Describing Uncertainty in Times of Crises : Ontological Security Within the Ecotourism Industry in Costa Rica During Covid-19

Abstract: The crisis of Covid-19 put the world on hold. In many countries, borders were closed and businesses were shut for a long period of time. Countries depending on tourism were hit hard when tourists were no longer allowed to enter, leading to serious consequences worldwide. Costa Rica, being a famous ecotourism destination, was one of few countries to reopen the border after only 9 months, giving businesses a headstart in recovery. This brought both opportunities and challenges to managers dealing with the crisis. The relevance of examining crisis management within the ecotourism industry during Covid-19 is therefore tangible. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how managers in ecotourism businesses were affected in terms of ontological security and social networks while managing the Covid-19 crisis. A qualitative study has been performed, based on six semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were managers from different areas in tourism: four hotels, one restaurant and one tourist company. Chosen theories are the concept of ontological security, Steve Matthewman’s perspective on Covid-19 and the social network concept. The results show that social networks can influence the feeling of ontological security, which in turn may affect the crisis management during the Covid-19 crises. Uncertainty was a significant aspect when looking at the results.