The tourism sector in the era of COVID 19: Impact study on the organizational performance of hotels in Morocco

Abstract

The Covid-19 crisis has affected different economic sectors worldwide. One of the sectors that have suffered from this crisis is the tourism sector and more specifically hotels, which are considered to be the main accommodation structure.

The closure of borders, the ban on travel, but also the economic crisis that has impacted the standard of living of consumers have contributed to a significant decline in bookings, thus pushing the hotel sector to review its organizational performance.

In this article, we seek to explore the impact of the COVID-19 health crisis on the organizational performance of the Moroccan hotel sector. Through this question, we want to study the effects of this global crisis on human resources working in the tourism sector, in particular the hotel sector, the way in which their host establishments were able to manage this period with all its material and immaterial difficulties, and finally how the latter were able, with the help of the State, to meet their financial needs to cover their current charges.

To do this, we have chosen to adopt a qualitative method that will allow us to better explore the Moroccan field and make optimal use of the results obtained. The study was based on semi-structured interviews using an interview guide with managers and experts working in six hotels in Morocco. The analysis of the interviewees' responses was done through manual content analysis which allowed us to answer our central questioning. The results underscore that the impact is not only financial but psychological as well.

JEL Classification : M40, L86

Paper type : Empirical research