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The main aim of this study is to identify the role of information dissemination on urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of misinformation in this process. The study also aimed at finding appropriate counter misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. An online questionnaire was prepared to collect the viewpoints of the urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh regarding dissemination of information during COVID-19, misinformation regarding COVID-19, and counter misinformation strategies. Along with demographic and general information, a five-point Likert scale was used to measure COVID-19 related misinformation beliefs and how to counter them. Chi square tests were used to determine the association between current residency, information sources, the importance of information dissemination, reactions after getting COVID related information, and evaluative steps after getting information and before disseminating it. Additionally, nonparametric Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to know the significance of difference in respondents’ assessment on COVID-19 related misinformation in terms of their demographic characteristics. Cronbach’s alpha score was obtained to see the reliability of the questionnaire items. The current study reveals that both urban and rural citizens of Bangladesh are influenced by information dissemination regarding COVID-19 and they have lower level of misinformation belief. The respondents have differences in misinformation belief by different demographic groups. Respondents’ educational status, information literacy, sources of getting information, and evaluative steps after getting information have significant differences in misinformation belief. The study also noticed the support of respondents for countering misinformation strategies regarding COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 epidemic has broken the original business network structure and globally affected the tourism supply chains. Online social networks (OSNs) have become a necessary component of ICT-enabled services, affecting every area of human existence. The espousal of OSNs into tourism supply chain networks during a pandemic is crucial. However, scarce studies have been conducted on the espousal of OSNs in tourism supply chain networks. The study developed a research model based on the IS success model, uses and gratifications (U&G) theory, institutional theory, and transaction cost theory to analyze the espousal of OSNs in the tourism supply chain network (TSCN) during COVID-19. The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine 99 data acquired via online surveys from supply chain specialists in the travel and hospitality sectors. The research model outperforms better and fulfills all model fitness requirements. The research found that tourism supply chain experts adopt online social networks to address supply and demand disruptions caused by COVID-19. Utilitarian features (e.g., supply chain perceptibility), technological features (e.g., system quality), and cost -benefit aspects substantially influence the espousal of OSNs in the tourism supply chain network. Espousals of OSNs improve tourism supply chain performance during Covid-19. As a result of this research, tourism supply chain management, MIS, and social media literature will be enriched by introducing OSNs in the tourism supply chain environment. The research will also provide adequate implications to supply chain managers and OSNs service provider to adopt OSNs in the tourism supply chain during COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism contributes to economic growth and financial development in many countries around the world. The aim of the study is to examine the cause and effect relationship between economic growth, financial development and budgetary allocation to the Bangladesh tourism industry during 2000-2019. Several methods such as Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), Phillips-Perron (PP), Johansen-Juselius Cointegration, and Granger Causality tests have been applied to measure the associations between the variables. The results show that there is a cause and effect relationship between the budgetary allocations and economic growth and budgetary allocation also causes of financial development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]