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Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management
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Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 6568

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kaitano Dube

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Business Management, Emirates Aviation University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Interests: tourism; aviation; sustainability; COVID-19; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing concern about future sustainability across society. With the tourism industry expected to breach and surpass pre-COVID-19 activity levels, there are growing calls for tourism degrowth to ensure sustainability. The past decade has highlighted the vulnerabilities of tourism to multiple threats, ranging from pandemics to global geopolitical turmoil, energy insecurity, and climate-change-induced extreme weather events, among others. This has opened up a wide array of debates among academia and society, with tourism and aviation through ICAO being brought to the centre of the climate change debate and actively discussed at IPCC and COP events. Given the dual nexus between tourism and climate change, there have been growing calls for the tourism, hospitality, conferencing, and transport and aviation tourism industries to participate in the transition to actively ensure sustainability in tourism. Tourism climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience are central to ensuring that the sector continues to contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To this end, various frameworks have been adopted to ensure that the sector remains on track to contribute to global goals, with a strong leaning towards the contentious Environmental Sustainability and Governance (ESG). Post the pandemic, ethical business practices constitute a moral imperative and make business sense. This Special Issue explores the nexus between climate change and sustainability post the COVID-19 pandemic era. To this end, we would like to invite empirical and theoretical articles to be submitted for this Special Issue call under the following suggested thematic areas:

  • Post-pandemic sustainable tourism: analyzing the shifts in travel behavior and preferences;
  • Climate action for post-pandemic tourism: case studies of successful mitigation strategies;
  • Resilient tourism: post-COVID-19 buildings with adaptive capacities for extreme weather events;
  • Tourism’s carbon footprint: innovative approaches toward its reduction;
  • Ethical business practices in tourism: a pathway to post-COVID-19 sustainability;
  • Green tourism: the integration of renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure;
  • Sustainable tourism policy: lessons learned from the pandemic and climate crises;
  • Community-based tourism: empowering localities in post-COVID-19-pandemic sustainable development;
  • Sustainable tourism certification: impacts on post-COVID-19 market competitiveness and environmental preservation;
  • Technology and sustainable tourism: digital tools for minimizing impact and enhancing visitor experience after the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Post-pandemic eco-tourism and biodiversity: strategies for conservation and visitor engagement;
  • Tourism and the SDGs/ESGs: aligning with global sustainability goals after COVID-19;
  • Stakeholder engagement: collaborative approaches to sustainable tourism after COVID-19;
  • Post-pandemic climate change communication in tourism: educating tourists in sustainable practices.

Dr. Kaitano Dube
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable tourism
  • post-COVID-19-pandemic development
  • climate change adaptation
  • eco-tourism
  • ESG in tourism and aviation tourism
  • renewable energy in tourism
  • sustainable development goals (SDGs)
  • tourism certification
  • tourism technology
  • biodiversity conservation
  • climate education in tourism

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

37 pages, 590 KiB  
Article
Testing Baumol’s Cost Disease in Tourism: Productivity, Prices, and Labor Costs in Selected EU Countries Amid COVID-19 and the Russo–Ukrainian War
by Zdravko Šergo, Jasmina Gržinić and Anita Silvana Ilak Peršurić
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6651; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146651 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 349
Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of the transition from manufacturing to tourism on sectoral productivity, output prices, and labor costs. Using panel data econometric models for 15 selected EU countries from 2011 to 2023, the study confirms key dynamics predicted by Baumol’s cost [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the impact of the transition from manufacturing to tourism on sectoral productivity, output prices, and labor costs. Using panel data econometric models for 15 selected EU countries from 2011 to 2023, the study confirms key dynamics predicted by Baumol’s cost disease (BCD) hypothesis. The findings reveal that higher productivity is positively associated with both implied prices and hourly labor costs across sectors, supporting the wage equalization mechanism central to BCD. However, the relationship between productivity and wages or prices is weaker in labor-intensive sectors like tourism, underscoring their structural vulnerability to wage-driven cost pressures. Additionally, the analysis captures the impact of major external shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo–Ukrainian war, treated as jointly sourced super-shocks. The regression results indicate significant price disruptions following these shocks, whereas no statistically significant trend in labor costs was detected in the post-treatment period. These results highlight the differential effects of external shocks on wages versus prices, emphasizing the challenges faced by low-productivity, labor-intensive sectors in managing cost dynamics. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers addressing sectoral imbalances in the context of BCD and navigating the economic consequences of global disruptions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management)
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23 pages, 4027 KiB  
Article
Ecology, Culture, and Tourism Integration Efficiency, Spatial Evolution, and Influencing Factors in China
by Ruihan Zheng and Yufei Zhang
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146614 - 19 Jul 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
To explore the integration efficiency of ecology, culture and tourism in China, this study uses a Super-Efficiency SBM model with undesirable outputs to measure integration efficiency, employs kernel density estimation (KDE) to analyze dynamic spatial distribution characteristics, applies the standard deviational ellipse (SDE) [...] Read more.
To explore the integration efficiency of ecology, culture and tourism in China, this study uses a Super-Efficiency SBM model with undesirable outputs to measure integration efficiency, employs kernel density estimation (KDE) to analyze dynamic spatial distribution characteristics, applies the standard deviational ellipse (SDE) to examine the migration trend of the spatial agglomeration center of gravity, and uses Tobit regression to identify spatiotemporal influencing factors. The findings show that: the national integration efficiency presents a trend that first decreases and then increases, with North and South China having relatively high integration efficiency. The national integration efficiency has gone through three stages: narrowing differences, coexistence of slow efficiency, and gradient effects, and increasing efficiency with weakened multipolarization. The degree of spatial agglomeration has gradually increased, and the center of gravity has shifted eastward as a whole. The internal gaps in East and South China have expanded, while the internal balance in North China has improved; the internal differences in other regions have narrowed. The influencing factors of integration efficiency have shifted from traditional economy-led to innovation and institutional collaboration. Economic development level and market openness have a positive impact on the overall integration efficiency, while transportation conditions show a restraining effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management)
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21 pages, 14740 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Population Flow Changes in Red Tourism Counties of China Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic Based on Mobile Signaling Data
by Yaqing Bai, Min Wang, Xinliang Xu, Jiahui Li and Xuepeng Cheng
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010148 - 28 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1419
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the tourism industry, particularly red tourism. This study investigates the spatiotemporal characteristics and dynamics of population flow in red tourism counties during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods, aiming to provide valuable insights for sustainable red tourism planning [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the tourism industry, particularly red tourism. This study investigates the spatiotemporal characteristics and dynamics of population flow in red tourism counties during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods, aiming to provide valuable insights for sustainable red tourism planning and policy formulation. This study covers 180 red tourism counties across 20 provinces in China, utilizing mobile signaling data from May and October of 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023. The results show that, in 2023, the total population inflow to red tourism counties reached 4448.85 × 104, with a notable spatial disparity, mainly concentrated in northern and central regions, such as Beijing, Linyi, and Liu’an. The inflow was primarily from eastern and central provinces, such as Guangdong, Hebei, and Henan, with these areas showing substantially higher visitation than western and northeastern regions. These inflows were strongly influenced by geographic proximity and transportation accessibility, with a significant increase during holiday periods reflecting the role of tourism policies in shaping mobility patterns. From 2018 to 2023, population dynamics fluctuated significantly due to the pandemic, with a strong recovery by 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 1332.26 × 104. The recovery rates varied regionally, with areas such as Inner Mongolia and Qinghai showing substantial growth, while provinces such as Beijing and Shanxi showed slower recovery. These findings underscore the enduring appeal of red tourism and highlight the effectiveness of targeted policy interventions. However, regional disparities in recovery rates suggest that focused efforts are needed to ensure balanced and sustainable red tourism development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management)
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15 pages, 5123 KiB  
Article
El Niño’s Implications for the Victoria Falls Resort and Tourism Economy in the Era of Climate Change
by Kaitano Dube
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 5087; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16125087 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3657
Abstract
Scientists agree that as global temperatures rise, the intensity of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon also increases. In southern Africa, El Niño events often cause severe droughts that adversely affect a region’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the impact of El Niño [...] Read more.
Scientists agree that as global temperatures rise, the intensity of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon also increases. In southern Africa, El Niño events often cause severe droughts that adversely affect a region’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the impact of El Niño on the tourism industry in this area has not been studied sufficiently. This study examines how frequently El Niño events occur and their consequences on the Victoria Falls resort. It specifically focuses on the potential implications for the regional tourism economy during the 2023–2024 El Niño event. This study critically analyses potential strategies for tourism businesses to enhance their resilience in light of the increasing intensity of El Niño events in the region. Using the Niño 3.4 index, it has been determined that there have been at least four extreme El Niño events since 1980: 1983, 1998, and 2016, and most recently, in 2023/24. Analysis of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and hydrological data from the Victoria Falls hydrological station showed that El Niño events significantly affect water flows at Victoria Falls, negatively impacting the resort’s reputation and brand. Examination of tourism statistics reveals that drought often leads to a decline in tourism, negatively affecting tourist resort towns’ economies. Given the projected record-low water levels for late 2024, this study recommends implementing improved communication and marketing strategies that highlight low-water activities and other non-water-dependent tourism offerings at the resort to ensure the resilience of the tourism economy. There is an urgent need to promote resorts as year-round destinations to support the climate-resilient tourism sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19-Pandemic Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism Management)
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