Analysis of key steps to overcome the crisis in tourism during a pandemic: the experience of Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom

Purpose of research. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown has created a significant threat to the global economy as well as the life of each of us. This paper examines the effect of coronavirus on tourism and proposes a framework of how Kazakhstan can adopt strategies from the international experience (e.g., the UK, Italy, Spain) in order to support tourism sector.

Methodology. To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the study applies qualitative research method that includes in-depth literature reviews of secondary data including research publications (books, peer reviewed journal, reports, government portals, conference papers, online news/article sources etc.).

Originality / value. The study includes the analysis of the secondary data concerning the consequences of COVID-19 on economy through comparative analysis between the actions concerning the recovery process of two governments: Kazakhstan and the UK. Based on that the most appropriate recovery steps were presented that would be helpful for tourism support.

Findings. This study finds that in the short- term, it might be more appropriate for national economies to prioritize domestic rather than international tourism. Also, in terms of medium to long terms plans, it is important for Kazakhstan learning lessons from international experiences to take actions for the tourism recovery plan, e.g., the support scheme for heritage places and organizations.

The article recognizes the practical impact of this review that it can be consulted as an action plan (or handbook) on which steps could be adopted to support tourism. The limitation is that this research is based on the secondary data which is scarce and that the COVID-19 is still happening and the recovery process is an ongoing event, there are not many reliable academic literatures published yet. The findings of the study are expected to aid the academics to conduct future in-depth research.

1. “Decrease in economy would be the hardest for the last decade” (2020), available at: https://informbu-ro.kz/novosti/spad-ekonomiki-kazahstana-na-3-v-2020-godu-sprognoziroval-vsemirnyy-bank-107382.html (Accessed: October 12, 2020) (In Russian)

2. “COVID-19 crisis in Kazakhstan” (2020), OECD. Competitiveness programme, available at: https://www.oecd.org/eurasia/competitiveness-programme/central-asia/COVID-19-CRISIS-IN-KAZAKHSTAN.pdf (Accessed: July 9, 2020).

3. Bureau of National Statistics, the Agency of the Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan, available at: https://stat.gov.kz/(Accessed: January 19, 2021).

4. “Global Economic Prospects. Regional Overview Report” (2020), available at: http://pubdocs.world-bank.org/en/446621574887968929/Global-Economic-Prospects-January-2020-Regional-Overview-ECA.pdf (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

5. “Coronavirus: UK economy 'might not recover until 2024” (2020), available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53552494 (Accessed: September 29, 2020).

6. “Boris Johnson warns 'long, long way to go' for UK economy” (2020), available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53733440 (Accessed: September 29, 2020).

7. “Coronavirus recession the 7 stats revealing how badly the economy is hurting” (2020), available at: https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-recession-the-7-stats-revealing-how-badly-the-economy-is-hurt-ing-12047580 (Accessed: October 5, 2020).

8. “UK Economic update. September 2020 issue” (2020), available at: https://www.pwc.co.uk/premium/covid-19/uk-economic-update-covid-19.pdf (Accessed: October 2, 2020).

9. “How the new Job Support Scheme will work” (2020), available at: https://www.ftadviser.com/invest-ments/2020/09/30/how-the-new-job-support-scheme-will-work/ (Accessed: October 2, 2020).

10. Lawrie, E. (2020), “Job Support Scheme: What is changing after furlough?”, available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-52135342 (Accessed: October 5, 2020).

11. “COVID-19 and Tourism” (2020), available at: https://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=2810 (Accessed: October 7, 2020).

12. “World Investment Report” (2020), available at: https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DIAE/World%20Investment%20Report/World_Investment_Report.aspx (Accessed: August 7, 2020).

13. “How Will the Economy of Kazakhstan Recover from the Coronavirus?” (2020), available at: https://cabar.asia/en/how-will-the-economy-of-kazakhstan-recover-from-the-coronavirus/ (Accessed: September 10, 2020).

14. “Coronavirus: Oil price collapses to lowest level for 18 years” (2020), available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52089127 (Accessed: October 2, 2020).

15. “National Economy Minister praises recent GDP growth in Kazakhstan” (2020), available at: https://www.inform.kz/en/national-economy-minister-praises-recent-gdp-growth-in-kazakhstan_a3705545 (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

16. “Kazakhstan's economy is growing despite the pandemic and economic crisis - Mamin” (2020), available at: https://www.zakon.kz/5043700-ekonomika-kazahstana-rastet-nesmotrya.html (Accessed: October 13, 2020) (In Russian)

17. “COVID-19 pandemic: Tracking the global coronavirus outbreak” (2020), available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105 (Accessed: October 2, 2020).

18. Nurpeissova, A. (2020), “New proposed conceptual framework of National brand strategy support steps under pandemic”, Developed for this article.

19. OECD (2020), “Tourism policy responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19)”, available at: https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/tourism-policy-responses-to-the-coronavirus-covid-19-6466aa20/ (Accessed: August 4, 2020).

20. Forbes Kazakhstan (2020), “Kazakhstanis arriving from Turkey and the UAE may be quarantined”, available at: https://forbes.kz//travels/kazahstantsyi_pribyivayuschie_iz_turtsii_i_oae_mogut_popast_na_karantin (Accessed: October 2, 2020) (In Russian).

21. Government UK (2020), “Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel corridors”, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors (Accessed: October 13, 2020).

22. The local Italy (2020), “How have Italy's travel rules changed under the latest emergency decree?”, available at: https://www.thelocal.it/20200910/how-have-italys-travel-rules-changed-under-the-new-emer-gency-decree (Accessed: October 13, 2020).

23. Vlast (2020), “Tourism after pandemic”, available at: https://vlast.kz/biznes/39828-turizm-posle-pandemii.html (Accessed: October 14, 2020) (In Russian).

24. Kursiv (2020), “Tourism business in Kazakhstan will lose up to 80% in 2020”, available at: https://kursiv.kz/news/otraslevye-temy/2020-05/turisticheskiy-biznes-kazakhstana-poteryaet-do-80-v-2020-godu (Accessed: October 14, 2020) (In Russian).

25. Liter (2020), “Tourism Association of Kazakhstan presented a plan to revitalize the leisure industry”, available at: https://liter.kz/turisticheskoe-soobshhestvo-kazahstana-podgotovilo-plan-po-ozhivleniyu-indust-rii-turizma/ (Accessed: October 14, 2020) (In Russian).

26. Zakon (2020), “Coronavirus affected the development of auto tourism in Kazakhstan”, available at: https://www.zakon.kz/5043601-koronavirus-povliyal-na-razvitie.html (Accessed: October 14, 2020) (In Russian).

27. CNBC (2020), “Europe under threat from other tourist destinations as the region reopens for the summer, experts warn”, available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/28/european-tourism-at-risk-of-shrinking-on-the-back-of-coronavirus.html (Accessed October 12, 2020).

28. CNN (2020), “The tourists are leaving Italy. Now catastrophe looms”, available at: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/italy-tourism-economy-catastrophe-covid/index.html (Accessed: October 5, 2020).

29. The Guardian (2020), “How coronavirus is reshaping Europe's tourism hotspots”, available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/20/how-coronavirus-is-reshaping-europes-tourism-hotspots (Accessed: October 5, 2020).

30. “ETC PUBLISHES QUARTERLY REPORT 1/2020” (2020), available at: https://etc-corporate.org/news/tourism-in-europe-amidst-unprecedented-crisis-most-european-destinations-expect-30-40-decline-in-2020/ (Accessed: October 13, 2020).

31. Government UK (2020), “Government announces £10 million for small businesses to kickstart tourism”, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-10-million-for-small-busi-nesses-to-kickstart-tourism (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

32. Government UK (2020), “445 heritage organizations saved by £103 million investment from Government”, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/445-heritage-organisations-saved-by-103-million-investment-from-government (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

33. Visit Britain (2020), “Support tourism and event businesses during Covid-19”, available at: https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/support-tourism-and-event-businesses-during-covid-19 (Accessed October 12, 2020).

34. Government UK (2020), “Job Support Scheme expanded to firms required to close due to Covid Restrictions”, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/job-support-scheme-expanded-to-firms-re-quired-to-close-due-to-covid-restrictions (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

35. “Italy” KPMG (2020), available at: https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2020/04/italy-government-and-institution-measures-in-response-to-covid.html (Accessed: October 14, 2020).

36. “The government grants € 485,000 to various agencies and entities of the tourism sector” (2020), available at: https://thespainjournal.com/the-government-grants-e-485000-to-various-agencies-and-entities-of-the-tourism-sector/> (Accessed: January 25, 2021).

37. “UNWTO launches Tourism Recovery Tracker” (2020), available at: https://www.inform.kz/en/unwto-launches-tourism-recovery-tracker_a3698979 (Accessed October 12, 2020).

38. “Tourism: Europe is one of the hardest hit regions by COVID-19” (2020), available at: https://unric.org/en/tourism-europe-is-one-of-the-hardest-hit-regions-by-covid-19/ (Accessed: October 12, 2020).

39. “ETC PUBLISHES QUARTERLY REPORT 1/2020” (2020), available at: https://etc-corporate.org/news/tourism-in-europe-amidst-unprecedented-crisis-most-european-destinations-expect-30-40-decline-in-2020/ (Accessed: October 13, 2020).

40. “Kazakhstan. Corporate - Tax credits and incentives” (2019), available at: http://taxsummaries.pwc.com/ID/Kazakhstan-Corporate-Tax-credits-and-incentives (Accessed: September 29, 2020).