Evaluation of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accommodation facilities operating in Mardin Artuklu district center from the perspective of managers

The Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China has turned into a global crisis and tourism has been the most affected sector. It is an undeniable fact that the Covid-19 outbreak has negatively affected businesses. Businesses participating in this struggle have adapted crisis management processes to their businesses by taking measures within their own organizations. For this reason, it has made it a difficult process for businesses to realize their strategic plans and planned goals during the pandemic process. businesses that were able to turn the pandemic process into an opportunity have managed to survive. The study investigates the Covid-19 pandemic, which has become a major problem all over the world, and the impact of this pandemic on accommodation businesses in Artuklu district of Mardin province. Accommodation establishments in Artuklu district of Mardin province, which is one of the important tourism destinations in our country, constitute the universe of the research. The managers of all accommodation establishments that accepted to participate in the research were interviewed. The number of managers who agreed to participate in the study was 61. Survey method, which is one of the quantitative data collection methods, was used for the research. The main purpose of the research is to evaluate the opinions, predictions and suggestions of hotel managers about the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. For this purpose, a 29-question questionnaire was presented to accommodation managers in various positions in Artuklu district of Mardin province. Content analysis was applied to 61 questionnaires answered by the participants. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the most negative consequences that emerged during the pandemic period were pricing changes and working with low capacity. In addition, in line with the directives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the strictest measures should be implemented in accommodation, and the employees of the enterprises should be trained on the pandemic. It was also found that businesses expect support from the government, especially in terms of audits and short-term labor allowances. According to the information obtained, hotel managers state that most functions have returned to normal and that they will continue their business.