Exploring the reshaping of the tourism industry in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of consumer behaviour in building resilience
Author
Grigoras, Oana Heimdal
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-05-31
Abstract
This thesis examines how Denmark’s tourism industry has been reshaped during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of consumer behaviour in shaping resilience strategies among tourism businesses and organizations. Using a mixed-methods design, the study combines web surveys, online semi-structured interviews, ethnographic observations, and secondary data within an exploratory, abductive approach. Findings indicate that Danish tourism actors are repurposing and reorganizing the industry based on assessed impacts at destinations and within sectors, consumer needs and expectations, and changes triggered by the Danish government’s measures and resilience plans since the pandemic began. Consumer behaviour plays a key role by fostering adaptability, generating new knowledge for responding to future crises of similar magnitude, and guiding the development of offerings that align with current societal and environmental needs. The study also highlights the interplay between government, consumers, and industry as part of the path toward a “new normal” in Danish tourism.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan den danske turismebranche er blevet omformet under COVID-19-pandemien, og hvilken rolle forbrugeradfærd spiller i udviklingen af resiliensstrategier hos virksomheder og organisationer. Med udgangspunkt i et mixed methods-design kombinerer studiet webbaserede spørgeskemaer, online semistrukturerede interviews, etnografiske observationer og sekundære data i en eksplorativ, abduktiv tilgang. Resultaterne peger på, at danske turismeaktører bidrager til at gentænke og omlægge branchen med afsæt i de målte effekter på destinationer og i delsektorer, i forbrugernes behov og forventninger samt i de ændringer, der er udløst af regeringens tiltag og resiliensplaner siden pandemiens start. Forbrugeradfærd spiller en central rolle ved at stimulere tilpasningsevne, skabe ny viden om, hvordan man bedre kan håndtere fremtidige kriser af tilsvarende omfang, og ved at guide udviklingen af tilbud, der flugter med aktuelle samfundsmæssige og miljømæssige behov. Studiet belyser desuden samspillet mellem myndigheder, forbrugere og erhvervsaktører som led i vejen mod en “ny normal” for dansk turisme.
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