Authors

Nino Jintcharadze¹;  ¹ Universite Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France

Discussion

This article provides an analysis of tourism crisis management after the war,  especially focusing on Georgia's recovery after the war with Russia in 2008, and draws parallels with Ukraine's current war challenges. It also gives recovery lessons based on Georgia's successful example. Accordingly, with examples of the strategies employed to stabilize and revitalize Georgia's tourism sector, this study provides a comparative framework to address similar crises in Ukraine.

The research follows a qualitative methodology. The data included in the study consists of a literature review of the relevant topics and semi-structured interviews with policymakers, tourism industry leaders, and representatives from national and international organizations. This approach facilitates understanding the mechanisms facilitating tourism resilience in times of geopolitical instability. Key findings highlight Georgia’s effective use of coordinated communication strategies, flexible policy frameworks, and partnerships with national and international stakeholders to rebuild its tourism image and infrastructure. The given insights are for the evaluation of the current challenging situation that Ukraine faces.

The current study deals with sectoral details and nuances of crisis management and after-crisis recovery issues and analyzes the stakeholders’ collaborations to target sustainable tourism recovery in peace. It gives different theoretical perspectives on crisis management in tourism and explores different directions such as destination image restoration, crisis communication, and resilience for the long term. It gives important value to the critical role of early intervention and policy adjustment in minimizing the negative impacts of the crisis on the tourism sector. This article also includes recommendations for strong crisis response strategies for Ukraine such as the creation of clear communication channels during the crisis, encouraging public-private partnerships, using international aid opportunities, and harmonizing tourism recovery efforts with larger national recovery programs.

The study shows the importance of composing policies that are sensitive to local contexts while drawing on global best practices. Ultimately, this research contributes to both academic and practical understandings of tourism crisis management, offering a roadmap for navigating post-conflict scenarios. By linking Georgia’s past experiences with Ukraine’s present challenges, it aims to equip stakeholders with actionable insights for fostering sustainable tourism development during and after crises.

Keywords: Tourism Crisis Management, Post-Conflict Recovery, Destination Resilience, Crisis Communication, Georgia 2008 War, Ukraine War Crisis, Stakeholder Collaboration, Sustainable Tourism Development