Impacto da pandemia Covid-19 na operação dos Estabelecimentos Hoteleiros do Norte de Portugal

Abstract

Abstract

Purpose: Until 2019, in Portugal, the tourism sector contributed with a significant portion of the Gross Domestic Product and has been reinforcing its contribution over the last few years. Tourist exports contributed to balance the trade balance, thanks to the foreign exchange earnings from inbound tourism receipts. In 2020, with the World Health Organization's announcement of the pandemic caused by the Sars-Cov-2 virus, countries around the world were forced to adopt measures to contain the spread of the disease. Some of the measures implemented went through the closure of non-essential activities, limitations to the operation of companies and the movement of people, including the replacement of national borders.

Methodology: In this context, activity in the hospitality sector was affected throughout the year 2020. Some economic indicators were analyzed, through a survey sent to the NUT II Norte Hotel Establishments, as well as the measures adopted by the units to attempt to mitigate impacts.

Findings: It was found that, despite the support measures for companies and specific measures for the sector, which involve the reorientation of the market segment, the economic impacts of this crisis are profound and, in the case of some companies analyzed, led to the closure of the activity, although temporarily.

Keywords: Northern Portugal, Hotel Establishments, Covid-19, impacts.