The impacts of Terrorism on Tourism: Case study Israel
Author: Helena Kipper
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The study examines how terrorism attacks have influenced on tourism industries and how tourist's motivations to travel have minimised. Middle East is especially harmed of terrorism activities. Israel's conflict between Palestinians has affected on tourism in the region. It has decreased the Israel's tourism industry in many ways such as many tourists have cancelled their holidays to Israel and because the risks many tourists have lost their enthusiasm travelling to Israel.
Terrorism activities have affected in world tourism industry many ways. In 2001 the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon harmed tourism industry dramatically by making US $ 10 billion loss for Air Transport Association (IATA) in a one week the air transportation were closed (Hall, Timothy & Duval, 2003).
Middle East regions are especially suffering the high level of terrorism activity. Many tourism destinations have been the targets of terrorism, because they provide targets, which enable them to meet their goals (Pizam & Mansfeld, 1996: 144). There have been many terrorist attacks made in the tourist destinations and that has influenced to tourism industry in a way such as people starting cancelling their holidays to the destinations where terrorism attacks have occurred and, because of the several terrorism attacks, people are more scared than they were in the past. World Tourism Organisation showed the $ 105 billion lost in tourism receipts because of the terrorism activities made in the world (Sönmez & Graefe, 1998).
Israel's tourism industry has been struggling for years because of its conflicts between Palestinians; Kidnappings, suicide bombs, civil war. Terrorism impacts are huge in Israel. Because of many violence activities taking place in Israel, many tourist decide not to travel to the country and in the worst case wont see the need to travel there ever again.
There are tourists who are more risk averse or less risk averse. Nevertheless many tourists think travelling to Israel is risky. There are tourists interested in travelling to the country even though there is a possibility to get kidnapped or become an victim of other violence. These tourists are politically- oriented tourists who go to Jerusalem to show their support or moreover are interested and curious to learn more about the conflict (Brin, 2006).
Travelling to Israel is risky and many governments have advised their citizens not to travel to Israel or at least have warned of all the possible risks. This has influenced tourists because safety is important when choosing a destination to travel to. Tourism in Israel has shown a huge decrease because of terrorism. Israelis crisis have also harmed Jordanian and Palestinian travel industry (Beirman, 2001).
Media is playing a huge role injuring the tourism industry, especially when expressing worse part of the region, enlarging the violence activity and in the worse case highlighting false impression of the country. Israel attracts international media coverage, the media has brought out the worst image of the country, enlarging and worsen the activity in the area. The negative impacts from the media and the government has affected in a way such 15,000 workers lost their jobs in Israel tourism and hospitality industry in three months and showing the large number of the cancellation of Israeli tourists but the most negative impact was that many international tourists cancelled their holidays to Israel and Jordan (Beirman, 2001).
Israel which attracts tourists because the country is full of history and attractions to see, particularly Jerusalem is the place what many tourists like to visit especially for religious people. The political instability still shows how tourism has felt in the country. Between 2000 and 2002 there were almost 80 per cent decrease of the tourists coming to Jerusalem and 660 hotels had to close temporarily because of the low profitability. The year 2001 showed the intense suffering of the terrorism, The SKAL conference that was the largest gathering of international tourism industry organised in Jerusalem, large amount of tourists cancelled their visits to Israel. Christmas 2000 Israel expected to receive a high level of Christians gathering to Holy Land, but Bethlehem, The Christian commemorations in Jerusalem and Nazareth, was almost empty (Beirman, 2001).
Beirman D (2002), \'Marketing of tourism destinations during a prolonged crisis: Israel and the Middle East\' Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 8 (2), pp. 167- 176
Pizam A & Mansfeld Y (1996) Tourism, Crime and International Security Issues, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester
Smart Traveller (n.d) "Travel Advise" [online]. Available from http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Israel_Gaza_Strip_and_West_Bank [accessed: 18 April 2011].
Vos iz neias? (2011), "Jerusalem - Israeli Tourism Weathers Regional Crisis" [online]. Available from http://www.vosizneias.com/80095/2011/04/03/jerusalem-israeli-tourism-weathers-regional-crisis/ [accessed: 16 April 2011].
Terrorism activities have affected in world tourism industry many ways. In 2001 the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon harmed tourism industry dramatically by making US $ 10 billion loss for Air Transport Association (IATA) in a one week the air transportation were closed (Hall, Timothy & Duval, 2003).
Middle East regions are especially suffering the high level of terrorism activity. Many tourism destinations have been the targets of terrorism, because they provide targets, which enable them to meet their goals (Pizam & Mansfeld, 1996: 144). There have been many terrorist attacks made in the tourist destinations and that has influenced to tourism industry in a way such as people starting cancelling their holidays to the destinations where terrorism attacks have occurred and, because of the several terrorism attacks, people are more scared than they were in the past. World Tourism Organisation showed the $ 105 billion lost in tourism receipts because of the terrorism activities made in the world (Sönmez & Graefe, 1998).
Israel's tourism industry has been struggling for years because of its conflicts between Palestinians; Kidnappings, suicide bombs, civil war. Terrorism impacts are huge in Israel. Because of many violence activities taking place in Israel, many tourist decide not to travel to the country and in the worst case wont see the need to travel there ever again.
There are tourists who are more risk averse or less risk averse. Nevertheless many tourists think travelling to Israel is risky. There are tourists interested in travelling to the country even though there is a possibility to get kidnapped or become an victim of other violence. These tourists are politically- oriented tourists who go to Jerusalem to show their support or moreover are interested and curious to learn more about the conflict (Brin, 2006).
Travelling to Israel is risky and many governments have advised their citizens not to travel to Israel or at least have warned of all the possible risks. This has influenced tourists because safety is important when choosing a destination to travel to. Tourism in Israel has shown a huge decrease because of terrorism. Israelis crisis have also harmed Jordanian and Palestinian travel industry (Beirman, 2001).
Media is playing a huge role injuring the tourism industry, especially when expressing worse part of the region, enlarging the violence activity and in the worse case highlighting false impression of the country. Israel attracts international media coverage, the media has brought out the worst image of the country, enlarging and worsen the activity in the area. The negative impacts from the media and the government has affected in a way such 15,000 workers lost their jobs in Israel tourism and hospitality industry in three months and showing the large number of the cancellation of Israeli tourists but the most negative impact was that many international tourists cancelled their holidays to Israel and Jordan (Beirman, 2001).
Israel which attracts tourists because the country is full of history and attractions to see, particularly Jerusalem is the place what many tourists like to visit especially for religious people. The political instability still shows how tourism has felt in the country. Between 2000 and 2002 there were almost 80 per cent decrease of the tourists coming to Jerusalem and 660 hotels had to close temporarily because of the low profitability. The year 2001 showed the intense suffering of the terrorism, The SKAL conference that was the largest gathering of international tourism industry organised in Jerusalem, large amount of tourists cancelled their visits to Israel. Christmas 2000 Israel expected to receive a high level of Christians gathering to Holy Land, but Bethlehem, The Christian commemorations in Jerusalem and Nazareth, was almost empty (Beirman, 2001).
Beirman D (2002), \'Marketing of tourism destinations during a prolonged crisis: Israel and the Middle East\' Journal of Vacation Marketing, vol. 8 (2), pp. 167- 176
Pizam A & Mansfeld Y (1996) Tourism, Crime and International Security Issues, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester
Smart Traveller (n.d) "Travel Advise" [online]. Available from http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Israel_Gaza_Strip_and_West_Bank [accessed: 18 April 2011].
Vos iz neias? (2011), "Jerusalem - Israeli Tourism Weathers Regional Crisis" [online]. Available from http://www.vosizneias.com/80095/2011/04/03/jerusalem-israeli-tourism-weathers-regional-crisis/ [accessed: 16 April 2011].