Factors Affecting Tourism Essay

Factors Affecting Tourism: Natural Disasters

There are many factors which affect tourism globally; this report aims to discuss the impact natural disasters can have on tourism, looking in particular at certain events such as the Boscastle floods and the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano.

Tourism is “all temporary visits to another region (domestic) or country (international) lasting more then 24 hours” [A-Z ] this includes visits for holidays, sport, education religion, business and visits to family and friends,

A natural disaster is “a natural event with catastrophic consequences for living things in the vicinity.” [encyclopedian.com] it can affect tourism for obvious reasons as it destroys the natural environment and the things which the industry relies on.

There is a very close link between tourism and natural disasters as in the event of a natural disaster tourism is significantly disrupted and in most cases the industry is destroyed, then requiring development and adjustment. Tourism is an important part of countries’ economy and in less economically developed countries such as those affected by the tsunami, on Boxing Day 2004, the local economy greatly relies upon the industry’s services for the livelihood of its population. The massive affect a natural disaster can have on tourism is related to the negative multiplier effect, which involves the impact of the event spreading through the economy. It can be seen in the following diagram:

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There are several case studies which show the varying effect a natural disaster has on tourism, the following case studies provide information regarding the areas’ location, tourist industry, natural disaster and the industry after the event.
In some cases natural disasters can actually increase tourism. In a strange way, places affected by natural disaster can become tourist hot zones as a place to visit. They often become places of educational and historical interest and many people...