TOURISM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CLIMATE CHANGE: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article analyzes the factors effecting the tourism industry development in the world. It was noted that the steady growth of the tourism industry for the past 10 years to the Covid-19 pandemic is due to many factors, among which an important place is given to the growth in the number of consumers of tourism services with middle-class incomes, the weakening of the visa facilitation in many countries of the world, the transport infrastructure development, and social networks. The purpose of the article is to study the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change on the tourism, to find out the directions for adapting the tourism industry to these challenges. Closure of international borders since the beginning of the pandemic, falling international air traffic, stopping the work of hotels and entertainment establishments, restriction of catering establishments, rising unemployment, reducing incomes and savings of consumers, changes in consumption patterns, restricting the free movement of people, the risk of getting sick with coronavirus and high uncertainty led to a catastrophic drop in demand for tourism services. Climate change also has a very negative effect on tourism development. The most popular tourist destinations in the world are largely affected by climate change that we are observing in the form of an increase in fire areas, an increase the number of flood disasters, and increased erosion of coastal marine areas. On the other hand, the excessive demand for tourism services in the world has had a negative effect on climate change. All tourism travel accounts for around 5.6% of all CO₂ emissions in the world, according to various estimates. They are produced by transport, accommodation, and all types of tourism activities. It should be considered that the attractiveness of tourist destinations is directly affected by the scale of the biodiversity reduction problem, the availability and price of clean fresh water, the level of air pollution, the amount of waste from hotels and catering establishments, and harmful emissions from transport. Therefore, the crisis in the tourism industry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to its change towards sustainable tourism development, the development of the tourism ecosystem, and green infrastructure.