The impact of political instability on a fragile tourism product (original) (raw)

POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON TOURISM

Tourism today is second only to oil as the world's leading export commodity, accounting for global earnings of more than $300 billion, or nearly 25 per cent of total world GNP (Poirier 2000, p30, cited in Dieke, 2000). Over the last two decades, tourism has proved to be the world's fastest growing economic sector, with average growth of 7.1 per cent per year in arrivals and 12.5 per cent in receipts (Poirier 2000, p30, cited in Dieke, 2000). So tourism should be seen as a major industry and a boost to the economy generally through the results or 'flow on' of the multiplier effect in tourism (Elliott 1997). Despite these statistics, apparent growth tourism in many countries falters when confronted with various political instabilities that cause to distract development in tourism. This exploratory paper, which is part of an ongoing major research project, will examine how tourism can be used as a tool for political and ideological goals, how tourism reform occurs by the industry of particularly politically troubled nations, how tourism can be moulded by the political purpose, and the impact political instability has upon the healthy operation of tourism.

Impacts of political instability on tourism planning and development: the case of Lebanon

Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, and tourism planning is regarded as a prerequisite for success. 'Political instability' is a complex term, open to various interpretations, which applies to a number of countries worldwide. The implications for tourism of political instability are significant. This paper investigates tourism planning and the effects of political instability in Lebanon, and discusses how countries in such a situation can increase their potential for successful tourism development. A possible solution through the use and practice of crisis management is suggested, as this approach may help to prepare nations better for unexpected instability and the uncertainty of the future.

Political disputes and consequences on tourism

European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, 2017

The aim of the paper is to identify the stance of tourism industry practitioners in the Republic of Cyprus in the case of reunification. Since 1974 and the Turkish invasion, one third of the island's territory has remained under an illegal occupation. Discussing Cyprus' political problem and the potential of reunification in relation to the tourism industry is a new concept in nature. The tourism industry will be the vehicle for further economic development. So, it is imperative to understand the opinions of tourism stakeholders and decision makers who will potentially be involved in the development of tourism in the reunited island. In order to identify the consequences of the status quo on the Republic, the views of 26 powerful elite people, both in the public and private sectors of the country, were collected through a qualitative data inquiry using semi-structured interviews. The results of the study suggest that the inability to come up with a viable solution has many negative consequences on the tourism industry of the island. The results of the study suggest that a possible reunification will render Cyprus as an innovative tourism destination.

Tourism, Instability and Regional Interdependency: Evidence from the Eastern-Mediterranean

Defence and Peace Economics, 2018

Over the last three decades, we have widely witnessed the peculiar relationship between tourism and incidents of political instability. Responding to the urgent call for additional empirical inquiries, we conducted an econometric study, using the VAR-EGARCH-DCC model, on the regional tourism interdependency (volatility) between four Eastern Mediterranean countries, namely Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel. Monthly arrival data from 1987 to 2012, along with a series of political instability variables collected from machine-coded databases, were utilized to model effects and to add empirical substance to contemporary and emerging theories. Our findings are relevant to industry stakeholders in that they explore tourism demand and volatilities. The findings indicate a positive effect on tourism demand in the presence of verbal or material cooperation between a destination country and others. In contrast, when investigating verbal conflict between a destination country and others, our findings reveal a negative impact on tourist arrivals and an increase in volatility in the destination country. Finally, in our investigation of incidents of material conflict, we saw a strong negative impact on tourist arrivals in all four destinations, accompanied by a significant increase in volatility.

The effect of crisis in Eastern Mediterranean region on international tourist arrivals (in book)

The selected contemporary aspects of human rights (in) Sitek, B., Roman, L. (eds), 2016

The fragility of tourism sector could be observed in many parts of the world. Instability of natural environment can be determining factor in turning away potential tourists from tourism destinations – earthquakes, volcano eruptions or tsunamis, as well as visible climate changes certainly decrease tourist arrivals to the regions where they have been reported. However, economic and political instability seems to have larger effects on the sector. Eastern Mediterranean region’s political instability after 2005 affected negatively its countries in numerous ways, including tourism. Purpose of this paper is to measure the effect of crisis in Eastern Mediterranean region on international tourist arrivals to all Mediterranean countries. Research period 2005–2013 covers outbreaks of several huge crises in the region. The leading hypothesis is that international tourist flow has generally switched from Eastern to Western Mediterranean countries within the research period, meaning that the largest “benefiters” of the political crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries are Western European Mediterranean countries, including the ones which were not involved into Arab spring happenings. In order to test hypothesis the desk research is done by analyzing various reports on tourism in Mediterranean region prepared by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

A contextual typology for the study of the relationship between political instability and tourism

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2010

This paper endeavours to shed some new light onto the political dimensions of tourism, by contributing and enhancing understanding of the institutional dimensions of political instability and tourism. It aims to show, specifically, that tourism often is the result of politics, that it is inextricably intertwined sometimes with national politics, and often with international politics, social and environmental impacts, and thus has a direct and indirect influence, which cannot be ignored. To this end, at a first step a working definition of 'political instability' will be provided so as to facilitate the process of reviewing and critically assessing the extant literature. At a subsequent step, a contextual typology for the study of the relationship between political instability and tourism is developed. This typology has as its major objectives • to assist the categorisation and analysis of the relevant literature • to enable future researchers to empirically apply an analytical approach that it will delineate the basic sources of variation of the various conceptual themes relating political instability and tourism.

The effect of crisis in Eastern Mediterranean region on international tourist arrivals

The fragility of tourism sector could be observed in many parts of the world. Instability of natural environment can be determining factor in turning away potential tourists from tourism destinations – earthquakes, volcano eruptions or tsunamis, as well as visible climate changes certainly decrease tourist arrivals to the regions where they have been reported. However, economic and political instability seems to have larger effects on the sector. Eastern Mediterranean region’s political instability after 2005 affected negatively its countries in numerous ways, including tourism. Purpose of this paper is to measure the effect of crisis in Eastern Mediterranean region on international tourist arrivals to all Mediterranean countries. Research period 2005–2013 covers outbreaks of several huge crises in the region. The leading hypothesis is that international tourist flow has generally switched from Eastern to Western Mediterranean countries within the research period, meaning that the largest “benefiters” of the political crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries are Western European Mediterranean countries, including the ones which were not involved into Arab spring happenings. In order to test hypothesis the desk research is done by analyzing various reports on tourism in Mediterranean region prepared by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Political (in)stability and its influence on tourism development

Tourism Management, 2013

This paper explores ways in which the context of economic and social renewal in the aftermath of political conflict affects tourism development. The primary research took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and involved minimally structured interviews, participant observation and researcher reflexivity. The findings suggest that the administration and governance introduced to address political conflict in B&H needs to be reconsidered because it currently fails to achieve collaboration between divided communities. This failure impedes social and economic recovery. Nevertheless, the tourism industry appears to be ahead of other sectors in B&H in encouraging partnership between sides previously in conflict. Tourism is thus assessed as fertile ground for a more collaborative approach. It is concluded that in B&H, tourism development must go beyond economic regeneration and in its encouragement of joint projects between different stakeholders and communities it can aid reconciliation between its people.

Political turbulence and business as usual: tourism’s future

Journal of Tourism Futures, 2017

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the political turbulence of the times and discuss how political movements and political events that appear to be shocking to many are linked with major transformations in the global economy in recent decades. The author shows how the political and economic situation will likely have little impact on tourism inflows in major developed countries in coming years. Design/methodology/approach The paper explores global changes since the end of the Cold War and how this has impacted upon potential tourists in tourist source markets and host destinations. It is a global analysis, exploring changes since the Cold War. Findings Western countries will continue to experience all sorts of political and social turbulence for the foreseeable future, as their populations become increasingly bifurcated in terms of their wealth and the fiat currency system and fractional reserve system of banking reaches the limits of what it is capable of. However, thi...

THE IMPACT OF CRISES ON TURKISH TOURISM IN THE LAST DECADE

2011 AHTMM CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, 2011

In today’s global information society, an outcome cannot be related to just one variable. Being one of the most popular economic activities in the world, development of tourism has to be evaluated along with the economical, political, socio-cultural, safety environment. Tourism demand is accepted to be highly affected by both consumer’s economic situation and the host country’s political and security status. As travel is not in the first two stages of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it is not among the compulsory consumption expenditures and holiday plans are one of the first to be changed or cancelled in case of any threat against the tourist’s “biological and physiological” or “safety needs”. Likewise, as tourists need to relax in a safe environment, they will choose a country or region without any terror incidents or does not have any political problems with their own country. The aim of this study is to determine the degree and direction of the effects of national and global crises on tourism movements to Turkey since the beginning of new millennium. In order to reach the aim, the developments in Turkish inbound tourism will be examined within the conditions of the neighbor economies, Europe and the whole world. A comparison of global incoming and outgoing tourist numbers will be made between time periods before, during and after these crises, considering some other effects. Figures will be reflected in relation with important incidents gone through; any national, regional or global economic, political crisis or health, social, safety problem.