Chapter 6: Crisis Management in Tourism: COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

The concept of crisis is complex with multiple dimensions, with the feature of changing the normality that results in the imposition of adverse effects. The crisis is accompanied by the feeling of the unexpected and the urgent and there is time pressure and limited reaction time. Usually the bad effects of a crisis are characterized by serious damage to individuals, structures and organisms. Crisis and risk management introduce the design and implementation of multiple actions to address their implications (Ahmad, Jamaludin, Zuraimi, & Valeri, 2020; Chemli, Toanoglou, & Valeri, 2020; Toanoglou, Chemli, & Valeri, 2021). Therefore, it is related to an organized management system and concerns the enhancement of its resilience, including assessment, risk analysis and the implementation of specific actions and strategies. Planning and preparing for risk and emergency management is a complex process undertaken by specialized agencies both internationally and in Greece. There are high and evolving requirements for coordination, organization and supervision by stakeholders to prevent, address and repair adverse effects through study, planning, organization, coordination, monitoring and control. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes to the economy with negative effects on world tourism. Most countries are going through one of the worst historical periods. The COVID-19 pandemic is a huge blow to world tourism, and its impact on the economy is estimated to be very negative, both in terms of supply and demand. The large and vertical reduction in tourism flows has affected other sectors of economic activity. The purpose of this research is to present a crisis management plan in tourism and specifically of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, commonly accepted, which can contribute decisively to dealing with adverse effects. A strategic plan for crisis management in tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic is presented in this chapter. Specialists involved in crisis management have presented comprehensive national strategies to ensure timely, valid and clear advice and information. A qualitative research was conducted using interviews for this purpose, presenting the views of the stakeholders from the General Secretariat for Civil Protection (Greek Ministry of Interior) and the Greek Ministry of Tourism, which are directly involved in crisis management in tourism in the midst of a pandemic.