Impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry: A supply chain resilience perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have significant negative impact on people around the globe. In this paper, a mixed-methods approach is used to study the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry and its associated supply chain -- with specific emphasis on the Accommodation and Food Services sector. Using available data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, among other things, comparison is made between its impact and that of the global financial crises in 2008–2009. One finding is that the impact on unemployment levels exceeds those of 2008–2009 and also exceeds those from some comparative industry sectors such as Manufacturing and Hospitals. Furthermore, the developed conceptual framework on resilience provides better understanding on how companies can operate successfully during a pandemic. The results of the study have implications for hospitality managers and for governments that are providing financial aid to businesses affected by a catastrophe or pandemic.