Covid-19 and its economic impact on the hotel Companies of Manta-Ecuador

Abstract

Tourism worldwide has historically achieved significant growth, being considered one of the main sources of income for countries. Ecuador, as a result of the world declaration of COVID-19, experienced a decrease in income from the tourism sector, with Manta being one of the cities with the greatest impact, especially in the hotel sector. Through this research, we seek to know the economic impact generated by COVID-19 on the hotel sector of Manta, and determine the reactivation alternatives for this sector, considering the capacity of hotel companies to face this crisis. Through a descriptive study with a qualitative and quantitative approach, surveys were conducted with tourists in the city of Manta, the results of which revealed that without a doubt COVID-19 has triggered the economic slowdown in the local hotel sector, due to the decreased demand for these services.   Keywords: Covid-19; economic impact; tourism; hotel sector, smes.