Pathology

Sociology

Pedagogy

Disease

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Social science

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Hospitality

Reflexivity

Philosophy

Political science

Tourism

Transparency (behavior)

Public relations

Transformative learning

Medicine

Environmental ethics

Information Technology & Tourism

This viewpoint article argues that the impacts of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 call for transformative e-Tourism research. We are at a crossroads where one road takes us to e-Tourism as it was before the crisis, whereas the other holds the potential to transform e-Tourism. To realize this potential, e-Tourism research needs to challenge existing paradigms and critically evaluate its ontological and epistemological foundations. In light of the paramount importance to rethink contemporary science, growth, and technology paradigms, we present six pillars to guide scholars in their efforts to transform e-Tourism through their research, including historicity, reflexivity, equity, transparency, plurality, and creativity. We conclude the paper with a call to the e-Tourism research community to embrace transformative research.

e-Tourism beyond COVID-19: a call for transformative research