How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Functional Relationships in Activities between Members in a Tourism Organization? A Case Study of Regional Tourism Organizations in Poland

Abstract

A key research question that fits within the main objective is to identify the negative and positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional relationships between members of regional tourism organizations (RTOs) in Poland. The study consisted of three stages: desk research, a diagnostic survey, as well as qualitative, and statistical analyses. Empirical data from all 16 Polish RTOs (regional DMOs) on 19 variables were collected. No significant symptoms of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional relationship between RTOs and their stakeholders were found, except for the observed increased number of limitations of RTOs’ activities aimed at benefiting their members. As part of the study’s secondary objectives, key variables and methods were indicated. They identify the functional relationships of RTOs with member entities, with the environment, and are useful in building the effectiveness of the organization at the regional level in crisis situations. As the pragmatic goal of the study, a research tool was proposed that can be implemented to evaluate relations with the environment in other tourism destination management organizations at various levels of the tourism economy.