Abstract This study aims to understand how hotels, one of the main economic actors in the tourism sector, react to their environment to ensure sustainability in the face of environmental changes. Especially in Turkey, where tourism represents substantial revenue in the gross national product, it is important to ensure the sustainability of tourism. However, crises are the biggest obstacle to ensuring sustainability, because tourism is among the most vulnerable industries to crises such as an economic recession. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. To answer the research questions, senior managers of twenty-three hotels in the center of Antalya were interviewed. Findings show that when the environment changes, hotels rapidly reduce costs and downsize. They have a low potential to create an alternative in the face of potential changes, and have a lack of practices of cooperation and acting in unison. Also, findings show that the reactions of public authorities are insufficient.