The Impact of the Pandemic on the Expansion of the Hotel Chains from MallorcaBefore and During COVID-19 (2019–2021)

Abstract

This research effort was carried out during the most severe global health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The research in the doctoral dissertation covers the period from the beginning of the pandemic in 2019 in Asia and its duration throughout 2020 with prognostic reference to 2021 as well. A global lockdown marked the beginning of the pandemic. Such a situation caused serious economic shocks that negatively impacted tourism as one of the most important economic sectors. This work consists of three integrally connected parts: theoretical, methodological and conclusion. In the first, i.e. theoretical part of this work, the author gives a detailed presentation of globalization and internationalization in the global tourism industry, particularly Spanish tourism and the Spanish hotel chains along the Mediterranean coast - the Balearic Islands with the hotels: Meliá Hotels International, Iberostar Group, Barceló Hotels and Resorts as well as RIU Hotels Group. The author lists the most important management agreements with hotel chains in terms of their growth and development as well as the types of optional strategies to increase competitive lead and expansion of the international tourism market of the large corporate hotel chains worldwide. Based on a thorough analysis of valid professional literature, the author exposes appropriate examples of good world practice as a personal contribution to the promotion and further prosperity of the world hotel business. The abovementioned theory contains relevant information until 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic). It means analyses, forecasts, numbers, information, sources, situations, etc. This doctoral dissertation in the methodological approach will testify to the conditions in the determined temporal period. A particularly significant benefit of the dissertation is the empirical research. In particular, the use of the interview instrument, that is, a structured interview. Directors and managers of the hotel chains included in this research were interviewed. The final or concluding part presents a brief review of the doctoral dissertation, in which the chronology of the phases of the research is shown (described) as well as the specifics of the momentum in which the research was conducted, i.e. at the peak of the pandemic in 2020 in non-standard conditions. Among other things, this section also emphasises that this dissertation provides a scientific solution or scientific answer to how the four hotel chains that are subject of this research dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic in the period 2019- 2021 and how it affected their expansion and internationalisation.