Rebuilding Tourism Post Pandemic - Policy Recommendations From Global Case Studies

As the world continues to navigate between the ‘new normal’ and the ‘next normal’ of an ongoing pandemic, the recovery plans of several tourism destinations are still not bringing desired results. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed long standing structural weaknesses and gaps in tourism policies worldwide. The formulation of tourism policies based on the pandemic context is, therefore, a need of the hour. However, due to lockdown and physical distancing measures, data collection for the development of research-based tourism policies has not been possible. In this case, evidence-based policies stand as a workable option. Drawing from the book Tourism Destination Management in a Post-Pandemic Context, this policy document proposes a synthesis of tourism policies embraced by destinations struggling in the pandemic context. Lessons show that rebuilding tourism requires policies that address structural weaknesses, advance key priorities, foster global solidarity and take advantage of new opportunities. This piece of study comes to the conclusion that tourism policies post pandemic need to be based on seven pillars; namely mitigation, vaccination, collaboration, information, promotion, education, and investigation.