Exploring the Role of Event Management for Destination Branding Post COVID-19 Pandemic: The case study of Egypt

Abstract

The travel and tourism sector is suffering significant disruption and is being greatly impacted globally. COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences on economic recession, employment, investment, and demand were not confined to the tourism business only but extended to include other tourism–related sectors such as event management. This study aims to explore the potential role of events on destination branding, from the perspective of the tourism industry stakeholders. The study purposed to answer the research question: how destinations can use successful events, post the COVID-19 pandemic to promote optimism to stimulate tourism helping in mitigating the impact of the crisis, and accelerating recovery while maintaining the destination positive image. The research conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 key event management and tourism stakeholders in Egypt. According to the interviews, seven main themes emerged: Travel restrictions, safety measures and less interaction, promotion of complementary tourist services and attractions, best means of using events to rebuild a destination’s brand after crisis, the need for cooperative planning between the industry key players, the synergizing of event and destination marketers’ efforts, role of media to support events. With these findings, this study provided recommended plans for destination branding to help take the necessary actions to ensure and prepare for the future recovery of the events market. Consequently, this study contributed practically. In addition, it developed empirical evidence that contributes knowledge, filling in the academic gap found in literature. ىلع ريبك لكشب رثأتيو ريبك با رطضا نم ةحايسلاو رفسلا عاطق يناعي ةحئاج رصتقي مل .ملاعلا ىوتسم COVID-19 دوكرلا ىلع هبقاوعو لب طقف ةحايسلا عاطق ىلع بلطلاو رامثتسلااو ةلامعلاو يداصتقلاا دتما فدهت .ثادحلأا ةرادإ لثم ةحايسلاب ةلصلا تاذ ىرخلأا تاعاطقلا لمشيل تاملاعلا ىلع ثادحلأل لمتحملا رودلا فاشكتسا ىلإ ةسا ردلا هذه ةيراجتلا ،ةهجولل .ةحايسلا ةعانص يف ةحلصملا باحصأ روظنم نم تاهجولل نكمي فيك :ثحبلا لاؤس ىلع ةباجلإا ىلإ ةسا ردلا فدهت لأا مادختسا ثادح ،ةحجانلا ةحئاج رشنو COVID-19 لؤافتلا زيزعتل ريثأت نم فيفختلا يف دعاسي امم ةحايسلا زيفحتل ،ةمزلأا عيرستو ثحبلا ىرجأ .ةهجولل ةيباجيلإا ةروصلا ىلع ظافحلا عم شاعتنلاا عم ةمظنم هبش تلاباقم 12 تايلاعفلاو ثادحلأا ةرادإب نيينعملا نم اقًفو .رصم يف ةيحايسلا ملل ،تلاباق دويق :ةيسيئر رواحم ةعبس ترهظ ،رفسلا لعافتو ةملاسلا ريبادتو ،لقأ ةيحايسلا تامدخلل جيورتلاو بذجلا قطانمو ةيليمكتلا ،يحايسلا ثادحلأا مادختسلا ةليسو لضفأو دعب ةهجولل ةيراجتلا ةملاعلا ءانب ةداعلإ ،ةمزلأا طيطختلا ىلإ ةجاحلاو يسيئرلا نيبعلالا نيب ينواعتلا يف ني ،ةعانصلا تاهج دوهج رفاضت ثدحلل قيوستلا ،ةهجولاو عم .ثادحلأا معد يف ملاعلإا لئاسو رودو هذه ،جئاتنلا ةيراجتلا ةملاعلل اهب ىصوم اطًطخ ةسا ردلا هذه تمدق يفاعتلل دادعتسلااو نامضل ةمزلالا تاءا رجلإا ذاختا يف ةدعاسملل ةهجولل .ثادحلأا قوسل يلبقتسملا ،يلاتلابو .ايًلمع ةسا ردلا هذه تمهاس ىلإ ةفاضلإاب ،كلذ يف مهاسي يذلا يبيرجتلا ليلدلا روط ،ةفرعملا دسو .بدلأا يف ةدوجوملا ةيميداكلأا ةوجفلا