1. European Travel in Turmoil: Time to Face Up to the
Humanitarian Crisis
Opinion | 25 Apr 2016
At the WTTC Global Summit in Dallas, there
were calls from the United Nations World
Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary
General, Taleb Rifai, for the travel industry to
tackle the two enormous challenges, namely
mass migration and global terrorism, which pose an unprecedented threat to travel and
tourism, a key revenue generator and job creator.
Existentialism and humanism
Currently, the EU is experiencing a humanitarian crisis not witnessed since its inception
after World War II. The region is facing ongoing economic strife and coordinated
terrorism attacks, as well as the biggest migration of people since World War II; its
very being is under threat due to the UK referendum on Brexit, along with the looming
spectre of a Grexit, and financial contagion, particularly in the south of the region.
Nevertheless, despite these challenges, tourism demand has never been higher, and
Europe's share of global tourism actually increased to 51.4% over 2014/2015 to stand
at 609 million trips taken in Europe, whether by European or international tourists,
according to the UNWTO. There have never been more people travelling for leisure and
business purposes, where official figures exclude migration.
Parallel worlds collide
The mixed migration witnessed at key flashpoints in Europe, such as Greece, Spain,
and Italy, where refugees are fleeing conflict and migrants are escaping poverty, has
led to unprecedented levels of people arriving in the region in seek of shelter and
safety. Thousands have died and many still continue to risk their lives making the
treacherous crossing from North Africa or through Turkey across the Mediterranean
Sea to Europe. Since the beginning of 2015, one million have made the dangerous
journey, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Greece
recorded that 981,000 migrants arrived on its shores over January 2015-February
2016.
This exodus has led to the creation of detention camps in an attempt to process and
control the flow of refugees across Europe and ensure their safe passage to their final
destination. Camps are scattered across the region from Turkey to Calais. The crisis
has been in the headlines for over a year, and Pope Francis's recent trip to Lesvos in
April shone a light on the tragic plight of the migrants and refugees.
With an extra million people, this places great strain on existing infrastructure and
leads to capacity challenges, which is detrimental to the newly arrived migrant
population, local residents as well as international visitors.
Europe's Schenghen zone - the bastion of visa-free and borderless travel - is creaking
under the strain of the influx of people and risks fracturing, and the pressure has led
to seven countries so far introducing border controls, including Austria, France,
Germany and Sweden.
Greek human tragedy
Caroline Bremner
Head of Travel
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2. The Observer's Helena Smith captured the absurdity of the situation: "the incongruity
of a setting so beautiful for a tragedy so immense". Herein lies the contradiction:
Europe is witnessing a humanitarian crisis on its beaches and islands and across
borders, yet the flow of tourism continues apace. It is such a disturbing dichotomy
that a location sold as one person's dream is the place of such dark human tragedy.
Following the new EU-Turkey deal and the closure of the Balkans route, 46,000 people
are now being detained in Greece before being returned to Turkey.
Greece's tourism has boomed over the past two years, and, even in 2015, the numbers
continued to be strong, growing 7% to 23 million arrivals, according to the UNWTO.
There was a tail-off in the second half of 2015, with Q3 growth slowing to 3.0% and
Q4 seeing a 2.6% decline. However, these results were a major improvement on the
same quarters in the previous year. So, consumers are still travelling to destinations at
the front line of a human disaster. How can this be?
Refugees Arrive in Kos
Source: Angelos Tzortzinis - AFP/Getty Images, Time Magazine
Time for a reality check?
Looking at intermediary sites like Thomson for destinations like Greece and Turkey
which are receiving refugees from war zones and conflict, the web description of
Greece as a destination does not make reference to the situation on the ground on
certain islands like Kos and Lesvos, and points to the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (FCO) for advice via a referral link.
This poses the question regarding whether travel brands and destinations should
provide greater transparency regarding the migration crisis and boost awareness by
doing so, considering that not everyone will check the FCO advice. There is also the
counter argument to balance the needs of local communities to earn a living from
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3. © Euromonitor International 2016
tourism, especially in recession-struck countries.
FCO Advice regarding Greek Islands
Source: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Note: As of 20 April 2016
Not turning a blind eye
However, the reality is that in an ever-connected age, with immediate access to data,
news and images of the human cost of the migrant crisis, it is perhaps time for
responsible travel brands to provide their consumers with the information they need to
make an informed decision, not just on their destination choice, but also in ways to
encourage their consumers to engage with migrants and refugees during their holiday?
Consumers are aware of the crisis, yet they are being sold destinations and products
that fail to be transparent about the challenges faced in the destination, or what they
may witness and experience whilst visiting.
We previously reported on UK travel brands providing clothing and food parcels to
migrants and refugees. This is a step forward, yet more can be done to shine a light
on the plight of migrants. Travel brands could work in collaboration with the UN
Refugee Agency, Amnesty International, local charities, local governments and the
private sector to provide small acts of kindness that would go a long way to improve
the situation for the displaced. This type of engagement between tourists and
migrants could take the form of offering English language classes, arranging sports
days, taking children from camps on excursions or providing babysitting services for
parents in need of a break. Or brands like Uber and car sharing could be put to good
use to help migrants on their way to their ultimate destination.
Now, that would truly be ethical, responsible and sustainable travel, whilst ensuring
tourists continue to visit destinations in desperate need of tourism spend; with the
right messaging, this would be an inspirational and brave step to make and show that
tourism really does care.
Useful links:
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home
https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/europe-and-central-asia/greece/
For further insight, please contact Caroline Bremner, Head of Travel, at:
caroline.bremner@euromonitor.com.
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