ABSTRACT
Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves wrote: “We’re at war with nature. If we win, we’re lost.” (in Reeves, 2014, p. 139). The 2020 pandemic has had catastrophic consequences on societies as a whole, but particularly on the travel and hospitality sectors. The ways these industries are currently dealing with this offers a glimpse into crisis management endeavours and building a business case for disaster and climate resiliency. The hospitality industry has proven to be one of most innovative sectors in times of crisis, adapting to keep operating; from functioning as emergency housing, coronavirus quarantines, and daytime offices to hotel-to-hospital conversions. The industry is also assuming a leading role in keeping spirits high across the communities it operates in. Many of the characteristics found in social enterprises, discussed in this book, have been coming to the surface, enacted by large corporate players. Climate emergency is not dissimilar to the coronavirus threat, whereby “both demand early aggressive action to minimize loss” (Cobb, in Sengupta, 2020, para. 3).
