as the novel coronavirus situation is unfolding. In addition, the authors draw on the multidisciplinary expertise of the two authors (one based in tourism studies and the other an epidemiologist and public health expert). Findings This paper captures events on the novel coronavirus, as they are unfolding now, situates this in relation to the research literature on past pandemics like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Ebola and draws some important directions to guide research and practice. Research limitations/implications This is a viewpoint paper and offers some emerging perspectives, issues and challenges arising in relation to the current novel coronavirus outbreak. This is situated more broadly in a large research literature that has been drawn on in a very succinct manner to ground this viewpoint. Future research will need to explore the larger literature. Practical implications This viewpoint offers the following valuable implications for practice at the local level and the regional/global level: countering misinformation and xenophobia through the communication of accurate facts related to the disease in question (the novel coronavirus in this case) is essential; close collaboration and cooperation between tourism stakeholders (including service providers and destination management organizations) and public health authorities; greater responsibility by residents and tourists to seek out correct scientific facts on the disease and take sensible precautions, as well as exercise care to those suffering the adverse impacts; and global coordination and attention to vulnerable destinations is needed more concretely (recommended in crisis management and recovery studies but not well implemented yet). Social implications As noted above under practical implications, this viewpoint identified important social implications in terms of inequities and injustices that arise during disease outbreaks like the novel coronavirus and prior outbreaks like SARS and Ebola. These range from discrimination and racism as well as inequities related to managing the impacts on vulnerable destinations whose health facilities may be far from adequate to handle such outbreaks and the challenges of misinformation among visitors and residents that indirectly or directly affect the destination. Originality/value This viewpoint is being submitted as the novel coronavirus epidemic is unfolding, and it is hoped that sharing it speedily via an open access journal will assist in better managing the research of what will continue to be an increasing future challenge for destinations and societies in a world of mobilities and increasing travel forecast.
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Degrowing tourism: rethinking tourism
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2019
Concerns with growth have steadily advanced since the Limits to Growth report due particularly to human impacts on the natural environment. Since that time, neoliberal capitalism has become increasingly reliant on growth exacerbating these problems. The destructive outcomes of these strategies has led to a growing interest in degrowth. Analysts are examining how we can create economies that eschew a growth imperative while still supporting human thriving. Tourism as a key facet of capitalism is implicated in these issues and recent concerns with “overtourism” are only one symptom of the problem. This article presents a conceptual consideration of issues of degrowth in tourism. It examines current tensions in international mobility and argues just and sustainable degrowth will require greater attention to equity. This analysis suggests that essential to such an agenda is redefining tourism to focus on the rights of local communities and a rebuilding of the social capacities of tourism. This article argues for the redefinition of tourism in order to place the rights of local communities above the rights of tourists for holidays and the rights of tourism corporates to make profits.
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Tourism, Resilience and Sustainability: Adapting to Social, Political and Economic Change
Book
Full-text available
  • Jul 2017
In a world increasingly faced with, and divided by, regional and global crises, resilience has emerged as a key concept with significant relevance for tourism. A paradigmatic shift is taking place in the long-term planning of tourism development, in which the prevailing focus on sustainability is being enhanced with the practical application of resilience planning. This book provides a critical appraisal of sustainability and resilience, and the relationship between the two. Contributions highlight the complexity of addressing social change with resilience planning in a range of tourism contexts, from islands to mountains, from urban to remote environments, and in a range of international settings. Case studies articulate how tourism is both an agent of social change and a victim of larger change processes, and provide important lessons on how to deal with increasingly unstable economic, social and environmental systems. This book is the first to specifically examine social change and sustainability in tourism through a resilience lens. This much-needed contribution to the literature will be a key resource for those working in tourism studies, tourism planning and management, social geography, and development studies, among others.
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Tourism and resilience: Individual, organisational and destination perspectives
Book
Full-text available
  • Nov 2017
This is the first authored overview of resilience in tourism and its relationship to the broader resilience literature. The book examines resilience at individual, organisation and destination levels, and with respect to the wider tourism system. It is designed to be an upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate primer on resilience in tourism. Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxed Cases and Insights Acknowledgements List of Acronyms 1. Disturbance and Change in the Tourism System 2. Resilience: Responding to Change 3. Individual Resilience 4. Organisational Resilience 5. Destination Resilience 6. Conclusion: Is Resilience a Resilient Concept? References Index This title is available on the Channel View Publications website: www.channelviewpublications.com
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Being a tourist as a chosen experience in a proximity destination
Article
Full-text available
  • Aug 2016
Being a tourist is not a passive attitude. It is the result of a conscious decision essentially based on how individuals build what they perceive as unknown and how they decide to get to know it. In other words, tourists deliberately create a distance with the destination which allows them to enjoy the tourist experience as something exceptional. This paper is part of ongoing research and focuses on the subjective construction of the otherness, since this process determines what is left to be discovered. First, a theoretical overview will introduce the concepts of usual environment, proximity and tourist. Then, we will focus on guided tours as a mechanism of mediation between individuals and places. Finally, we will move on to the case of Barcelona's walking tours and the local participants’ experience as a way to adopt a tourist's approach. Preliminary results show, first, four categories of experience of proximate guided tours: educational, expert, recreational and tourist. Then, they focus on the proximity tourist experience using Urry and Larsen's notion of the ‘tourist gaze’ and Tuan's theory on the tourist and the resident's points of view. According to these theories, participants’ motivations and their individual frame of reference define a tourist's point of view. Based on that, results show that proximity tourists and traditional tourists share curiosity as motivation but do not have the same points of reference. In spite of that, the feeling of proximity with the destination does not constitute a barrier to become a tourist. It is the conscious adoption of the tourist's role which makes the individual gaze upon the visited areas like a tourist, regardless of the proximity with the environment. This approach of proximity tourism constitutes a way to enhance familiar places and develop tourism in an environmentally concerned context where proximate destinations are being promoted.
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The challenge of proximity: the (un)attractiveness of near-home tourism destinations
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2016
  • Tourism Geogr
Imaginaries of touristic otherness have traditionally been closely related to geographical distance and travel far away from the everyday. But in today's context of sustainable tourism, a moral and behavioral shift may be expected, toward traveling near home. Distance may actually become a disadvantage and proximity a new commodity. This implies a need to disentangle subjective understandings of both distance and proximity in relation to perceived attractiveness of and touristic behavior in places near home. Thus, it is aimed to shed light on how ‘proximity tourism’ is constructed, endorsed and appreciated (or not). An online survey (N = 913) was administered to residents of the Dutch province of Friesland, exploring their attitudes toward their home province as tourism destination and representations of proximity and distance in relation to preferred vacation destinations. We grouped respondents into four categories, reflecting destination preferences: (1) proximate, (2) distant, (3) intermediate and (4) mixed. These groups were differentiated and characterized using quantitative and qualitative analyses. The ‘proximate’ and ‘distant’ preference groups, respectively, were most and least engaged in proximity tourism. However, the perceptions of proximity and distance expressed by the ‘intermediate’ and ‘mixed’ preference groups were associated in a nonlinear way with appreciation of the home region as a tourism destination. Additionally, respondents used proximity and distance in various ways as push, pull, keep and repel factors motivating their destination preferences. Interpretations of both proximity and distance were thus important in determining engagement in proximity tourism and, in turn, the potential for proximity tourism development in the region. This implies that such development will require a balanced consideration of the relative, temporally sensitive ways that people negotiate distance and proximity in their perceptions of being at home and away. Our results advance the discussion about imaginaries of travel, distance and proximity, and their impact on regional tourism.
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Tourism, Development, and Sustainability
Chapter
  • Jan 2016
This chapter approaches sustainable tourism by first conceptualizing tourism as a form of development that depends on conservation of the resources that attract tourists. With this lens, sustainability becomes a top priority as tourism destinations attempt to maintain and enhance their attractiveness to tourists. Concurrently, tourism is an economic activity and is a driver of and is driven by global capitalism. As such, there exists a tension between tourism and sustainability. That tension is explored in this chapter through the question: What is to be sustained? The answer to this question is explored in the context of socio-ecological systems and ideas of resilience. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how re-framing sustainable tourism could be implemented through a set of tools.
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