AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF CRISIS PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE AMONG TRAVEL AGENCIES IN MALAYSIA DURING COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many businesses, including the tourism sector is expected to recover last. This study attempts to examine the crisis preparedness and resilience among travel agencies in Malaysia during COVID-19 by identifying the plan adopted to manage the crisis and its resilience in response to the health pandemic. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with twelves business owners and general managers of the travel agencies situated under the Conditional Movement Control Order regions - Johor, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Results revealed that travel agencies were least prepared during COVID-19 as many responded that the pandemic was their first crisis and did not even possess a written crisis management plan. Therefore, the government's standard operating procedures acted as their main guidance to survive this volatile environment. The cancellation of trips caused by extended travel bans adversely weakened their economic condition, prompting some of them to cease operation temporarily. However, the majority displayed resilience, with more than half engaged in other side jobs or pursuing digitalisation to sustain the business. The emergence of the new normal significantly changed the tourism landscape and its massive impacts on the tourism sector, further confirming the COVID-19 pandemic as a Black Swan event. Nevertheless, travel agencies are confident that the tourism sector will rebound quickly during the post-pandemic, where demand for travel agencies, smaller travelling groups and luxurious travel packages are predicted to increase in the near future. Importantly, this paper will highlight preliminary insight into crisis preparedness and resilience, especially for the tourism sector.