External Factors » Health and Safety Concerns

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

How health and safety concerns impact the travel and tourism industry
Different types of health risks affecting tourists
The impact of disease outbreaks on tourism destinations
Safety concerns including terrorism, crime and natural disasters
How destinations and tourism businesses respond to health and safety issues
Case studies of real-world health and safety impacts on tourism

Introduction to Health and Safety Concerns in Tourism

Health and safety concerns are major external factors that can dramatically affect tourism destinations and businesses. When tourists plan their holidays, they want to feel safe and secure. If a destination is seen as risky or dangerous, tourists will often choose to go elsewhere.

Key Definitions:

Health risks: Potential dangers to physical wellbeing including diseases, infections and food/water safety issues that may affect tourists.
Safety concerns: Threats to personal security including crime, terrorism, political instability and natural disasters.
Travel advisory: Official government advice about safety risks in different countries, often graded by severity.
Risk perception: How tourists view and assess potential dangers, which may differ from actual risk levels.

💊 Health Concerns

Health concerns that affect tourism include:

Disease outbreaks (e.g., COVID-19, SARS, Zika)
Food and water safety issues
Lack of access to quality healthcare
Tropical diseases in certain regions
Air quality and pollution

🚨 Safety Concerns

Safety concerns that affect tourism include:

Terrorism and political unrest
High crime rates and tourist-targeted crime
Natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods)
Transport safety (road accidents, airline safety)
Civil unrest and protests

Health Risks and Their Impact on Tourism

Health risks can have immediate and long-lasting effects on tourism destinations. When a health crisis occurs, tourist numbers often drop dramatically, affecting local economies and businesses.

Disease Outbreaks

Disease outbreaks are among the most serious health concerns affecting tourism. They can cause rapid and severe drops in visitor numbers, as seen with COVID-19, SARS and Ebola outbreaks.

🦠 COVID-19

The pandemic caused global tourism to drop by 73% in 2020, with losses of $1.3 trillion in export revenues. Many tourism businesses closed permanently.

😷 SARS (2003)

Visitor arrivals to affected Asian countries fell by 50-70%. Hong Kong's hotel occupancy dropped to just 10% during the peak of the crisis.

🦚 Zika Virus

The 2015-16 outbreak caused tourism to drop by 10% in some affected Caribbean and Latin American destinations, with pregnant women advised not to travel.

Food and Water Safety

Food and water safety issues can damage a destination's reputation and deter tourists. Problems include:

Traveller's diarrhoea: Affects 30-70% of travellers to developing countries
Food poisoning: Can result from poor hygiene standards in restaurants and hotels
Contaminated water: A risk in destinations with poor water treatment facilities

Even a few cases of tourists falling ill can lead to negative reviews online and damage a destination's reputation for years.

Case Study Focus: The Impact of COVID-19 on Tourism

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on global tourism:

International tourist arrivals fell by 73% globally in 2020
The UK tourism industry lost £57 billion in domestic and international tourism spending
Airlines like Virgin Atlantic and British Airways reduced staff by thousands
Many hotels and tourism businesses closed permanently
Recovery has been slow and uneven, with some destinations requiring vaccination certificates

The pandemic showed how vulnerable tourism is to health crises and how quickly global travel can shut down when health concerns arise.

Safety Concerns Affecting Tourism

Safety concerns can change tourist behaviour and destination choices rapidly. Even the perception of danger, whether accurate or not, can severely impact visitor numbers.

💣 Terrorism

Terrorist attacks can have immediate and lasting effects on tourism:

After the 2015 Paris attacks, hotel bookings fell by 21% in the following month
Tunisia's tourism dropped by 90% after the 2015 Sousse beach attack
Bali's tourism took three years to recover after the 2002 bombings

Recovery time depends on the frequency of attacks and how the destination manages the aftermath.

🌋 Natural Disasters

Natural disasters can destroy tourism infrastructure and create long-term image problems:

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused immediate tourism drops of 60% in affected areas
Hurricane Maria in 2017 devastated Puerto Rico's tourism for over two years
Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami led to a 50% drop in international visitors

Crime and Tourist Safety

Crime targeting tourists can seriously damage a destination's reputation:

Tourist-targeted crime: Pickpocketing, scams and robberies focused on visitors
Violent crime: Can lead to travel advisories and warnings from governments
Media coverage: High-profile crimes against tourists receive extensive media attention

Destinations with high crime rates often struggle to attract visitors, even if tourist areas are relatively safe. For example, Rio de Janeiro has faced ongoing challenges with its tourism image due to crime concerns, despite hosting major events like the Olympics.

How Destinations Respond to Health and Safety Concerns

Tourism destinations and businesses must respond effectively to health and safety concerns to maintain visitor confidence and recover from crises.

🛡 Prevention

Destinations implement measures to prevent problems:

Enhanced security in tourist areas
Food safety standards for tourism businesses
Disease prevention programmes
Early warning systems for natural disasters

📢 Communication

Clear communication during and after crises:

Accurate information about risks
Regular updates for tourists
Working with international media
Transparent reporting of incidents

📈 Recovery

Strategies to rebuild tourism after crises:

Marketing campaigns to rebuild image
Discounts and special offers
Infrastructure improvements
Diversifying tourism products

Case Study Focus: Egypt's Tourism Recovery Efforts

Egypt has faced multiple tourism crises due to terrorism and political instability:

After the 2015 Russian plane bombing, tourism dropped by over 40%
The Arab Spring protests in 2011 caused visitor numbers to fall from 14 million to 9 million

Egypt's recovery strategies included:

Increased security at tourist sites and airports
Discounted packages to encourage visitors
Major marketing campaigns in key source markets
Development of new tourism areas away from troubled regions
Diversification beyond historical tourism to beach and wellness tourism

By 2019, Egypt's tourism had largely recovered, though COVID-19 created new challenges in 2020.

The Role of Travel Insurance and Advisories

Travel insurance and government advisories play a crucial role in how tourists perceive and respond to health and safety risks.

Travel Advisories

Government travel advisories can make or break tourism to a destination:

Many tourists check official advice before booking
Travel insurance may be invalid if visiting places against government advice
Tour operators often cancel trips to destinations with severe warnings
Advisories can remain in place long after a situation has improved

For example, the UK Foreign Office advice system uses different levels of warning, from "See our travel advice before travelling" to "Advise against all travel". When a destination receives a high-level warning, tourism often drops dramatically.

Conclusion: The Future of Health and Safety in Tourism

Health and safety concerns will continue to shape tourism patterns in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has made tourists more aware of health risks, while ongoing security concerns influence destination choices.

Key trends for the future include:

Increased focus on hygiene and health protocols in tourism businesses
Greater demand for travel insurance with comprehensive coverage
More flexible booking policies to account for unexpected events
Technology solutions like contact tracing and digital health passports
Growing importance of accurate, real-time information about destination safety

Tourism destinations that prioritise visitor health and safety, communicate effectively during crises and develop strong recovery strategies will be better positioned to maintain their tourism industries when challenges arise.