Overall, world tourism is a booming industry, with more travelers than ever, including from countries such as China that have only recently had many outbound travelers. But world events, including fears of terrorism and disease, and the refugee crisis, are dividing countries into winner and loser columns.
Terrorist attacks in Tunisia last year and the bombing of a Russian plane carrying tourists home from Egypt have crushed tourism numbers in both countries. Tunisia, which counts on tourism for 10% of its GDP, dropped from 7 million visitors in 2014 to less than 5 million in 2015—and the attacks took place after the height of the season. This year’s outlook is bleak.
Other Middle East and Muslim countries are affected as well, even if, like Jordan, there have been no incidents. Many visitors simply put all those countries in the same bucket.
Most of the diverted business is going to other places seen as warm, sunny—and safe. Big beneficiaries have included Spain (pictured above), Portugal and parts of Greece, although bookings in some of the Greek islands have dropped drastically because they have become associated in the news with floods of refugees from Syria and other countries.
Latin America and the Caribbean have also been beneficiaries, with growing numbers visiting Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and Jamaica. In fact, Cuba’s numbers are up by 17% for 2015, and there are hotel shortages. Even Haiti, devastated six years ago by an earthquake and by a cholera epidemic since has seen new growth.
But all of the growth in those areas may be subject to a new factor: the spread, and especially public awareness, of the Zika virus. Thinking back to the Ebola crisis in sub-Sahara Africa two years ago, and to other disease crises, it’s hard to believe there will not be a serious drop in travel. That may especially affect the country where Zika appears most entrenched: Brazil, which has expected a bonanza year because of the Rio Olympics this summer.
For more detail from JapanToday, click HERE
Photo: Martin Nikolaj Christensen / Wikimedia
