Before the T-CRISIS-NAV project partners could create the necessary resources for higher education institutes and for helping tourism SMEs successfully navigate crisis they needed to do undertake some research. This research would help them gain a better understanding of the risks in the tourism landscape, and the impact or potential impacts of crisis on European SMEs and regions. This would inform them of any gaps and provide recommendations of how tourism SMEs and regional tourism networks and support systems can better prepare, respond and enhance their resilience.
The methodology for this research consisted of a three-part process of online research, academic research and in-depth interviews of tourism SMEs or crisis experts.
Online research
Each partner conducted desktop research within their own country of:
- Industry reports or policy documents on the impact or potential impacts of crises (with particular emphasis on the pandemic) on European tourism SMEs
- Case studies and examples of good practice relating to how tourism SMEs navigate their way effectively through crisis
- Reports/blogs etc regarding the specific issues facing tourism SMEs in crises
- Identification of crisis management or leadership skills required to help SMEs out of crisis
UHI and FUNIBER extended their desktop research to include policy documents and good practice from across the globe.
In-depth interviews
Each partner conducted a minimum of five in-depth interviews with tourism SMEs, crisis experts, tourism industry bodies, or other appropriate stakeholders. The interviews were transcribed and translated into English as required. The findings were then combined and analysed to pick out key themes under set questions, along with choice quotes that would add depth to the discussions and illuminate participants’ voices. All responses were anonymised.
The final report for this research contains six elements:
- Introduction and Methodology
- Online Research: Industry Reports
- Online Research: Good Practice Case Studies
- Literature Review
- Analysis of Industry Interviews
- Competence Framework and Conclusions
Here you can download the report as a whole or the individual sections listed.
