Crisis management and resilience-the case of small businesses in tourism

Purpose: Crisis management has developed as an established field of scholarly research in tourism over the last three decades. More recently, the concept of resilience has emerged within this body of literature as a longer-term planning process. However, important knowledge gaps remain, especially with regards to the strategic responses of small tourism businesses in destinations prone to repeated crises. Design/methodology/approach: This chapter reviews the literature related to crisis management and resilience in tourism. Findings: Key knowledge gaps are outlined and discussed in the context of tourism research related to crisis management and resilience, with a specific emphasis on research related to small tourism businesses. Originality: Although crisis management and resilience are fields of research that continue to generate a considerable amount of scholarly enquiry in tourism, particularly with studies related to the impacts of terrorism on tourism destinations and, more recently, the short-and longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, there is very little research related to the role of small tourism businesses in this context, in spite of their key role in the tourism system of destinations around the world. © 2022 Sofia Lachhab, Tina Segota, Alastair M. Morrison and J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak.

Understanding post-pandemic travel behaviours-China's Golden Week

This study provides a prompt understanding of actual travel behaviours during and after a real time pandemic building on an earlier published study of intended behaviours. Quantitative online survey data gathered during China's first national multi-day holiday-Golden Week (October 2020)-since the lifting of the country's stringent travel restrictions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed for actual post-pandemic travel behaviours to be investigated. The survey carried out for this purpose included decisions in favour or against travel, motivations, means of travel, as well as changes in terms of travel duration, travel distance and spending. A taxonomy is developed for actual tourist behaviours within a post-pandemic domestic tourism context to understand factors influencing these behaviours, including perceived risk, anxiety, trust and financial constraints. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Transformational tourism - a systematic literature review and research agenda. (Special Issue: Transformation and the regenerative future of tourism.)

Purpose: This paper aims to examine critically the literature on transformational tourism and explore a research agenda for a post-COVID future. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review of the transformational tourism literature is performed over a 42-year period from 1978 to 2020. Findings: Further research is required in terms of how transformative experiences should be calibrated and measured both in qualitative and quantitative terms, particularly from the perspective of how tourists are transformed by their experiences. Similarly, the nature and depth of these transformative processes remain poorly understood, particularly given the many different types of tourism associated with transformative experiences, which range from religious pilgrimages to backpacking and include several forms of ecotourism. Practical implications: Future research directions for transformational tourism are discussed with regard to how COVID-19 will transform the dynamics of tourism and travel, including the role of new smart technologies in the creation of enhanced transformational experiences, and the changing expectations and perceptions of transformative travel in the post-COVID era. In addition, the researchers call for future studies on transformational tourism to explore the role of host communities in the delivery of meaningful visitor experiences. Originality/value: Transformational tourism is an emerging body of research, which has attracted a growing level of interest among tourism scholars in recent years. However, to this date, a systematic review of published literature in this field has not been conducted yet in a holistic sense. This paper offers a framework for future research in this field.

Transformational tourism – a systematic literature review and research agenda

Purpose>This paper aims to examine critically the literature on transformational tourism and explore a research agenda for a post-COVID future.Design/methodology/approach>A systematic review of the transformational tourism literature is performed over a 42-year period from 1978 to 2020.Findings>Further research is required in terms of how transformative experiences should be calibrated and measured both in qualitative and quantitative terms, particularly from the perspective of how tourists are transformed by their experiences. Similarly, the nature and depth of these transformative processes remain poorly understood, particularly given the many different types of tourism associated with transformative experiences, which range from religious pilgrimages to backpacking and include several forms of ecotourism.Practical implications>Future research directions for transformational tourism are discussed with regard to how COVID-19 will transform the dynamics of tourism and travel, including the role of new smart technologies in the creation of enhanced transformational experiences, and the changing expectations and perceptions of transformative travel in the post-COVID era. In addition, the researchers call for future studies on transformational tourism to explore the role of host communities in the delivery of meaningful visitor experiences.Originality/value>Transformational tourism is an emerging body of research, which has attracted a growing level of interest among tourism scholars in recent years. However, to this date, a systematic review of published literature in this field has not been conducted yet in a holistic sense. This paper offers a framework for future research in this field.

Guest editorial

In most destinations, organizations seeking to influence the adoption of sustainable tourism have little direct power to enforce change and models of shared leadership, collaboration and cooperation are more salient. Carlo Alberini’s article in this Special Issue provides important insights into how a destination works to ensure urban planning and port development contribute to sustainable tourism development. [...]issues remain unresolved until they reach a tipping point where major change is required. From an enterprise perspective, while traditional for-profit tourism businesses adopt corporate social responsibility and environmentally sustainable activities that contribute to tourism system sustainability, it is the emergence of tourism-based social enterprises and similar forms of non-traditional mission-oriented businesses that offer exciting new approaches to enterprise-level sustainability.

Technology acceptance before and after COVID-19: no-touch service from hotel robots

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the consumer acceptance of robots in hotels before and after COVID-19, with a specific emphasis on whether COVID-19 had a significant effect on the acceptance of robots by hotel guests and whether guests had higher levels of acceptance of hotel robots since the initial COVID-19 outbreak was brought under control in China. Design/methodology/approach: The sample for this research included Chinese hotel guests before and after COVID-19, with 247 responses obtained before its outbreak and a further 601 responses gathered after. Several hypotheses were developed and tested in a pseudo-experimental design. Findings: The results showed that COVID-19 increased hotel guest acceptance of robots. After COVID-19, the perceived importance of the usefulness, social influence, attitude and value of robots increased, while the perceived importance of the ease of use and anthropomorphism of robots decreased. As a contactless service, the usefulness of robots was more valued by customers. This led customers to lower their requirements for the ease of use of robots. In addition, people were more concerned about the social influences on robot use. Research limitations/implications: Hotel guest attitudes and behavioral intentions toward robots and the services they can provide are changing. However, whether this change is purely ephemeral and motivated by a pragmatic stance triggered by COVID-19 remains to be established. Practical implications: The hospitality industry is encouraged to create a new profile of guests in terms of their favorable or unfavorable disposition toward being served by robots. Hotels should consider the deployment of robots according to the demographic characteristics of customers (e.g. according to guest age levels). Originality/value: This research demonstrated that major crises affect customer attitudes and behaviors toward new technologies. COVID-19 resulted in guests paying more attention to the advantages of services offered by hotel robots as a means of reducing the probability of contagion. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

A risk perception scale for travel to a crisis epicentre: visiting Wuhan after COVID-19. (Special Issue: COVID-19 and tourism.)

Although the significance of tourist risk perceptions is well documented, perspectives on risk associated with major pandemics such as COVID-19 remain poorly understood, especially from the viewpoint of destination crisis management. This research measured risk perceptions among Chinese residents related to travelling to Wuhan after the outbreak of COVID-19. Based on the concept and dimensions of tourist risk perceptions, a risk perception scale with 13 items on four dimensions (health, financial, social. performance) was developed and validated using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Risk perception differences among visitor groups were identified based on 1818 survey responses collected during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. The results show that occupations and place of residence had significant effects on all 13 items, while gender, age, educational attainment, and income independently affected some items. Similarly, respondent involvement in disease prevention and control, losses suffered during the pandemic, and previous experiences of visiting Wuhan were found to produce significant differences.

On being warm and friendly: The effect of socially responsible human resource management on employee fears of the threats of COVID-19

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the influence of socially- responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on employee fears of external threats during the COVID-19 outbreak, based on social support and event system theories. COVID-19 caused sharp profit declines and bankruptcies of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies. In addition, employees faced threats to their health and job security. How to overcome employee anxieties and fears about the negative impacts of this crisis and promote psychological recovery is worthy of attention from researchers and practitioners. This research investigated the impacts of SRHRM on employee fears through organizational trust, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing a moderating role between SRHRM and employee fears. Design/methodology/approach: The hypotheses were tested through multiple linear regression analysis based on a survey of 408 employees in hospitality and tourism firms in China. Qualitative data were also gathered through interviews with selected managers. Findings: The results showed that SRHRM had a negative influence on employee fears of external threats by enhancing trust in their organizations. In addition, the strength of the COVID-19 pandemic positively moderated the effect of SRHRM on employee fears. When the pandemic strength was more robust, the negative effects of SRHRM on employee fears were more significant. Research limitations/implications: This research illustrated the contribution of SRHRM in overcoming employee fears of external threats in the context of COVID-19. It shed light on the organizational contribution of SRHRM to hospitality and tourism employee psychological recovery during the crisis. Originality/value: This research explored strategic HRM by examining the effects of SRHRM on employee fears in the midst of a severe crisis, specifically COVID-19. The moderation effect of event strength and mediation effect of organizational trust were tested. It is of great value for hospitality and tourism firms to foster employee psychological recovery during a crisis such as COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Understanding post-pandemic travel behaviours – China's Golden Week

This study provides a prompt understanding of actual travel behaviours during and after a real time pandemic building on an earlier published study of intended behaviours. Quantitative online survey data gathered during China's first national multi-day holiday - Golden Week (October 2020) - since the lifting of the country's stringent travel restrictions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed for actual post-pandemic travel behaviours to be investigated. The survey carried out for this purpose included decisions in favour or against travel, motivations, means of travel, as well as changes in terms of travel duration, travel distance and spending. A taxonomy is developed for actual tourist behaviours within a post-pandemic domestic tourism context to understand factors influencing these behaviours, including perceived risk, anxiety, trust and financial constraints.

Coronavirus impacts on post-pandemic planned travel behaviours

Presents a study which aims to provide a novel contribution to existing knowledge by providing a prompt understanding of a real-time pandemic, particularly on the impacts of intra-pandemic perceptions on post-epidemic planned travel behaviors. Data for this study was collected using a self-administrated online questionnaire launched during the Chinese government's mandatory national 'self-quarantine' campaign. The survey was distributed using China's most popular social media platform - WeChat as well as a survey panel provided by Tencent Group. Given an initial data set of 980 responses, 11 were removed due to suspicious response patterns. The remaining data of 969 responses were kept for the analysis with an average survey completion time of 7 min. The proposed model of post-pandemic planned behaviors was analyzed using SmartPLS 3. The solution of the PLS-SEM algorithm indicated the validity and reliability of the outer model as well as inner model. Once the reliability and validity of the measurement model were confirmed, a path analysis among the five constructs was executed. A multiple group analysis was carried out between respondents not expecting to shorten their planned holiday (N = 525) and another group of respondents expecting to shorten it. It was found that respondents intended on making considerable changes to their travel behaviour as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The findings of this research indicate significant changes in post-pandemic planned travel behaviors, rather than actual behaviors, which could not be evaluated due to the context and timing of this research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

The effects of risk message frames on post-pandemic travel intentions: the moderation of empathy and perceived waiting time

The moderation roles of empathy and perceived waiting time (PWT) on post-pandemic travel intentions have not as yet been investigated. This study of 684 Chinese resident respondents elicited how COVID-19 risk messages affected post-pandemic travel intentions. The results showed that people exposed to messages in the risk-amplifying frame had lower basic travel and destination travel intentions than those who were exposed to messages in the risk- attenuating frame. Empathy had a beneficial effect on basic travel intentions and had an inducing effect on destination travel intentions only in high-risk situations. High PWT tourists had more positive destination travel intentions in the risk-attenuating frame. The findings provide a theoretical basis for future research as well as practical implications for destination risk communications and market restoration during a public health crisis. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Responding to a major global crisis: The effects of hotel safety leadership on employee safety behavior during COVID-19

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of hotel safety leadership on employee safety behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mediation role of belief restoration and the moderation role of perceived risk between safety leadership and behavior were also investigated. Design/methodology/approach: The COVID-19 outbreak served as the background for a questionnaire survey of 23 hotels in China with 1,594 valid responses being received. The statistical analysis techniques used were exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression. Findings: The results showed that: hotel safety leadership positively affected employee safety behavior (compliance, participation and adaptation);belief restoration partially mediated the influence of safety leadership on safety behavior;and perceived risk negatively moderated the direct effect and the mediation effect of "safety leadership - belief restoration - safety behavior." Research limitations/implications: The main limitation was that the questionnaires were collected with the same measurement system within a certain period of time (cross-sectional design). Then, future research should test and expand this conceptual model in different crises, business fields, theoretical orientation and cultural backgrounds. Practical implications: Hotels should develop management strategies based on safety leadership and motivate and promote employee safety behavior from the four aspects of safety coaching, care, motivation and control. Originality/value: This investigation expanded the research on the effectiveness of safety leadership and especially with respect to safety in the hospitality industry during a major global crisis. Also, the research conceptual model and variables contained therein are original contributions to the hospitality research literature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

On being warm and friendly: the effect of socially responsible human resource management on employee fears of the threats of COVID-19

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the influence of socially- responsible human resource management (SRHRM) on employee fears of external threats during the COVID-19 outbreak, based on social support and event system theories. COVID-19 caused sharp profit declines and bankruptcies of hotels, restaurants and travel agencies. In addition, employees faced threats to their health and job security. How to overcome employee anxieties and fears about the negative impacts of this crisis and promote psychological recovery is worthy of attention from researchers and practitioners. This research investigated the impacts of SRHRM on employee fears through organizational trust, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing a moderating role between SRHRM and employee fears. Design/methodology/approach: The hypotheses were tested through multiple linear regression analysis based on a survey of 408 employees in hospitality and tourism firms in China. Qualitative data were also gathered through interviews with selected managers. Findings: The results showed that SRHRM had a negative influence on employee fears of external threats by enhancing trust in their organizations. In addition, the strength of the COVID-19 pandemic positively moderated the effect of SRHRM on employee fears. When the pandemic strength was more robust, the negative effects of SRHRM on employee fears were more significant. Research limitations/implications: This research illustrated the contribution of SRHRM in overcoming employee fears of external threats in the context of COVID-19. It shed light on the organizational contribution of SRHRM to hospitality and tourism employee psychological recovery during the crisis. Originality/value: This research explored strategic HRM by examining the effects of SRHRM on employee fears in the midst of a severe crisis, specifically COVID-19. The moderation effect of event strength and mediation effect of organizational trust were tested. It is of great value for hospitality and tourism firms to foster employee psychological recovery during a crisis such as COVID-19. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Changing Grocery Shopping Behaviours Among Chinese Consumers At The Outset Of The COVID-19 Outbreak.

This study focuses on the embryonic stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, where most people affected opted to abide by the Chinese government's national self-quarantine campaign. This resulted in major disruptions to one of the most common market processes in retail: food retailing. The research adopts the theory of planned behaviour to provide early empirical insights into changes in consumer behaviour related to food purchases during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Data from the online survey carried out suggest that the outbreak triggered considerable levels of switching behaviours among customers, with farmers' markets losing most of their customers, while local small independent retailers experienced the highest levels of resilience in terms of customer retention. This study suggests avenues for further scholarly research and policy making related to the impact this behaviour may be having around the world on society's more vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly.

Coronavirus impacts on post-pandemic planned travel behaviours.

•Provides a prompt understanding of a real time pandemic (coronavirus Covid-19)•Analyses the intra-pandemic perception and post-pandemic planned behaviours•Evaluates planned changes to travel behaviours•Discusses intra-pandemic effects on perceptions towards tourist destinations.