Title: COVID-19 disruptions driving sustainable tourism: a case of the Hawaiian tourism industry

Authors: Maryanne Eva; Mark Esposito

Addresses: Écoles des Ponts Business School, 6 Pl. du Colonel Bourgoin, 75012 Paris, France; Melville School of Business, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 12666 72 Ave, Surrey, BC, V3W 2M8, Canada ' Hult International Business School, 1 Education St, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA; Harvard University, Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Abstract: This study inquires about the COVID-19-generated momentum and how it resulted in transformative opportunities for the hard-hit tourism industry in Hawai'i. It also investigates the type of sustainability-based management strategies that were favoured by actors from the industry to help navigate uncertain times and capture transformative opportunities. Findings indicate that actors from the tourism industry in Hawai'i perceived the COVID-19 pandemic as a huliau, or a point of transformation, to reflect and re-evaluate the tourism industry's responsibility and shift toward a recovery focused on sustainability. This research confirms that the pandemic-driven momentum accelerated opportunities for changing and transforming traditional business models and indicators of progress within the tourism industry in Hawai'i. Further research may explore additional Pacific Island countries to gain a deeper understanding of the problem within the region's context.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; disruption; green economy; Hawai'i; innovation; Malama; recovery; resilience; small island economy; shared value; transformation; sustainable tourism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTCS.2024.139174

International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, 2024 Vol.14 No.4, pp.325 - 347

Received: 13 Nov 2023
Accepted: 06 Dec 2023
Published online: 24 Jun 2024 *

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