Analyzing the resilience of tourism stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of Bend, Oregon

Abstract: As the world continues to globalize, the need for sustainability is becoming increasingly evident. In the tourism industry, an industry that employs 1 out of 10 globally, this is especially true. This industry is composed of a complex web of systems that ebb and flow in unison. The ripple effect of a crisis in this industry can be far-reaching and can negatively impact all global tourism systems. For this reason, tourism stakeholders need to prioritize sustainability, which will strengthen their resilience and ensure that they are well equipped to deal with complex challenges. This paper examines the immediate impact of COVID-19 on tourism stakeholders in Bend, Oregon. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore this subject and shed light on how resilience and adaptive capacity helped specific stakeholders cope during this crisis. This research revealed that the COVID-19 crisis severely impacted all of the tourism stakeholders that were interviewed. Though all stakeholders were impacted, their ability to cope with, adapt to, and innovate during this crisis significantly varied. This research highlights the importance of prioritizing resilience within the tourism industry to ensure that tourism stakeholders will be able to cope with the complex challenges that they encounter as our world continues to change.