COVID-19 EFFECTS ON TOURISM SECTOR AND IMPLICATIONS FOR TOUR GUIDES PROFESSION IN SERBIA

Abstract

The tourism industry is one of the sectors that have been hit the hardest by the Corona crisis worldwide. The pandemic has crippled domestic and international travel for the most part, resulting in significant revenue losses and liquidity problems for all tourism businesses. In the aftermath of the crisis, the industry will have to contend with people's increased need for security and trust. Tourism and hospitality industry are the most endangered industries across the globe. Tour guides represent the profession that may have been affected the most, precisely because of the seasonal nature of their work, as well as because of the way they are engaged. This paper aims to point out the problems faced by tour guides during the pandemic as well as to present, through interviews with tour guides in Serbia, the position and efforts of the professional association of tour guides of Serbia and their attempts to improve their status during this period.