Many brains are better than one: the importance of interdisciplinary studies on COVID-19 in and beyond tourism

Abstract

© 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. As the COVID-19 outbreak expands across the globe, researchers in both the medical and health sciences and social sciences continue to share timely insight meant to enlighten all sectors of society. In this paper, a cross-disciplinary team of tourism and public health academics critically consider how these and other seemingly disparate research domains can cooperate on timely research endeavours, including but not limited to COVID-19. This article provides a brief overview of the intricacies of interdisciplinary work. We then discuss some of the diverse challenges and benefits of cross-disciplinary research. Future interdisciplinary research collaboration opportunities regarding COVID-19, within and outside tourism, are also proposed. Our conclusions should promote multidisciplinary research into global health problems as a way to enhance social welfare.