Ch 1 GW 2 - Tourism Global Phenomenon

2 Why has tourism become
a global phenomenon?

• As the number of people who
travel increases, previously
unexplored tourist
attractions become more
popular
• Between 1995 and 2010, the
number of tourists to Kenya has
increased almost 10 times
• For example, more tourists are
visiting the Samburu National
Reserve in Kenya for
ecotourism
Sasaab Lodge in Samburu, Kenya

Eco-tourism in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya (in Africa)
(TB pg. 27)

1. In what ways is tourism changing?
2. What influences tourism trends?
3. Why is tourism subject to regional fluctuations?

Trends in the global tourism industry
– Developments in International tourism
o Tourist origins and destinations
– Growth of Domestic tourism
o Tourism dollars
– Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism
o Mass tourism
o Package holidays
o Niche tourism (e.g. Eco-tourism)
o Short-haul and long-haul destinations
Data literacy
skills

International tourism
Tourist origins means where the tourists come/arrive from.
Let’s Practice 1 

Tourist destinations means where the tourists are travelling to.
Let’s Practice 2 

2013
2014
Change %
Visitor arrivals to the UK
Exit Ticket 

Exit Ticket 
Visitor arrivals to the UK

– Developments in International tourism
o Tourist origins and destinations
– Growth of Domestic tourism
o Tourism dollars
– Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism
o Mass tourism
o Package holidays
o Niche tourism (e.g. Eco-tourism)
o Short-haul and long-haul destinations

TB pg. 28
International tourist arrivals from 1950 to 2010.
Describe the trends in
international tourist arrivals
from 1950 to 2010. [4]

TB pg. 28
Before the
1980s,
most of the
tourists were
visiting Europe

TB pg. 28
Since 2004,
Asia Pacific
has overtaken
the Americas
in tourist
arrivals.

Before the 1980s:
• Most of the tourist
destinations were in
developed regions,
such as Europe and
North America
• Developed regions
received 96% of all tourist
arrivals in 1950 and
81% in 1980
After the 1980s:
• Asia Pacific has shown an
impressive growth in
tourist arrivals
• Asia Pacific has overtaken
the Americas and Europe
• Asia Pacific has become
the 2nd most visited region
and the fastest growing
region for international
tourism
International tourism (TB pg. 28)

• All regions receive more tourists, but the Asia Pacific
region has increased in popularity as a tourist destination

• Tourist origins means where the tourists come/arrive from.
• Tourist destinations means where the tourists are travelling
to/visiting.

TB pg. 31
A DESIRE LINE MAP
showing major
regional destinations
of Singaporean
tourists in 2011

TB pg. 29
A FLOW LINE MAP showing tourist movements in 2010
Two-way
movement
Tourist
origin
Tourist
destination
One-way
movement

Tourist origins and destinations are
unevenly distributed throughout the world
Uneven geography
That’s why it is important to study
geography to understand why and how
places are different throughout the world!!!!

All About History21
Desire line map vs Flow line map
Desire line
map
(TB pg. 31)
Flow line
map
(TB pg. 29)
Advantages?
Disadvantages?
Similarities?
Differences?

Tourist origins and destinations (TB pg. 29)
• Large-scale tourist movements can be found:
– In North America to and from Central America, South
America and Europe (10 million+)
– In Europe to and from North America and the Middle East
(10 million)
– In Japan to and from North America, Southeast Asia and
Europe (5-10 million)
– Within Asia (5 million)
– From Asia to and from North America, Australia and
Europe (5 million)

Tourist arrivals (TB pg. 30)
479.2
More than half
of all international
tourists still originate
from the world’s most
developed countries
(eg. tourists originating
from Europe &
North America)

Tourist arrivals (TB pg. 30)

Tourist origins and destinations (TB pg. 30)
But increasingly,
there are more
international tourists
from the rapidly
developing
countries (e.g.
China, India, Brazil)

• Has grown along with
international tourism
• Continues to be the most popular
form of tourism
• Worldwide in 2010:
– 83% of all tourist arrivals were
domestic tourism
– 69% of all overnight stays in
hotels represented by domestic
tourism
Domestic tourism (TB pg. 32)
RECAP:
Domestic
tourism refers
to tourism
within a
tourist’s own
country.

• Importance in bringing in tourism dollars:
– The Philippines (2010)
International
Tourism Receipts
US $3.2 billion
Domestic
Tourism Receipts
US $22.9 billion
<

Tourist Arrivals in Top Destinations in the Philippines
from 2000-2010 (in thousand)

– China
o In the Lunar New Year,
many employees
take a break from
work for up to two
weeks
o The Chinese often
visit friends and
relatives and
go sightseeing

– Singapore?
o There are very few domestic tourists
o Due to our small size & accessibility, it
impractical for residents to rent accommodations
overnight near the tourist attraction.

Mass tourism (TB pg 34):
• Travel that involves large numbers of tourists visiting a
particular place together
Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism

Mass tourism (TB pg 34):
• Usually in the form of package holidays
(popular since the 1970s)
• Involve a tour
usually arranged by
a travel agent,
with transportation,
accommodation and
most meals included
• Include the service
of tour guides
Q1)

Since
1950s
Mass tourism (popularity of tour packages)
Growth of niche tourism
Short haul destinations
Long haul destinations
Growth of tourism
Since
1970s

Whale-watching in Hawaii, USA. Whitewater rafting in New Zealand.
Niche tourism (TB pg 35):
• Special-interest tourism based on
a particular area, interest or activity

Whale-watching in Hawaii, USA.
• Special-interest tourism based on
a particular area, interest or activity
Q2)
Why is whale-watching considered
niche tourism?
• It is a special-interest tourism based on
a particular interest or activity.
• In the case whale-watching, it appeals to
travellers who seek ‘new’ destinations,
activities and experiences
• These activities are unlikely to appeal
to a broad group of travellers, but
rather only to those who specifically seek
out these activities.

• Appeals to travellers who seek ‘new’ destinations,
activities and experiences
• “Adventure seeking travellers”
• “Off-the-beaten” track
• Examples:
– Special interests: Whale-watching in Hawaii
– Adventure holidays: Whitewater rafting and bunjee
jumping in New Zealand
Q3)

Niche tourism – Ecotourism (TB pg 35):
• Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the
environment and improves the well-being of local people.
• Help travellers better appreciate natural beauty and
biodiversity.
• E.g. visits to national parks, nature reserves, marine parks
Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Q4)

• Regulations to limit camping, walking, waste disposal and
disturbance of vegetation and wildlife
– Regulations help conserve natural environments for future
generations

• Six principles of ecotourism according to TIES:
Minimise
impact
Build
environmental
and cultural
awareness and
respect.
Provide positive
experiences for
both visitors and
hosts.
Provide direct
financial
benefits for
conservation.
Provide financial
benefits and
empowerment of
local people.
Raise sensitivity to
host countries’
political,
environmental and
social climate.
Q5)

• E.g.: Waitomo Caves in New Zealand
A tour group viewing the glowworms in
Waitomo Caves, New Zealand.
Minimise
impact
Build
environmental
and cultural
awareness and
respect.
Provide positive
experiences for
both visitors
and hosts.
Provide direct
financial
benefits for
conservation
Provide
financial
benefits and
empowerment
of local people.
Raise sensitivity
to host
countries’
political,
environmental
and social
climate.
Q6)

Evolution of mass tourism to niche tourism Q6)
Steps taken by the New Zealand
government and the local Maori to
manage tours to the Waitomo Caves
TIES
Principle
(i) Tour operators are closely monitored
and are halted if carbon dioxide levels
reach 2,400 parts per million
(ii) Income which Maori people receive for
their partnership in running the caves.
(iii) Limit on the number of tourists who
enter the caves.
(iv) Use of entrance fees to pay the
salaries of people who maintain the
caves.

– Tours managed by New Zealand
government and local Maori
(indigenous people)
– Managers closely monitor conditions to
ensure minimal human impact on its
environment
– Scientific advisory committee helps to
monitor cave and recommend best
tourism practices

– Tour operations closely monitored
– Tours halted if carbon dioxide levels
reach 2,400 parts per million
– Managers control the number of
tourists who enter caves
– Local Maori benefit from:
• A portion of the entrance fees
• Income from employment as cave
staff

• Responsible travels to natural areas
• Sustainability / sustainable tourism
– Natural environments preserved for future generations
– Mutual benefits are created for both tourists and hosts
– Direct financial benefits are provided for conservation
Q7)

Short-haul destinations
(TB pg. 36):
• Destinations that are a
short distance away
from the tourist’s
home country
• Usually reachable by
car, bus, train or a
flight of generally
less than five hours
• Example: SG to Hong
Kong (~4hrs)
Short-haul and long-haul destinations
Singapore
4hr flight

Long-haul destinations (TB pg. 36):
• Destinations that are a long distance away from the
tourist’s home country
• Flight of generally five hours or more
• Example: SG to London (~8hrs)
• Example: SG to the USA (~19 hours)
Short-haul and long-haul destinations

Singapore
Long-haul destinations:
SG to London (10,841 km ~8hrs flight)
SG to USA (15,280km ~19hr flight)
London

• Tourism trends can be influenced by different factors:
– Travel expenses
– Travel budget
– Travel time
– Type of attractions
– Cleanliness
– Security of the place
• Decisions that tourists make can cause tourism in an area to
grow, stagnate or decline
• The growth in global tourism is caused by developments in
technology, demand factors and destination factors.

All About History59
2. Demand
Factors
(a) Better and more
affordable transport
(a) Disposable
income
(a) Attractions
(b) E-services: online
booking of tours and
tickets
(b) Leisure time (b) Investment in
infrastructure and
services
REASONS FOR THE GROWTH OF GLOBAL TOURISM
(c) Ease of access to
information
(c) Changing
lifestyle
(c) Access to
information
1. Developments in
Technology
3. Destination
Factors
Handout 4

All About History60
2. Demand
Factors
(a) Better and more
(a) Disposable
income
(a) Attractions
tickets
infrastructure and
services
information
(c) Changing
lifestyle
(c) Access to
information
1. Developments in
Technology
3. Destination
Factors
Handout 4

• Technology: Application of scientific knowledge to develop
machines, equipment, and ways of doing things
• Transport and computer-related technology have changed
the scale and ease of global tourism
• These developments in technology have occurred in the
form of: (a) Better and more affordable transport
(b) E-services: online booking of tours and tickets
(c) Ease of access to information
1. Developments in Technology

• Developments in Transport Technology:
- Great improvements in aircraft safety
- Shorter travelling time
- Lower travelling costs (more affordable)
- Commercial air travel has revolutionised global tourism due
to ongoing technological developments in jet aircraft since
the 1950s
(a) Better and more affordable transport

Figure 1.42 Developments in technology have led to faster and more affordable transport.

• Rise of budget airlines:
– Budget airlines are airlines with low fares. Such airlines
made air transport affordable, e.g. Jetstar Asia and Tiger
Airways
– Rapid expansion within Europe, North and South America,
and Southeast Asia since the 1980s
– Cheaper than major commercial airlines (smaller and
more fuel-efficient aircraft)
– Typically fly to short-haul destinations
– Costs further reduced by selling tickets online

• Has helped increase the number of international
travellers by:
– Enabling more people to travel internationally and more
frequently
– Giving travellers opportunity to go on holidays further
away from home
– Enabling travellers to go to destinations not covered by
major commercial airlines, e.g. Bhutan, the Pacific
islands, Northern Thailand, and many islands in the
Mediterranean region (Corsica and Crete)

• E-services help to encourage tourism because:
– People can easily book their holidays and plane tickets at
the click of the button.
– Tourists can find out about travel promotions offered by
different airlines easily
– Convenience  tourists would be tempted to book
tickets  travels are encouraged

– People can easily book their holidays and plane tickets at
the click of the button.

– Tourists can find out about travel promotions offered by
different airlines easily

• Helped make information more readily available and
accessible
• Made available updated information

Technological
improvements
Benefits
Online booking and
research
• Enables travellers to buy their own tickets
without going through travel agents
• Gives tourists better access to information at
their destination, including places to see,
social etiquettes to observe and train
timetables
• Allows travellers to view feedback and
recommendations from other travellers
• Enables travellers to do research to find out
more about their destinations
Surveillance, electronic
checks and other safety
controls research
• Makes tourists feel safer and more confident
about travelling

• Helped promote air travel and global tourism because:
○Tourists have access to more options, freedom and control
over their holiday plans
○Increased awareness of interesting destinations from
reading reviews  Ease in planning their trip to visit 
people are encouraged to travel

More air routes and agreements
• Increased number of air routes and agreements have made
various parts of the world more accessible
• Produced global pattern of air routes
• Countries are now better connected
• Key agreements and policies helped tourist numbers to
increase
(d) More air routes and agreements

Figure 1.44 A world map of aircraft routes. Adapted from: Spatial Analysis Blog by Michael Markieta (2011)

• There are two key factors that helped the growth of global
tourism. These are:
– Open skies agreement
– Deregulation

• Open skies agreement: An agreement made between
governments to remove restrictions on commercial flights
between their respective countries
– Commercial airlines can freely decide the routes, capacity
and price of their flights without interference from the
government
– Free-market environment for commercial airlines to
compete in

• Singapore has had an open-skies agreement with the USA
since 2001. In this agreement:
A Singapore commercial airline can
make a stopover in the USA on its way
to a third country, such as Mexico.
The same can be done by a
commercial airline based in the USA.
A US commercial airline can make a
stopover in a third country, such as
Japan, on its way to Singapore.
The same can be done by a
commercial airline based in Singapore.

• Outcomes of open-skies agreements:
Helped the growth of aircraft routes and flights
Helped increase the number of commercial
airline companies, including budget airlines
Helped reduce the prices of flights for
passengers due to increased competition

• Deregulation: Allowing fares to rise and fall according to
market demand and according to competition between
various airline companies
– Before 1978, nearly all airfares between countries were
regulated by the International Air Transport Association
(IATA)
– Prices set for airfares to make airline companies profitable
– However, since 1978, both domestic and international
aviation have become deregulated

All About History82
2. Demand
Factors
(a) Better and more
(a) Disposable
income
(a) Attractions
tickets
infrastructure and
services
information
(c) Changing
lifestyle
(c) Access to
information
1. Developments in
Technology
3. Destination
Factors
Handout 4

• Demand factors: Affect people’s demand for goods and
services and affect their ability to travel
– Influence people’s ability to travel and people’s desire to
purchase tourism-related goods and services
– Demand factors in tourism include:
– Affected by tourist profiles, which are the lifestyle,
habits and character of tourists visiting a place)
(a) Disposable income
(b) Leisure time
(c) Changing lifestyle
2. Demand Factors

2. What influences tourism trend?
• Disposable income: Amount of income left to an individual
after taxes have been paid
• Growth in income have allowed people to improve their
quality of life
• Rapid economic growth
(e.g. China, India) enabled
increase in disposable income
• Greater disposable income
allowed middle income and high
income groups to grow  people
can afford to spend more on
travelling Figure 1.47 A tourist shopping at
Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand.
2. Demand Factors
(a) More disposable income

• Leisure time: Part of a day, week or year when people have
no work commitments (time for relaxation)
• Comes in the form of paid leave for the middle to high
income groups
• In many DCs and LDCs since the 1950s, people have enjoyed
shorter working weeks, more public holidays and more paid
annual leave
2. Demand Factors
(b) More leisure time

• Increased availability of leisure time has allowed more
people to travel
• Example: Australia
– Many employees can exchange paid overtime work for
leave which increases their chances of taking longer
weekend breaks
• Example: Canada
– Increase in additional breaks and extended weekends
• With more income and paid leave, people are more
inclined to travel
2. Demand Factors
(b) More leisure time

• Changing lifestyle: Change in the way people live
throughout their lifetime and from generation to generation
• Pace of life today is much faster
• Many find themselves spending long hours at the workplace
beyond the official working hours
• Therefore, people travel to relax and take a break from
their fast-paced lifestyles at work and at home
2. Demand Factors

• Over half of all international tourists
travel for leisure, recreation and
holidays
• Slightly over a quarter of the tourists
travel to visit friends and relatives, or
for health and religious reasons
• Only 15% of incoming tourists travel
for business and professional
purposes
Figure 1.48 Purpose of visit of international tourists,
2011. Adapted from: World Tourism Organization
Tourism Highlights (2012).
2. Demand Factors

• With advances in medical technology and knowledge, people
are more health conscious and lead healthier lifestyles
• People live longer and are more physically fit to travel
• Retirees are major contributors to the growth of tourism
• Travelling is a way for retirees to spend their healthy
years productively
2. Demand Factors

• Example: Cruises
– Retirees make
up many of the
passengers on
cruise ships in
the Caribbean
and the
Mediterranean
Figure 1.49a) Cruise ships are popular with
retirees.
2. Demand Factors

• Example: Grey Nomads,
Australia
– Spend much of their
time travelling in
mobile homes or
vehicles with four-
wheel drive to explore
remote parts of the
country
– Familiar sight on roads
and campsites in the
outback
Figure 1.49b) Grey nomads in Australia.
2. Demand Factors

All About History92
2. Demand
Factors
(a) Better and more
(a) Disposable
income
(a) Attractions
tickets
infrastructure and
services
information
(c) Changing
lifestyle
(c) Access to
information
1. Developments in
Technology
3. Destination
Factors
Handout 4

• Destination factors: Infrastructure and services in tourist
destinations that allow for more convenient and comfortable
stays for tourists
• These factors are:
3. Destination Factors
(a) Attractions
(b) Investment in infrastructure and services
(c) Access to information

• Attraction: Feature or quality that makes a place interesting
or enjoyable
• Promoted and enhanced by the tourism industry to attract
even more tourists
• Some are natural attractions (e.g. scenic beauty) while
others are built attractions (e.g. medical services,
educational facilities, theme parks)
• Without built attractions, tourists are less likely to
visit a place
(a) Attractions

• Example: Dubai
– A city in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East
– Major destination and stopover location between Europe
and Asia
– Received more than 9 million travellers in 2011
– Tourists visit for shopping, business and entertainment
(a) Attractions

• Example: Dubai
– Wide range of retail and luxury outlets, world-class MICE
facilities, luxury hotels and large-scale architectural and
engineering projects, e.g. Burj Al Arab and Palm Islands
Figure 1.50 Built attractions in Dubai. [From left to right] a) The
Burj Al Arab. b) The Palm Islands
(a) Attractions

• Governments, tourist authorities and tourism businesses
know the value of investing in attractions
• Attractions offer something spectacular, unique and
interesting for tourists
• Tourists might return repeatedly to spend their tourist
dollars
(a) Attractions

• Infrastructure: Transport and communication networks,
electrical frameworks and systems for water and waste
disposal
– Examples:
o Airports, Roads, Railways
• Services: Particular type of help or work that is provided by
a business to customers
– Examples:
o Food outlets, Entertainment, Telecommunication

Example: Airport expansion in Southeast Asia
– Southeast Asia experienced rapid growth in international
tourist arrivals over the last three decades
– Airports have undergone considerable expansion to
facilitate increased international tourist arrivals, e.g.
Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok)
– Changi Airport’s Budget Terminal was closed to make way
for the construction of a new Terminal 4

• Accommodation
– Sufficient hotels must be built to receive rising number of
tourists
– Hotels must serve a range of tourist budgets
– Example: Hong Kong
• 49 hotels to be built from 2012 to 2016
• Plan is to accommodate 70 million visitors a year (from
previous 42 million)

• Services
Food outlets
• Cafés
• Food and
drink stalls
• Restaurants
Entertainment
• Dances
• Concerts
• Shows
Telecommuni-
cation links
• Wi-Fi in
hotels
• Cellular
connectivity
• Landlines
Trained
personnel
• Hotel
managers
• Restaura-
teurs
• Travel
agents

• Access to information: Ease with which information can be
obtained
• Tourists are more likely to visit a destination when travel-
related information is easy to obtain, both outside and within
a destination. Examples:
– Transport routes and schedules
– Weather conditions
– Available accommodation
• Tourists to have access to information in a language that
they can understand

• Signboards & maps found in
many tourist destinations
• Information displayed in
different languages,
providing security and
comfort to visitors
• Presence of local guides and
travel agents to answer
questions and meet the needs
of tourists
Figure 1.54 A sign for tourists in
Phuket, Thailand.

• Presence of information and access to information assures
tourists that there are people they can communicate with for
help
• Ease of travel, convenience and tourists feel safe navigating
around the place  tourists would be more willing to
visit the destination

All About History111
2. Demand
Factors
(a) Better and more
(a) Disposable
income
(a) Attractions
tickets
infrastructure and
services
information
(c) Changing
lifestyle
(c) Access to
information
1. Developments in
Technology
3. Destination
Factors
Handout 4

• Tourism is volatile and experiences changes in tourist
numbers and receipts according to regional fluctuations
• Regional fluctuations: Rapid changes in a region’s
situation or condition
• Caused by events that affect tourist destinations within and
outside the country they occurred in:
– Regional and global recessions
– Unfavourable political situations
– Disasters
– Outbreaks of diseases

AFI:
• Answers are sometimes long-winded / simply copy from TB
 NOT meaningfully crafted to answer question / disorganised
• Time constraints
Exam Skills Practice:
Explain why and how _____________ causes fluctuations in
the tourism industry. Support your answer with a case study. [5]
• Use PEEL
• Ensure sufficient points
• Ensure relevance of statements included – include only points
that prove your argument!

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003
FACTORS CAUSING FLUCTUATIONS IN GLOBAL TOURISM

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003

Regional and global recessions
• Recession: Period of
general slowdown in
economic activities
• During a recession:
– Many people experience
a loss of income or jobs
– People cut back on
spending
– Demand for goods and
services decline
What
happens
in a
recession
Loss of
income or
jobs
Decline in
demand
for goods
and
services
Decline in
spending

• Possible causes of recession include:
Recession
Sharp
increases in
the price of
goods and
services
Decline in
exports
Problems in
financial
markets

Effects of
recession on
tourism
Decrease in
international tourists
Reduced spending
by tourists
Likely increase in
domestic travel
Increased
unemployment

Regional recession Global recession
A recession is regional when it
affects only a region or group of
countries.
A recession is global when it
affects many countries around
the world.
Example:
European Sovereign Debt Crisis
Example:
Global Financial Crisis 2007-2008

- Example: Global Financial Crisis
2007-2008

Figure 1.59 An article on the effects of the Global Financial Crisis on Europe.

• Between 2008 and 2010, many of the world’s economies
experienced recession
• Europe, North America and East Asia affected by rising
unemployment and increasing numbers of part-time workers
• Example: Egypt, Morocco and Greece
– Tourists stayed for shorter lengths of time
– Tourists spent less per day
– Tourists stayed at cheaper accommodation
– Tourism receipts declined

• People choose to go for holidays in their own country rather
than travel abroad during recession
– Shorter distances
– Cheaper transportation
– More affordable options
• Tourist organisations in many countries promote domestic
tourism during recession
– This encourages people to contribute to their own
country’s economy

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003

Unfavourable political situations
• Political conflicts: State of disagreement between
different groups of people that may result in wars
• May discourage tourists from visiting because:
○Pose dangers to tourists as well as residents
○Disrupt services and cause damage to infrastructure
○May prompt tourists to postpone or cancel their travel
plans

• Government authorities may issue travel advisories due to
the dangers of conflicts
• Travel advisories: Official notices that discourage citizens
from travelling to a particular region or country
• Example: Libya
– A civil war took place in 2011
– Governments of most countries banned citizens from
visiting Libya
– Commercial airlines reduced or stopped their flights to
Libya

• Example: Civil War in Libya, 2011

• Example: Egypt
– Major tourist destination for over 100 years
– International tourist spending comprised 20% to 25% of
the country’s foreign exchange earnings
– Tourism industry employs around 2.7 million people
directly and indirectly

• Example: Egypt
Figure 1.61a) Egypt’s annual international tourist arrivals from 2006 to 2011. b) Average daily
spending of international tourists in Egypt. c) Total number of nights spent by international
tourists in Egypt. d)Total international tourism receipts in Egypt. Adapted from: Central Agency
for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Arab Republic of Egypt (2013)

• In such situations, countries can rebuild their reputation
through:
– Promotions
– New infrastructure
– Improved tourist conditions
• Example: Bali after terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003

Disasters
• Disasters: Events that cause great damage to properties,
lead to injuries or cause great loss of life
• Disasters discourage tourists from visiting a destination
because:
– Pose risks to the safety of tourists
– Disrupt essential tourist infrastructure
– Example: March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in
Tohoku, Japan
o Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown
o Drop in international tourist numbers despite peak
season in April
o Promotion efforts by government focused on showing a
safe and beautiful Japan

Disasters
– Example: March 2011 EQ & tsunami in Tohoku, Japan

Figure 1.55
Structures such
as houses and
buildings were
damaged by
the March 2011
earthquake and
tsunami in
Japan.
Disasters

Nuclear powerplant meltdown caused by the March 2011 earthquake and
tsunami in Japan.
Disasters

Researchers have found that
bird species are continuing
to drop in Fukushima. The barn
swallow, for example, dropped
from hundreds to dozens.
Disasters

Figure 1.56
International
tourist arrivals
to Japan, 2009
to 2011.
Adapted from:
Japan National
Tourism
Organization
(2012)
Disasters

Disasters
• Discourage citizens of affected country from
travelling overseas because:
– They themselves are recovering from the effects of the
disaster
• Affects tourism industry of nearby countries through the loss
of income
– Example: South Korea
o Receives a third of its tourists from Japan, its largest
source of tourist arrivals
o Compared to 2010, tourist arrivals from Japan in 2011
fell by 12% in March, 8% in April, and 2% in May

Disasters
Figure 1.64 Changes in
employment in the tourism
industry of New Orleans, USA,
from January 2004 to June 2006.
Adapted from: Monthly Labor
Review (June 2007).

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003

Outbreaks of diseases
• Outbreak of disease: Sudden and widespread occurrence
of disease in an area
• Can cause a huge drop in tourist arrivals because:
– Tourists do not want to risk getting infected with a
contagious disease
– Government agencies may advise travellers to avoid
areas with disease outbreaks
• Example: SARS outbreak 2003
– Spread over six months
– Killed 775 people
– Infected more than 8,000 in 25 countries

• Can have strong negative impacts on tourism:
– Discourage tourist travel
– Cause significant decline in tourist arrivals
– Cause businesses to postpone or cancel large-scale MICE
activities
• Example: SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)
outbreak in Singapore in 2003

• Example: SARS
outbreak in
Singapore
in 2003

Figure 1.63 An article
on the effects of the
2003 SARS outbreak
on Singapore tourism.
Adapted from: Agence
France-Presse (6 May
2003).
• Example: SARS
outbreak in
Singapore
in 2003

• Example: H1N1 influenza or swine flu
– World Health Organization identified major H1N1
influenza outbreaks in USA, Mexico and Spain in 2007
– Originated from pigs
– Can be fatal
– Blamed for widespread cancellations of holiday bookings
by tourists from USA, Canada and Europe to Mexico in
2009

Handout 5
Case study 1:
Global
Financial
Crisis
in 2007
Recessions
Unfavourable
Political
Situations
Outbreak of
Diseases
Disasters
Case study 2:
Civil war in
Libya
in 2011
Case study 3:
Japan Tohoku
earthquake
and tsunami
in 2011
Case study 4:
SARS
outbreak in
Singapore in
2003

Ch 1 GW 2 - Tourism Global Phenomenon

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