ABSTRACT
Customer trust in hotels and other tourism services can be seriously damaged by the effects of epidemic outbreaks such as COVID-19 if quality standards are not maintained and improved by eliminating any uncertainty that the customer may have. This study examines the role and usefulness of external certifications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to answer these questions, a qualitative research design was chosen based on the analysis of in-depth qualitative interviews with the CEOs and senior managers of three international hotel chains. Results revealed that large hotel chains prefer to develop their own quality procedures while using external certifications as a potential marketing tool. External certifications are particularly useful for independent hotels lacking resources to develop their own quality procedures. In addition, the great heterogeneity among these certifications represents a threat to the industry, as it may confuse tourists.
