Tourism takes a hit: The devastating impact of terrorism on iconic destinations

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of terrorism on the tourism economy in 40 destinations and a total of 550 crises, based on the ranking of countries in terms of their economy and popularity. Methodology/Design/Approach – The study employed a quantitative research methodology using multiple linear regression analysis to examine the key predictors of the impact of terrorism on tourism employment growth and tourist arrivals. The analysis considered various relevant variables, including the perceived attractiveness of destinations, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. Findings – The findings confirm that the rankings of destinations as economically attractive and worth visiting plays an important role in determining tourist arrivals. Moreover, it was found that the type of tourism enterprises and tourists targeted by a destination can predict the growth of tourist arrivals after the crisis. Originality - This study enriches the existing literature by highlighting the importance of destination ranking for post-crisis tourism growth and stability. It offers valuable policy recommendations and highlights the need to increase the resilience of tourism businesses through improved crisis management and security measures. In addition, destinations that rank lower in economic terms or as “must-see” places should place greater importance on crisis management capabilities.