Tourism in a Post-COVID-19 Era: Sustainable Strategies for Industry's Recovery

In the COVID-19 outbreak context, some industries were seriously affected, and the T&T (travel and tourism) industry is unarguably one of those industries. As the world is slowly moving towards a recovery stage, T&T is lagging in the recovery process, mainly because of people's perception of safety and a new, more cautious behavior when buying products that are not essential for survival, such as T&T products. In order to discover sustainable recovery paths for the industry and the real impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on consumer perceptions and purchasing behavior, the current quantitative research was developed on the basis of two different representative samples in two different moments: May 2020 and December 2020, with a focus on Romania's population. The main results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced travel patterns and habits regarding philological and economic factors. Psychological factors, primarily the fear of contamination, impact travelers' willingness to travel and the conditions and preferences for vacation destinations. At least in the medium term, people will avoid traveling in large groups and being in crowded places. Hygiene and health conditions in the host destination can represent essential factors in travel decisions. Confronted with a cautious clientele, tourism businesses (such as transport, accommodation, and catering) should further enhance their hygiene conditions to restore confidence. Moreover, communication is essential in these challenging times to tackle travelers' fear and concerns.