Sustainable destination management increasingly depends on the ability of tourism stakeholders to coordinate actions across fragmented
tourism supply chains. However, governance in tourism destinations is often characterised by dispersed responsibilities, uneven stakeholder engagement, and limited implementation coherence, creating barriers to integrated sustainability management. This article examines how governance fragmentation affects sustainable management at the destination. The study adopts an exploratory qualitative case study based on semi-structured expert interviews with key tourism supply chain stakeholders, including destination management organisations, tour operators, and accommodation and transportation sector experts. Thematic analysis was used to identify governance barriers and potential pathways for improvement. The findings reveal that governance fragmentation weakens sustainability implementation through dispersed accountability, uneven participation, and limited coordination across sectors. The study argues that stronger governance integration, clearer implementation structures, improved role clarity and shared monitoring practices are essential for advancing sustainable destination management.
Journal:Tiltai
Volume 86, Issue 1 (2021), pp. 186–203
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic that was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 30 March 2020 has caused blockages in all economic sectors, but tourism is the most affected. It is difficult to estimate the real impact of the pandemic on international tourism. Travel restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the virus have had a devastating impact on the tourism industry around the world. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism is a vital part of the infrastructure of the world economy, generating 10% of total gross domestic product (GDP), and accounting for one out of ten of all jobs. The tourism sector is very dynamic, requiring a rapid response to a changing environment and market; but it is also most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Modern tourism requires urgent research, and the analysis of internal and external resources. The perception of changes in the market is a key factor enabling companies to stay in business. Challenges are also posed by technological advances, driven by both the technological advances themselves and safety aspects during the pandemic. This article presents the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector globally, which includes the cruise ship and airline industries, and also accommodation. The difficulties are successfully overcome by companies that proactively monitor and evaluate key performance indicators: if the indicators are unsatisfactory, they take all possible measures to improve performance. A smooth and timely restructuring process allows companies in temporary difficulty to reshape their operations by changing their strategy, abandoning unprofitable forms of activity, and focusing on the most efficient ones.