FROM CRISIS TO CURRICULUM: STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTING HOSPITALITY EDUCATION IN THE COVID-19 ERA"

Abstract

The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has left a profound impact on all sectors of society, from small businesses to major enterprises. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, necessitating the issuance of stringent health safety guidelines (Cucinotta, D. & Vanelli, M., 2020). This contagious virus has not spared anyone, affecting hotels, luxury services, economic lodging facilities, restaurants, daily wage laborers, vendors, and hawkers alike. The pandemic brought the world to a near standstill, prompting the Government of India to implement a nationwide lockdown as a prudent measure to protect its citizens from this deadly virus. However, the lockdown presented numerous challenges, including food shortages, job losses, mass migration, transportation restrictions, and the closure of businesses. Amid this crisis, it was discovered in a study in China that young individuals could be asymptomatic carriers of the virus, unknowingly posing a risk to others (Dong Y et al., 2020). This realization underscored the importance of social distancing and the need for people to stay apart in order to mitigate the virus's spread. The practice of physical distancing became imperative for public health and safety, leading to the temporary closure of educational institutions. Yet, the question of how long these closures should be maintained remained shrouded in uncertainty, sparking discussions and deliberations within the education sector.