ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the economic, financial and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of ethical and responsible tourism at a local sustainable level. We examine the impact in the macro-economic situation before considering how long the economic impact of the pandemic may last and the future of the “new reality” after 2021.
This involves considering tourism in advanced and European economies, then examining the role of small scale tourism enterprises. This implies a focus on the role of ethical and responsible tourism and on its ability to shift consumption, demand and confidence towards sustainability, whilst replacing the previous excesses of mass tourism.
There may be some optimism, however, given the value of locally based micro and small enterprises offering ethical, responsible tourist products. They are flexible enough to switch from foreign to domestic markets, especially whilst cross-border travel remains difficult. The “new reality” may be encouraging for ethical and responsible tourism as consumers react negatively to the infection-control problems of mass tourism. Furthermore, having endured one crisis from a viral pandemic, tourists may begin to fear the next crisis as the effects on tourism of the global-warming catastrophe begin to build.
