Challenges of sustainable tourism in pandemic times: the case of Zypliai manor, Lithuania

ENThe paper seeks to understand sustainable tourism challenges and possible solutions led by the outbreak of COVID-19. Thus, this research conducts an empirical study in order to analyse visitors’ demands and needs for field activities in the case the Zypliai Manor, located in Luksiai, Lithuania. As the paper aims to discuss visitors’ needs about outdoor activities and challenges, for this reason, it is highly important that workers of cultural objects concentrate on how to develop their creativity for better service in uncertainty conditions. Thus, cultural tourism and local entrepreneurship issues in the context of the pandemic times will be discussed in the paper. Research problem of this paper is defined as fallows - organisers of cultural tourism routes and objects lacking relevant information, knowledge and skills about needs of visitors. Research methods, used for the analysis are: scientific literature analysis, quantitative (questionnaire) study, and descriptive analysis. The cultural tourism requires to create the environment suitable for consumers’ needs in the case of critical situation (for example Covid-19 pandemics). It motivates local entrepreneurs and employees of cultural tourism to change their attitude and organize and combine different actions based on their creativity and consumers’ needs. It is significant to analyse the needs of consumers’ during the pandemic times in cultural places such as Zypliai Manor. The findings of the study demonstrate that customers’ needs could be satisfied during the pandemic situation in Lithuania. Thus, after presenting theoretical insights and empirical analysis results and suggestions of future cultural tourism educational program development depending on sustainability and on local entrepreneurship and cultural tourism issues in the context of the pandemics are interconnected.