Ask Skift: How Do Natural Disasters Impact Tourism? (2024)

FAQs

Ask Skift: How Do Natural Disasters Impact Tourism? ›

Ask Skift said:

The media is of course an important stakeholder in terms of communicating information concerning a crisis or disaster to various publics (including tourists) and also plays a key role in restoring confidence in an organization or destination during and after a disaster (Ritchie, 2004).

In a disaster, you face the danger of death or physical injury. You may also lose your home, possessions, or community. Such stressors place you at risk for emotional and physical health problems. Stress reactions after a disaster look very much like the common reactions seen after any type of trauma.

A country's natural resources may also be affected—hurricanes destroy forests, hurricanes and droughts decrease soil fertility. Recurrent natural disasters can result in “adaptive behaviour” by individuals and communities that brings on further economic loss.

Given the substantial costs of political conflicts, economists have often seeked to measure the impact of violent conflicts in history such the American Civil War, World War 1, and World War 2. Tourism will usually go into rapid decline when there is such conflict.

Natural disasters significantly impact tourism. Tour operators and conference events often cancel or suspend operations in the aftermath of a disaster, as was the case following an earthquake in Morocco in September 2023. Such cancellations can lead to significant decreases in tourism for the affected areas.

Tourism puts enormous stress on local land use, and can lead to soil erosion, increased pollution, natural habitat loss, and more pressure on endangered species.

A natural disaster can be defined as: “A major event brought about by the natural processes of the Earth that causes widespread destruction to the environment and loss of life.”

Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water.

Wildlife can be killed by the force of the disaster or impacted indirectly through changes in habitat and food availability. Endangered species are especially vulnerable when habitat is destroyed. Water quality is impacted when sewage treatment facilities flood or debris enters reservoirs and waterways.

What do you mean by disaster tourism? ›

Disaster tourism refers to the phenomenon where individuals visit areas affected by disasters out of curiosity or to witness the aftermath of tragic events.

Natural hazards can pose a significant threat to urban areas, carrying the potential to disrupt economic and social activities, cause substantial damage to property and even kill people.

Research findings reflect a world in which people of low SES are more vulnerable in the face of disasters and are more likely to suffer more serious consequences during impact, from property damage to homelessness to physical and financial impacts.

Tourism brings both positive and negative effects on the health of local people. The short-term negative effects are related to the density of tourist arrivals, traffic congestion, crowding, crime level, and other stressful factors.

Prolonged conflicts can damage a destination's reputation, making it difficult to attract tourists even after the conflict has ended.

The impact of terrorism on the travel and tourism industry can be enormous. It can lead to unemployment, homelessness, deflation, and many other social and economic ills. The contribution of tourism for many countries is so great that any downturn in the industry is a cause of major concern for many governments.

User-Generated Content and Viral Marketing

User-generated content (UGC) plays a pivotal role in tourism advertisem*nts. Travelers share their experiences, photos, and videos on social media. This effectively turns them into brand advocates. UGC showcases authentic and relatable travel experiences.

The role of media in disaster management is to create public awareness, provide real-time coverage of rescue and relief efforts, and support rehabilitation activities.

Oftentimes, the information found on social media is seen by the public faster than the news stations and newspapers are able to broadcast it. Officials use social media during a disaster to alert the public where help is located and when they plan on reaching impacted areas.

The media assists in the management of disasters by educating the public about disasters; warningm of hazards; gathering and transmitting information about affected areas; alerting government officials, relief organizations and the public to specific needs; and facilitating discussions about disaster preparedness and ...