DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF MARKETING AS A FACTOR FOR RESILIENCE OF TOURISM BUSINESSES IN CRISIS: LESSONS FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Tourism accounts for between 7% and 10% of Bulgaria’s gross domestic product and is among the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. The article examines the digitalisation of marketing activities in tourism enterprises as a mechanism for resilience during crises, with implications for the country’s economic security. Drawing on original empirical research and a case study of a Bulgarian tourism enterprise for the period 2020 – 2024, together with a comparison against Eurostat digital transformation indicators, the paper outlines both the progress made and the structural deficits in the digital readiness of Bulgarian tourism businesses. Recommendations are formulated with a view to economic security and crisis management policies in sectors of high socio-economic importance.