The role of travel advisor websites in shaping the image of travel risks among tourists and destinations.
Author: Johanna Ojala
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The role of travel advisor websites in shaping the image of travel risks among tourists and destinations.
This study examines the risks in tourism and the impact of travel advisory websites on tourists and destinations. Egypt as a tourism destination was chosen for a comparison between governmental and independent online travel advisory websites. The study concludes that the way tourists perceive travel advisory information, is mainly dependent on their touristic role.
Key words: tourism, risk, travel advisor websites
When is the last time something happened to you while on holiday? Have you ever thought of cancelling a trip because of possible risks involved? The likelihood of ever encountering with a terrorist attack, health issues, a natural disaster or political conflict while travelling, is minimal even of the current unpredictability of the world. Though, destinations are increasingly effected by possible threats to tourism and as Sönmez and Graefe (1998) found in their research, destinations are more likely to be rejected by tourists in case of a negative perception and potential risk. Attacks to tourists in Egypt represent an opposition to the western values where as in other parts of the world they are usually directed to the governments. This makes tourists an easy and desirable target (Sönmez and Graefe 1998).
Unlike business travellers, those on leisure travel have the luxury of choosing a destination, but the freedom of choice can be easily provoked by threats, perceived or real. Lepp and Gibson (2003) found out in their research to students from the United States that the perception of risk associated with terrorism varied significantly by tourist role. Some evidence in the literature point to the assumption that the decision making process of tourists is based on the safety concerns. This was confirmed by Sönmez and Graefe (1998) who found out that nearly two million Americans changed their travel plans due to terrorism concerns and political conflicts in Libya in the 1980s.
The role of the Media is important when it comes to the images that tourists have on destinations. Sackett and Botterill (2006) found out that in the United States, where the media coverage of the 2004 Madrid bombing was more extensive, resulted in only 10% of respondents saying Spain to be a safe destination compared to UK respondents with 56% thinking Spain to be safe. Terrorism has become one of the most feared risks in tourism, especially after the 9/11 attacks, but because the headlines are full of terrorism related news, it can create negative images among the tourists even though there might not be any danger. As many destinations rely on continues tourist flows, as for example Egypt does, the sometimes exaggerated risks can create a negative image. Furthermore Lepp and Gibson (2003) found out that mass tourists are the most likely ones to abandon or change vacation plans in the case of perceived risks.
As the Internet has become a major player in advertisement and marketing of tourism, it has also provided the possibility for governments and other independent organisations to reach to potential tourists. For this study the government advisory sites of the United States and the United Kingdom were used to compare with the independent travel sites such as TravelAdvisor and Wikitravel. The overall impression was that, governments provide essential information for tourists but they also give contradictive information. This highlights the fact that when tourists are searching for information, the Media can easily create a perceived risk or even a false impression of a destination. The independent websites used for this study were found to be more practical for tourists and not always up to date, when risks were concern. The U.S government website indicated of the possibility for example U.S citizens to become a target of harassment or worse while TripAdvisor-website said Egypt to be a safe and a friendly country to travel to. The way tourist act, according to Sönmez and Graefe (1998) is that they way their options against expenses (i.e. accommodation, transportation) and to the psychological and social expenses (i.e. sickness, terrorism or crime). However, the way tourists react to these perceived risks, will more likely depend also on the personality and situational factors.
Sönmez, S. F. and Graefe, A. R. (1998) Influence of terrorism risk on foreign tourism decisions, Annals of Tourism Research, 25 (1), pp. 112-144
Lepp, A. and Gibson, H. (2003) Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, 30 (3), pp. 606-624
Foreign and Common Wealth Office (2011) Travel and living abroad: Egypt, [online] Available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt [Accessed 8 May 2011]
This study examines the risks in tourism and the impact of travel advisory websites on tourists and destinations. Egypt as a tourism destination was chosen for a comparison between governmental and independent online travel advisory websites. The study concludes that the way tourists perceive travel advisory information, is mainly dependent on their touristic role.
Key words: tourism, risk, travel advisor websites
When is the last time something happened to you while on holiday? Have you ever thought of cancelling a trip because of possible risks involved? The likelihood of ever encountering with a terrorist attack, health issues, a natural disaster or political conflict while travelling, is minimal even of the current unpredictability of the world. Though, destinations are increasingly effected by possible threats to tourism and as Sönmez and Graefe (1998) found in their research, destinations are more likely to be rejected by tourists in case of a negative perception and potential risk. Attacks to tourists in Egypt represent an opposition to the western values where as in other parts of the world they are usually directed to the governments. This makes tourists an easy and desirable target (Sönmez and Graefe 1998).
Unlike business travellers, those on leisure travel have the luxury of choosing a destination, but the freedom of choice can be easily provoked by threats, perceived or real. Lepp and Gibson (2003) found out in their research to students from the United States that the perception of risk associated with terrorism varied significantly by tourist role. Some evidence in the literature point to the assumption that the decision making process of tourists is based on the safety concerns. This was confirmed by Sönmez and Graefe (1998) who found out that nearly two million Americans changed their travel plans due to terrorism concerns and political conflicts in Libya in the 1980s.
The role of the Media is important when it comes to the images that tourists have on destinations. Sackett and Botterill (2006) found out that in the United States, where the media coverage of the 2004 Madrid bombing was more extensive, resulted in only 10% of respondents saying Spain to be a safe destination compared to UK respondents with 56% thinking Spain to be safe. Terrorism has become one of the most feared risks in tourism, especially after the 9/11 attacks, but because the headlines are full of terrorism related news, it can create negative images among the tourists even though there might not be any danger. As many destinations rely on continues tourist flows, as for example Egypt does, the sometimes exaggerated risks can create a negative image. Furthermore Lepp and Gibson (2003) found out that mass tourists are the most likely ones to abandon or change vacation plans in the case of perceived risks.
As the Internet has become a major player in advertisement and marketing of tourism, it has also provided the possibility for governments and other independent organisations to reach to potential tourists. For this study the government advisory sites of the United States and the United Kingdom were used to compare with the independent travel sites such as TravelAdvisor and Wikitravel. The overall impression was that, governments provide essential information for tourists but they also give contradictive information. This highlights the fact that when tourists are searching for information, the Media can easily create a perceived risk or even a false impression of a destination. The independent websites used for this study were found to be more practical for tourists and not always up to date, when risks were concern. The U.S government website indicated of the possibility for example U.S citizens to become a target of harassment or worse while TripAdvisor-website said Egypt to be a safe and a friendly country to travel to. The way tourist act, according to Sönmez and Graefe (1998) is that they way their options against expenses (i.e. accommodation, transportation) and to the psychological and social expenses (i.e. sickness, terrorism or crime). However, the way tourists react to these perceived risks, will more likely depend also on the personality and situational factors.
Sönmez, S. F. and Graefe, A. R. (1998) Influence of terrorism risk on foreign tourism decisions, Annals of Tourism Research, 25 (1), pp. 112-144
Lepp, A. and Gibson, H. (2003) Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, 30 (3), pp. 606-624
Foreign and Common Wealth Office (2011) Travel and living abroad: Egypt, [online] Available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/egypt [Accessed 8 May 2011]