Covid-19 Crisis Management Responses of Small Tourism Firms in South Africa

Although the literature on COVID-19 is expanding, particularly in relation to crisis management responses pursued by large tourism enterprises, currently few studies exist on the responses of small tourism firms and more specifically of the crisis management practices of small and microaccom modation establishments. The aim in this study is to investigate the business management responses of small tourism firms to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and restrictions in South Africa. Themes of concern are whether enterprises have been able to sustain operations and adopt certain coping mechanisms or management strategies to mitigate the pandemic’s impact. The article reports on an interview survey of small and microenterprises engaged in accommodation services (N = 75) in South Africa under lockdown restrictions as a means of assessing the responses and coping strategies during an unprecedented crisis of this core component of the country’s tourism industry. Among key findings are that small and microlodging firms that have suffered severe financial losses because of the COVID-19 shock have few viable mechanisms to cope with the impact of the crisis and that government support to aid recovery has been insufficient in South Africa. This research contributes to the limited body of international scholarship that examines how small and microaccommodation firms, a major group and contributor of many economies, are navigating the unprecedented COVID-19 environment.

Exploring the cooperation-cooperation mode between scenic spots and tourism enterprises under the dual-channel tourism supply chain

As the two most important nodes in the tourism supply chain, the competition, as well as the cooperation relationship between scenic spots and tourism enterprises, has a profound impact on the healthy development of the tourism industry. In this paper, we establish a dual-channel tourism supply chain model by making many assumptions about the operations of scenic spots and tourism enterprises. According to repeated game theory, we find that there is a certain trigger strategy for equilibrium strategy between scenic spots and tourism enterprises, and the cooperation-cooperation strategy is the optimal choice for scenic spots and tourism enterprises at this time.

Smart Tourism in Destinations

Business enterprises have gained leverage through artificial intelligence (AI) in the tourism and hospitality industry. The roots of the concept and its link with big data environment has drawn a lot of interest from researchers. The employment of technology has increased economic viability of tourism enterprises due to the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency it creates for tourism and hospitality organizations. The chapter views the emergence of smart tourism in destination management in accordance with sustainable tourism concept and evaluates the issue both in supply side and demand side of tourism. Moreover, it aims to discuss the use of such a paradigm. If the destinations have a viable ground for motivational change to adapt, this philosophy will also be high lightened. For this reason, value creation will be evaluated in accordance with cost-benefit assessment.

FORMING OF SKILLS OF SAFE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS IN THE TOURISM SECTOR

The article analyzes the research of domestic and foreign scientists on the training of highly qualified specialists in the field of tourism. It is proved that the modern development of tourism directly depends on ensuring the safety of tourists and workers in the tourism industry, the level of protection of their lives, health and property. Examples of teaching the discipline "Safety and Security of Tourism" show the process of developing skills of safe professional activities of future professionals in the field of tourism, the ability to properly assess harmful and dangerous factors and take appropriate measures to prevent hazards or reduce their impact on tourists and tourism industry. The discipline "Safety and Security of Tourism" is aimed at acquiring knowledge and skills of security in the field of tourism for the successful implementation of professional activities in enterprises and institutions of the tourism industry, in public organizations of tourism, to open and run their own business in recreation and tourism. The purpose of the discipline is to form students' abilities necessary to create and maintain healthy and safe living and working conditions for tourists and workers in the tourism industry, skills to protect against the negative factors of emergencies during tourist trips, the ability to act confidently in various unusual situations. To solve the set tasks, the discipline "Safety and Security of Tourism" considers various topics on security in the field of tourism, namely, the theoretical foundations of security, legislation, risk factors, safety of tourists in emergencies, occupational safety at tourism enterprises, sanitary and epidemiological safety, insurance and control over the observance of safety rules, safety of tourists on transport, in various types of tourism, in particular, extreme tourism, rules of conduct in foreign travel and survival of tourists in extreme conditions, accidents and diseases, fire safety in the tourism industry. For high-quality mastering of the discipline the author of the article has developed methodical recommendations for 12 practical classes on the course "Safety and Security of Tourism", the quality of which allows future professionals to gain not only knowledge necessary for mastering disciplines in senior courses, but also to develop skills for safe professional activity in tourism, hotel and restaurant business.

Conditions for Development of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Tourism in the Border Area of the European Union: The Example of the Tri-Border Area of Poland–Belarus–Ukraine

The aim of this work is to study the conditions for developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem of regional tourism at the external border of the European Union, in Poland, and its contact points with two non-Union countries (Belarus, Ukraine). The research used a literature review, qualitative and quantitative analyses of the conditions for the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems, interviews with local ecosystem actors and the author’s own observations. The eastern border of Poland (formerly with the USSR) created a barrier to the socio-economic development of adjacent regions. Their peripheral nature has allowed preserving their precious nature value and multicultural heritage. Currently, this preservation constitutes grounds for sustainably developing the region’s tourism. The primary actors of the tourism-based entrepreneurial ecosystem are local governments, public institutions, non-governmental organisations and entrepreneurs. An impetus for activities thereof was granted by Poland’s accession to the EU and its access to Union funds, which has reinforced tourism infrastructure by contributing to the establishment of new tourism enterprises. Furthermore, the development of tourism in the region could also be favoured by the close neighbourhood of as many as two other countries; however, and unfortunately, the border is still a barrier. Apart from the lack of infrastructure allowing borders crossings, political instability in neighbouring countries—made explicitly visible at the border with Belarus in 2021—threatens border-driven tourism by restricting tourism entrepreneurship, especially in those activities based on the access to the border.

Responsibility and Mindset of Tourist and Community-Based Tourism Enterprise to Conserve the Environment and Energy

The aim of the research is to assess the mindset, activities and the participation of communitybased tourism enterprises in the tourists’ awareness and behavior. Tourism has the significant impact in order to develop the guideline for organizing the activities and managing the community-based tourism in reflecting the responsible environment and energy linking character and behavior of tourists. We found a strong growth mindset of entrepreneur’s community as the key factor that affected on driving the participation of tourism management. Mindset was a significant mechanism to motivate and encourage sustainable tourism in the future. Finally, it represents the responsible environment and energy systematically.