GEOGRAPHICAL AND TOURIST ASPECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global geographical issue, therefore, the measures to address it should be developed based on spatial analysis methods as such analysis can help in finding patterns in the planetary spread of the coronavirus. The article reveals the geographical features of the consistent spread of the coronavirus during the period from January 2020 to May 2021. Particular attention is paid to the geography of outbreaks of infections in countries and regions. The geography of the pandemic is studied inthe article in the context of its impact on the global tourism industry. The pandemic has affected all aspects of society, and tourism turned out to be one of the most sensitive and reactive industries and activities. Moreover, tourism was among the factors that most influenced the rapid spread of the coronavirus around the world, so the geography of tourism is inextricably connected with the geography of the pandemic.