Terrorism and Tourism

1. TERRORISM AND
TOURISM

2. 2
Definition
• Terrorism: The use of terror and violence by
individuals or groups outside legitimate structures
and processes to achieve desired ends which are
usually political in nature.
• Terrorism is a political issue with its own
complicated dynamics and underlying problems
must be addressed in the search for compromise
and workable political answers to ensure its
ultimate defeat and a return to stability.

3. 3
Tourism and Terrorism
Why are tourists and tourism-related businesses popular terrorist
targets?
• The publicity generated worldwide and especially in the countries of
origin of international visitors.
• A fall in tourists and their spending also weakens economies and
may cause social tensions, placing governments under stress and
contributing to realizing the terrorist goal of general destabilization.
• Tourists may be unpopular in the local community, leading to
ignoring the action by residents who themselves are spared.
• Enmity toward tourists can be acute in developing countries where
tourism symbolizes the inequalities between the developed and
Third World.
• Finally, the sector is a relatively target because of its size, diversity
and extent. Many tourists are easily recognizable and tend to gather
in large numbers at identifiable sites.

4. 4
Tourism and Terrorism
•Terrorism aimed at tourism include suicide missions,
hijackings, bombings and shootings.
•Hotels appear to be regarded as comparatively “soft”
targets.
•Death and destruction are not, however, always the
goals of terrorists and tourists can be employed as
political pawns in cases of hostage taking and
kidnapping.
•Overseas nationals are considered especially valuable
because they can be used to extract concessions from
destination governments which are put under strong
pressure to act from the authorities of the tourist’s
home state.

5. 5
Tourism and Terrorism
•The media sometimes is being accused of
complicity in providing a stage to present the
stories of terrorism to eager audiences in the
interests of stimulating sales and ratings.
•Terrorism unrelated to travel and tourism can
also engender a mood of fear among tourists
and the tourism industry. Worries about being
an accidental victim and negative images of
places where violence has occurred influence
travel behavior and commercial decisions.

6. 6
Tourism and Terrorism
•The tourism industry not only has to deal with horrific
events and their aftermath, but also media interest
which is usually very high. A great deal of attention and
space will be devoted in print and broadcast materials
to the topic, intensifying fears and heightening the
sense of continuing danger.
•Exhaustive publicity can lead to distortion and
exaggeration with a tendency to dramatize events,
thereby escalating perceptions of risk out of proportion
to realities. Images of violence and human misery are
communicated immediately and repeatedly, creating
negative destination images which it is extremely
difficult for the tourism industry to counter.

7. 7
Tourism and Terrorism
• There may be variations in how media messages are
received and responded to according to cultural background
and some tourists are less risk averse than others.
• Planned vacations are likely to be canceled after a terrorist
attack, and tourists will substitute locations they believe to
be safer. It does not make commercial sense for travel
agents and tour operators in generating markets to promote
places which are perceived as high risk. Hotel companies
may reconsider planned developments leading to an overall
decline in investment and prolonged slump in tourism. Such
a scenario is partly dependent on the recurrence of
terrorism and government competence in managing it.

8. 8
Travel Advisories
• Messages aimed at nationals and organizations with
the intention of advising and instructions are not
mandatory, but obviously carry the weight of official
opinion. Places described as unsafe, or where there
are doubts about safety, are likely to be avoided.
There are also legal questions to consider and tour
operators and travel agents may choose not to sell
nations cited because of issues of liability and
insurance coverage in the event of an incident.

9. 9
Travel Advisories
• They are also often general and apply to a country as a
whole, even though any disturbances may be confined to
specific areas. This means that the national industry is
affected and there is sometimes a spillover effect on the
wider region. States previously seen as stable and safe may
thus be harmed by their proximity to neighbors where
terrorists are active.
• Advisories may therefore have serious repercussions and
are resisted by governments and tourism industries as a
result, becoming a political issue which can ruin
international relations.
• Governments are sometimes quick to issue warnings, but
less eager to do so when dealing with close allies or
regimes with which they are seeking an improved
relationship.

10. 10
Travel Advisories
• Official statements reflect political interests and
agendas.
• The system of travel advisories serves an important
purpose and allows governments to exercise their
responsibilities concerning protecting the welfare of
citizens and promoting their well-being when overseas
which are essential duties in an era of mass
international travel. The data contained in such
bulletins are also of commercial interest and can be
utilized by the tourism industry in tasks of
environmental scanning and risk assessment which are
key aspects of crisis planning.

11. 11
Prevention Strategies
• Minimizing the chances of terrorism occurring is an
important element of crisis planning with regard to
tourism.
• Risk management can be practiced and consists of the
stages of recognition, evaluation, avoidance and threat
reduction.
• Businesses must therefore rely on governments to
share as much data as they can, but it is possible to
identify many of the insecure areas of the world.
Rejecting these areas for places which are
comparatively safe is a practice already being followed
by the international tourism industry and tourists.

12. 12
Prevention Strategies
• Air marshals, impregnable cockpit doors, armed pilots,
more thorough screening of passengers and luggage,
bans on sharp objects in hand luggage and a military
presence at airports have all been introduced.
• Immigration and passport controls have also been
reformed and made stricter, with experiments in
sophisticated biometric techniques to confirm
identities.
• Many hotel companies are now considering an airport
style approach to deter terrorists.

13. 13
Prevention Strategies
• Hotels introduced a system of checking all vehicles and
screening packages and luggage. The entrances were
equipped with metal detectors and bulletproof glass
has been installed while the grounds were monitored
by security cameras and armed guards were on duty.
• It was suggested by some commentators that the quick response of the
security team at the Jakarta Marriott in 2003 led to the bomber panicking
and detonating the explosive earlier than planned. Although there were
human casualties, they might have been greater. The hotel experienced no
structural damage and was able to reopen in a few weeks. The trade press
argues that security is now a way for hotels and other tourism businesses to
achieve competitive advantage and no longer a topic to be wary of when
marketing

14. 14
Prevention Strategies
• Operators and agents in generating countries, as well
as governments, also have an obligation to educate
travelers about security matters and what to do when
faced with suspicious behavior.
• At the same time, security demands must be
reconciled with tourist convenience and comfort so
that reassurance and safety are provided without
provoking nervous agitation to avoid spoiling the
visitor experience.