Title: Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the travel intermediaries in India: mapping trends and strategies

Authors: Bipithalal Balakrishnan Nair; Satyajit Sinha; M.R. Dileep

Addresses: Faculty of Business, Higher Colleges of Technology, Fujairah, UAE ' Kangsabati Agri Adventure Park, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721301, India ' Pazhassiraj College, University of Calicut, Wayanad, 670702, Kerala, India

Abstract: The COVID-19 outbreak has challenged the global tourism sector, and it has posed a significant threat to the existence of tourism business across the globe, especially in emerging economies. This study examines the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel intermediary businesses in India and their strategies to overcome the present predicament. The study draws on the interviews with 15 executives of selected travel intermediary firms located around the country. The findings emphasise the economic downturn, customer retention policies, resilience strategies and current shifts in the industry. The outcomes also identify the recent tendency towards the traditional travel booking/holiday-booking trend towards traditional intermediaries. This research contributes to a better understanding and implementation of business continuity methods in tourist studies, and its results have practical implications for administrators and governments.

Keywords: travel agencies; tour operators; OTA; online travel agency; India; thematic analysis; new normal; qualitative; resilience; governance; COVID-19.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2022.128137

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2022 Vol.12 No.4, pp.427 - 442

Received: 22 Nov 2021
Received in revised form: 03 Apr 2022
Accepted: 26 Apr 2022
Published online: 06 Jan 2023 *

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