Coronavirus Impact on Azerbaijan’s Tourism Sector and Opportunities for Developing Alternative Tourism in the Post-Pandemic Period

One of the sectors most affected by the new coronavirus pandemic globally is the tourism sector. Due to the closure of the borders and the suspension of flights, in 2020, four times fewer foreigners and stateless persons visited Azerbaijan compared to 2019. In 2020, the turnover of mutual tourism services decreased by 4.3 times and there was a deficit as a result of the excess of imports over exports of tourism services. The crisis has caused serious economic losses not only in the tourism sector, but also in other related sectors. This study assesses the authors’ predictions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector and the expected recovery period. Suggestions are made on the changes that will occur in the post-pandemic period and the level of Azerbaijan’s preparedness for it. The study aims to investigate the impact of coronavirus infection on the world economy and the country’s economy, to examine existing problems and current development scenarios. It is also necessary to explore the possibility of using alternative types of tourism during the post-pandemic period. The research methodology is comparative analysis, a systematic approach and statistical analysis. According to analytical results, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism was generalized and the implementation of the measures to be taken in the post-pandemic period for the tourism sector was justified. In order to eliminate the problems caused by the virus, it is necessary to apply a number of new travel rules in the tourism sector, which may apply to the visa regime, vaccinations, and insurance. The necessity to maintain physical distance can also change the organizational form of tourism, and tourism companies may have to switch from mass tourism to individual or small group travel. The State Program on the Restoration and Sustainable Development of the Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan Liberated from Occupation for 2021-2025 project considers it expedient to give a special role to the development of tourism. In the study, the authors summarized the problems created by the pandemic in the tourism sector, analyzed various scenarios for the future development of tourism, made a number of proposals for travel companies in the post-pandemic period. The potential of alternative types of tourism was investigated and appropriate proposals were made for the development of tourism in the territories liberated from occupation.

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