COVID-19 and the Hospitality Industry

The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ensuing public health policy measures to contain its spread have inevitably had profound effects on businesses throughout the world. While the pandemic has impacted every industry in all countries, hospitality is clearly the worst hit. This chapter explores the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry by focusing on accommodation and food service businesses in Turkey. By looking at government policies and changes in business activities in these sectors in response to the crisis, the authors discuss the measures policymakers and firms can take to mitigate the devastating impacts of the pandemic. Findings suggest that focusing on creating novel products and processes, collaboration and open innovation, informational and corporate advertising, as well as investment in quality and health security measures and trust building via communication are effective in moving forward with the new normal.