Perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entertainment events in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Ismail, Khairiah, Abdul Razak, Dhiya Hikmahana, Ng, Wai Yee, Abdullah, Nawal Hanim
• Format: Article
• Published: Taylor and Francis 2023
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109490/; https://expert.taylors.edu.my/file/rems/publication/107357_10291_1.pdf
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on Malaysian entertainment events by examining the risk assessments, responses and control measures taken by event organisers. Utilising a qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven informants—organisers who actively organised entertainment events before the COVID-19 pandemic. From the coding analysis using the Atlas.ti software, four major themes emerged: event cancellation and postponement, financial loss, unemployment and unsatisfactory virtual events. However, there is a limitation in the context of previous literature, especially in the creative industry. The findings are relevant to event managers, who can use the insights as a reference for their business growth and consolidation.