The overarching objective of this project is to offer guidance to both public and private entities in the tourism sector to assist in the revival of tourism in Andalusia. To achieve this, the project analyses the current state of tourism in Spain’s domestic market and in its three main outbound countries. Informed by this analysis, it will identify the most efficient national risk-communication strategies and develop a guide for policymakers and sectorial associations on the implementation of appropriate hygiene standards and safety measures, featuring a user-friendly system of visual symbols.
Regarding the expected impact and the applicability of the results: (i) for destination managers and public health officials, technical reports will be provided and a series of collaborative actions will be taken with expert researchers from Tourism and Public Health to transfer know-how; and (ii) for tourism service managers and those responsible for tourist attractions, new resources will be developed that can be used directly for communication purposes. These will be related to the implementation of new hygiene standards and safety measures or guides to support service enhancements. In social terms, both tourists and those employed in the sector will benefit from an improved understanding of risks and standards.
In the scholarly realm, achieving a stable relationship between the tourism sector and the public health sector will be crucial for the recovery of the former and will open up a new direction in academic research that seeks to help the two sectors achieve a much-needed collaborative working relationship.
