The resilience as part of organizational capacity in wine tourism destinations: The case of Guanajuato, Mexico

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 triggered an unprecedented global crisis, particularly devastating for the Mexican tourism industry, a crucial source of the country's revenue. The wine tourism businesses in the state of Guanajuato, a vital part of the local sector, faced unprecedented challenges with temporary closures and a drastic reduction in tourism. However, they demonstrated remarkable adaptability by implementing safety measures, promoting local tourism, and developing innovative strategies that, through service diversification, strengthening online promotion, and strategic alliances, enabled some businesses to achieve their own recovery. This study, which frames a singular case of organizational resilience, highlights that it is linked to the set of capabilities that the organization possesses, reflecting dynamism in adapting to the changing environment. It is a qualitative study that employed the case study method; semi-structured interviews and both participant and non-participant observations were implemented. The results highlight that resilience and organizational capability are interrelated, although they differ in approaches and dimensions. Both involve considering risks and planning to address them, but organizational capability manages resources for positive outcomes, while resilience involves managing risks and planning to maintain operational continuity.