Risk & Crisis Management in Tourism Sector:
Recovery from Crisis
in the OIC Member Countries
30
The survey also found that Asianmarketswere considered to be less sensitive. Misrahi (2016) notes
that terrorist attacks – or even the threat of such attacks – are the most common cause of trip
cancellations. This is because deaths from terrorist incidents have risen since 2000, with attacks
becoming increasingly diverse in respect of locations targeted, the impacts created and the causes
espoused by the perpetrators. A 2016 survey indicated that picking a safe and secure destination
has become the priority for British holidaymakers, with 46% citing this aspect, ahead of ‘value-for-
money’ at 33%, while 14% of people were now more likely to take their holidays in the UK due to
concerns about the safety of overseas travel (Torney, 2016).
As already mentioned, during the global financial crisis and economic downturn of 2008/9, the
tourism sector experienced significant decline and changes in travel habits, including a decrease in
long-haul travel in favour of short-distance travel, especially intra-regional and domestic travel
UNWTO & ILO, 2013). Destinations with strong links to European and North American source
markets were the worst affected, while countries with more diversified source markets were
comparatively less affected. In terms of tourism segments, business travel suffered more than
leisure travel because of the global decline in business activity.
In the case of natural disasters or one-off security-related incidents, potential travellers will often
be alarmed by media reports and advised by their governments to avoid travel to affected areas.
The natural tendency is to switch to alternative destinations offering higher levels of security. This
can benefit neighbouring destinations, while the downturn is often short-lived and recovery can be
fairly rapid, as shown above and as will be seen in the discussion of the case studies.
Significant crises invariably lead to reductions in tourist arrivals and revenue. Misrahi (2016) notes
that the 9/11 attacks onNewYork led the US Government to close airportswith thousands of flights
cancelled; and even when they re-opened, flight demandwas down by 30%during the initial shock
period, and it took New York hotels 34 months to recover from the attacks.
2,64
2,67
2,78
2,86
2,92
2,96
3,04
3,05
1 2 3 4 5
Caribbean
Sub-Saharan Africa
Oceania
Middle East
South America
South Asia
Central America
North Africa
Not at all sensitive
Not very
sensitive
Moderately
sensitive
Very
sensitive
Extremely
sensitive