How the perception of fear of terrorism impacts on tourist behavior?
Author: Virpi Pekola
3 Commentries
The study examines how the perception of fear of terrorism impacts on the tourist behavior and what factors influence on it.
Key words: perception of fear; terrorism; tourist behavior
The death of the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011 has awakened a fear of terrorism again in the Western countries. The possible attack of the terrorist organization al Qaeda causes the certain perceptions of fear and thus impacts on the tourist behavior. The perception of fear the tourists have is mostly influenced by media. The often exaggerated reportage increases the fear and causes the unwillingness to travel. Tourists are noted to have a lack of knowledge about the terrorist events due to having the media reportage as a main source of information, and not consulting the tourism authorities to impact their decision-making. The proximity of the attack, tourists' previous traveling experience and the government authority's statements affect on the perception of fear and influence in the tourist behavior.
The majority of tourists have more perceptions of fear of human-made violations than nature-made. The most feared risks the tourists perceive of fear are to be studied terrorism as the most feared risk, war/natural disaster and kidnapping. The perception of fear of terrorism is high due to the uncertainty of the possible attacks. The target is never known in advance which keeps people in fear and the uncertainty causes the stop in the tourism industry.
Tourists' perceptions of fear were studied after the terrorist attack to New York in September 11th 2001 to be, for instance, 'travel is unsafe' and 'tourists are likely to be targets' (Sönmez and Graefe, 1998a). The perceptions are based on the previous observation where tourists have been the victims of a terrorist event. In the fear of terrorism tourists tend to avoid the big cities, and they feel that e.g. the natural areas are safer.
In particular, after the September 11th there was a perception of fear that the international travel is more risky than domestic from the tourist's point of view, and add that, travel for holiday purposes is most extensively affected by terrorist threat. The safety issues are extremely important within tourists, and in a fear of terrorism the tourists seek destinations with a safe image and alternative transportations for the airplane in a fear that the terrorist attack would take place there. In that case the destinations elsewhere benefit. The tourists are studied to consider the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands as safe destinations (Arana and Leon, 2008). When the tourists have a perception of risk, the impact is to choose alternative modes of transport and destinations. Blunk et al (2006) note that, in 2001 from September to December the air travel dropped 20%. That was due to the cancellations of the planned trips. Floyd and Pennington-Gray (2004) came to the conclusion that tourists first perceive greater risk and agree that traveling includes a risk, and that the planned destination to travel has to be safety that tourists would consider to travel there. The attacks made to the airports are studied to disturb more the tourist behavior than to the destinations made ones.
It has been noted that in a fear of terrorism or after the terrorist attack many tourists make changes or cancel their travel plans. For example, a Travel Industry of America poll found that after the September 11th 30% cancelled or rescheduled their trips. The traveling experience impacts on the tourist behavior in such a way that the tourists who do not have a lot of travel experience are more likely to cancel their trips. Due to perceptions of fear Asian travelers are more likely to change their travel plans than Western travelers (Mura, 2010). The fear also impacts in a way that tourists start avoiding certain destinations. It has noted to be the case with the European cities, for instance, London, Rome, Paris and Athens (Shaw and Williams, 2002).
The study concludes that the media's reportage has a major influence on the perception of fear of terrorism. The travel plans are thus impacted and causes the cancellations on the travel plans.
Arana J and C Leon (2008) The impact of terrorism on tourism. Annals of tourism research 35, 2, 299-315
Floyd M. and Pennington-Grey, M. (2004) Profiling risk perceptions of tourists. Annals of tourism research 31, 4, 1051-54
Sönmez, S. and Graefe, A. (1998a) Influence of Terrorism Risk on Foreign Tourism Decisions Annals of Tourism Research 25 pp. 114-144
Key words: perception of fear; terrorism; tourist behavior
The death of the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011 has awakened a fear of terrorism again in the Western countries. The possible attack of the terrorist organization al Qaeda causes the certain perceptions of fear and thus impacts on the tourist behavior. The perception of fear the tourists have is mostly influenced by media. The often exaggerated reportage increases the fear and causes the unwillingness to travel. Tourists are noted to have a lack of knowledge about the terrorist events due to having the media reportage as a main source of information, and not consulting the tourism authorities to impact their decision-making. The proximity of the attack, tourists' previous traveling experience and the government authority's statements affect on the perception of fear and influence in the tourist behavior.
The majority of tourists have more perceptions of fear of human-made violations than nature-made. The most feared risks the tourists perceive of fear are to be studied terrorism as the most feared risk, war/natural disaster and kidnapping. The perception of fear of terrorism is high due to the uncertainty of the possible attacks. The target is never known in advance which keeps people in fear and the uncertainty causes the stop in the tourism industry.
Tourists' perceptions of fear were studied after the terrorist attack to New York in September 11th 2001 to be, for instance, 'travel is unsafe' and 'tourists are likely to be targets' (Sönmez and Graefe, 1998a). The perceptions are based on the previous observation where tourists have been the victims of a terrorist event. In the fear of terrorism tourists tend to avoid the big cities, and they feel that e.g. the natural areas are safer.
In particular, after the September 11th there was a perception of fear that the international travel is more risky than domestic from the tourist's point of view, and add that, travel for holiday purposes is most extensively affected by terrorist threat. The safety issues are extremely important within tourists, and in a fear of terrorism the tourists seek destinations with a safe image and alternative transportations for the airplane in a fear that the terrorist attack would take place there. In that case the destinations elsewhere benefit. The tourists are studied to consider the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands as safe destinations (Arana and Leon, 2008). When the tourists have a perception of risk, the impact is to choose alternative modes of transport and destinations. Blunk et al (2006) note that, in 2001 from September to December the air travel dropped 20%. That was due to the cancellations of the planned trips. Floyd and Pennington-Gray (2004) came to the conclusion that tourists first perceive greater risk and agree that traveling includes a risk, and that the planned destination to travel has to be safety that tourists would consider to travel there. The attacks made to the airports are studied to disturb more the tourist behavior than to the destinations made ones.
It has been noted that in a fear of terrorism or after the terrorist attack many tourists make changes or cancel their travel plans. For example, a Travel Industry of America poll found that after the September 11th 30% cancelled or rescheduled their trips. The traveling experience impacts on the tourist behavior in such a way that the tourists who do not have a lot of travel experience are more likely to cancel their trips. Due to perceptions of fear Asian travelers are more likely to change their travel plans than Western travelers (Mura, 2010). The fear also impacts in a way that tourists start avoiding certain destinations. It has noted to be the case with the European cities, for instance, London, Rome, Paris and Athens (Shaw and Williams, 2002).
The study concludes that the media's reportage has a major influence on the perception of fear of terrorism. The travel plans are thus impacted and causes the cancellations on the travel plans.
Arana J and C Leon (2008) The impact of terrorism on tourism. Annals of tourism research 35, 2, 299-315
Floyd M. and Pennington-Grey, M. (2004) Profiling risk perceptions of tourists. Annals of tourism research 31, 4, 1051-54
Sönmez, S. and Graefe, A. (1998a) Influence of Terrorism Risk on Foreign Tourism Decisions Annals of Tourism Research 25 pp. 114-144