THE IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE LIFE CYCLE OF TOURIST DESTINATION AND THE RECOVERY STRATEGIES FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The paper presents exploratory qualitative research the impacts of pandemic on the life cycle of tourist destination and propose recovery strategies through the lens of hotel operators, airline operators and tourism promotion boards in Malaysia. Butler’s tourist area life cycle (TALC) model was extended to explore the stages of the tourist destination. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the tourism industry worldwide, leading to unique challenges for tourist destinations. The impacts on each tourist destinations and its severity are at varying levels. Data collection consisted of 4 hotel operators, 3 local airlines manager and 4 senior officers of tourism promotion boards through interviews via video conferencing platforms from June 2021 to March 2022. The findings seem to confirm that impacts have cause break in the life cycle on tourist destinations which can be described in four stages: stagnation, exploration, involvement, and development. These stages illuminate the contextual issues requiring different approaches to ensure that the destination remains attractive, competitive, and sustainable. It provides both theoretical insights and practical implications. Specifically, the TALC model is considered relevant and serves as an alternative approach to explain the impacts on tourist destinations, offering a new perspective on developing post-pandemic destination recovery strategies.