Responding to the coronavirus pandemic: emerging issues and challenges for Indian hospitality and tourism businesses

Abstract

Purpose

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a paradigm shift in all businesses, and given the restrictions that followed, hospitality and tourism has been significantly affected. This article identifies some emerging issues and trends in hospitality and tourism businesses related to this, and in so doing, it introduces the theme issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The article draws on recent reports and articles and on several rounds of discussion between academics, practitioners and other stakeholders to identify the issues arising, which are then explored in the articles featured in this theme issue.

Findings

The study findings reveal that the pandemic response has prompted advances in technology, profit management, training, service blueprinting and online education, coupled with industry integration, sustainability practices, housekeeping services, medical tourism and virtual tourism among others.

Originality/value

The theme issue sought to address the real-life issues that are impacting hospitality and tourism in India and some of the wider implications. This exploratory work is based on inputs from industry professionals, policymakers and other stakeholders in relation to the emerging issues and the formulation of strategies to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on hospitality and tourism businesses in India.

Citation

Sanjeev, G.M. and Tiwari, S. (2021), "Responding to the coronavirus pandemic: emerging issues and challenges for Indian hospitality and tourism businesses", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 563-568. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-06-2021-0088