The purpose of this chapter is to provide a summary of the family tourism industry's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Family tourism businesses are usually run by a single family or a small group of families. These companies provide their clients with exceptional, customised solutions. The tourism and hospitality sectors in Europe have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, family-friendly tourism enterprises have had to get creative to survive. The importance of ensuring the security and happiness of your customers, as well as embracing digitalization and sustainability, has never been higher. Businesses catering to families in the tourism industry have been thriving despite the pandemic because of their accommodating cancellation policies and personable approach to the industry. Though the road to recovery is still hazy, family-run tourism businesses in Europe are developing innovative strategies to maintain competitiveness and fortify their resilience.
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Family-owned businesses are a cornerstone of the global economy, and each nation's economic prosperity depends on their continued health and expansion. Numerous well-known brands from throughout the world are among the largest family-owned businesses. The term “family business” refers to a company that is owned and run by relatives. A long-term focus, dedication to quality, and a strong sense of family values are common threads in successful businesses like these. Across the board, family-owned businesses are crucial to the health of economies around the world. More than half of global GDP is produced by family businesses, and those businesses make up the vast majority of the world's businesses, according to a report by the Family Business Institute. Sixty percent of all businesses in Europe are owned and operated by families, and they account for more than 40 percent of all jobs in the region. Europe's hotel industry follows this pattern, with many of the best properties still being run by their original families. The Brunei Investment Agency, which is run by the country's ruling family, owns a number of high-end businesses, including the Dorchester Collection, whose properties include The Dorchester in London and Le Meurice in Paris. Family businesses are significant not just because they contribute significantly to the economy, but also because of the long-term stability they provide, the particular dedication they demonstrate to local communities, the ownership responsibility they feel, and the values they uphold. Family businesses have a tremendous impact on the health and dynamism of the real economy in Europe, where they account for between 65 and 80 percent of all firms and, on average, more than 40 to 50 percent of all jobs (European Family, 2023). The European hospitality industry is one of the biggest industries with covering the market share of above 50% (Jamshed, et.al, 2023). Services for self-isolation are inexpensive, Cheap rates for luxury accommodations for domestic travellers Collaboration with companies like Careem and Uber, as well as OYO, AirBNB, Booking.com, and Agoda booking platforms, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to CSR, the encrypting of payment channels for visitors, and the best method, the sharing economy (SOEG Jobs, 2021). Family-owned hotels (FBH) improves employee digital literacy, control the sharing economy, create a unified European Tourism Data Space, revive night trains with free bus, rail, and ferry passes to reduce CO2 emissions, and create a special platform for EU destinations with travel protocols in multiple languages (Tourism Sector 2021) and be connected to various Apps (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube etc.) Hotels should prioritize implementing cutting-edge technology, safeguarding guest health, using modern cleaning methods, and minimizing guest interaction (Phumbandit, 2021). The family-run hotels will increase their use of social media marketing (Obermayer, Leinonen & Others, 2021).