DMOs and Community Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examined what roles DMOs have played to respond adaptively to the COVID-19 pandemic, while continually supporting and sustaining tourism activities and businesses in the destination. A mixed-methods approach was used to identify DMOs’ primary roles and their relationships with responses to the pandemic and resilience activities to sustain their destination. Semi-structured online interviews with DMO’s CEOs identified the four primary roles of DMOs during the pandemic—communications, marketing, support to local tourism businesses, and crisis responsibility. A nation-wide survey was conducted with DMOs professionals in the U.S. The findings of the study showed that communication significantly affected DMOs’ responses to the pandemic, and DMOs adaptive responses positively influenced the community resilience in the destination. Results of the multi-group analysis indicated significant differences between severe and less severe destinations in the proposed relationships. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed, followed by the study’s limitations and suggestions for future research. Keywords: Destination Marketing Organization (DMO); Roles of DMOs; COVID-19; Community Resilience; Mixed-Metho