South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics

Public health concerns involving respiratory infectious diseases can disrupt tourism operations, destination management, local economies, and community well-being. This study explored sustainable co-management strategies through which tourism businesses and government authorities can strengthen tourist and community health and safety in relation to human metapneumovirus (HMPV)-related respiratory health concerns. An exploratory qualitative design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants representing tourism businesses, government, public health, academia, and related stakeholder groups. Data were collected through face-to-face and online interviews in January and March 2026 and analysed thematically with support from NVivo. The analysis identified four interrelated themes: shared responsibility for tourist and host safety, compliance with health and safety guidelines, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and tourism resilience through sustainable co-management. Participants emphasised the importance of clear institutional roles, routine health and safety practices, timely communication, coordinated decision-making, preparedness, community participation, and collaboration between public and private stakeholders. The findings indicate that integrating health and safety considerations into routine tourism management may support preparedness and resilience while protecting visitors and host communities. However, the findings represent context-specific stakeholder perspectives rather than statistically generalisable evidence. The study provides a qualitative basis for further research on collaborative tourism governance, health-risk preparedness, and sustainable co-management in response to respiratory infectious-disease concerns.