Tourism Sector and Sustainable Development in Arab World During Covid-19

Abstract

COVID-19 changed the travel and tourism industry in an unexpected way, where the industry has seen a sharp drop in revenues and is one of the most seriously impacted economic sectors by the pandemic. In the Arab world, the economic costs of the pandemic are likely to be high, magnifying the effect of COVID-19 on the Arab region. The pandemic influences the economy on both the demand and supply sides, where the demand side is represented by border closures and restrictions on freedom of travel, also the fear of infection, while the supply side can be represented by the closure of accommodation and leisure facilities that can be used for tourism. The problem of the study is showing that despite tourism's obvious potential as a motive for positive change and a source for generating revenue, unplanned and rapid tourism growth can have negative consequences, which takes place when there is congestion or over tourism in historical locations, which may lead to degradation of natural resources, historical sites, or public spaces that affect sustainable development. The study will shed the light on tourism performance, which should be evaluated not only in terms of tourist numbers, but also in terms of its ability to offer net benefits to destination areas. The study will investigate the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector in Arab countries, more over the study will test if there is a relationship existing between tourism sector and sustainable development.