Tourism Development Centers on the Threat of Terrorism - Research Paper Example

? Air travel is a key contributor to tourism across the world. This is because the largest number of tourists relies on air travel to reach their preferred destination. Therefore, safety and security in airports is paramount for smooth running of tourism sectors in all regions of the world that are considered as tourist destinations. Although, tourism is free to evade destinations linked with risk, the consequences of disastrous events on destinations are inevitable and can be profound. Terrorism and related criminal activities can generate serious tourism crisis, especially to tourism destinations. This elevates the issue of safety in airports as of considerable concern in regions that are considered as major destinations for tourists. This paper looks into safety and security in airports in relation to tourism. Introduction The contemporary world has witnessed dramatic changes since the rise of globalization. Based on the heightened incidence and severity of terrorism related incidences, individual’s feelings of safety (whether physical or psychological) have been challenged. The travel and tourism sector have considerably been bruised at various levels, accompanied by growing concerns on safety and security of destinations. The resultant sense of insecurity has yielded to increase screening within airports in a bid to thwart occurrence of any terrorism related incidences. Passengers and air cargo are the two main entities that pose the highest treat to the security and safety of airports. Passengers are considered as a serious threat due to the increased number of terror activities occurring in airports (Sweet 2009, p.52). Even prior to the 9/11, the society was conscious of the risks associated with being at the wrong location at the wrong time; however, the 9/11 attack brought to the limelight how interconnectedness of the world and the society was awakened to the risks occasioned by the interconnections. The global aviation immediately launched tighter travel rules, restrictions, and regulations in a dramatic attempt to thwart a repetition of the incidence. The changes heralded within the passenger travel experience right from check in to disembarking have been rendered non-negotiable. As a result, the process of travel has been made increasingly complex and time consuming (Sonmez, Apostolopoulos and Tarlow 1999, p.13). The safety and security of airports remains an ongoing challenge and continues to evolve as air traffic rises. The threat presented by crime and terrorism has over the years increased necessitating enhanced security and safety in airports. Indeed, the public has had an enhanced sensitivity towards aviation and airport security owing to the concern that criminality may yield to vulnerabilities that could be exploited by terrorists. The central aim of airport security centres on preventing ‘unlawful interference’ with the could yield to fatalities among the passengers and crew major airports continue to be critical infrastructure for the health of the economy and people’s lives and livelihood, and the possible targets for the severe crimes and terrorism (Sonmez, Apostolopoulos and Tarlow 1999, p.14). Terrorism and crime are unique, but possibly overlap, but at its most fundamental place, an environment characterized by lax security can avail opportunities for terrorists to take advantage of the weaknesses in airport security. However, with the growing surveillance within airports, critics have argued that the heightened security screening at airports is increasingly heralding misery to holiday travelers. Critics point out that government agencies pursuing to make journeys secure render plane trips unpleasant, which encourages people to take the option of travelling by road (where possible). Discussion Terrorists target airports largely because of the social and economic damage that can arise once an airport has suffered a terror attack. The 9/11 terror attack motivated all leading airports to pay keen attention on improving the security and safety systems. Terrorists targeting airports are indistinguishable from passengers or authorized airport personnel. Airports being open, public environments that are visited by millions of people, their security and safety are always in question. Furthermore, anonymity of people visiting airports compounds the ability to identify people posing security threats (Bloom 2010, p.22). Apart from terrorism, other factors that pose a threat to the security and safety of airports include crime, airborne diseases such as avian flu, natural disasters associated with climatic changes, substance abuse, civil wars, strikes, and corruption. These factors among other issues affect the tourism sector across the globe, and without necessary measures in place, massive losses are likely to be incurred in regions with poorly protected airports (Altinay & Paraskevas 2008, p.33). Key Drivers Airports are of critical economic significance to regional business and avails access to secure, speedy, and affordable air transportation services. The most crucial thing in the development of a successful tourism sector is the ability to identify and handle with dynamics within key drivers of tourism. The millions of air passengers passing through airports necessitate the highest level of security. Terrorist threats to airport activity are increasingly becoming global, and airports are increasingly becoming a target of choice, largely owing to the social an economic disruption that they can generate. Since the occurrence of September 11, all key international airports have pursued on ambitious programs to enhance security and safety systems (Goodrich 2002, p.573). As open and public spaces visited by millions of visitors in transit, airports are susceptible in nature. Continuous flows of individuals and goods render it easy for persons to try unauthorized actions or undertake terrorist or criminal acts. The greatest challenge facing tourism stakeholders in public and private tourism sector is the ability to deal with emerging changes proactively in order to have a competitive advantage over other organizations (Bloom 2010, p.24). The United Nations World Tourism Organization offers a number of key determinants and influences projected to affect the tourism sector till 2020. The five top most drivers of change are demographic, social factors, environmental, technological, globalization, and political. Other than understanding these drivers, knowledge on world events that affect consumers and suppliers is essential since they have an impact on the tourism sector (Dwyer et al. 2008, p13). Tourism is integrated with other aspects of the economy, which implies that changes within the tourism sector are not in isolation from the key drivers that are projected to impact on the world in the future. Tourism trends that operate at the global level are known as megatrends since they impact on a large population of people (Altinay & Paraskevas 2008, p.37). Globalization Globalization represents a growing flow of transnational movement of persons, goods and services, information and money. Transport is perceived as a critical factor within the economy and social integration of countries, and a prominent indicator of the quality of life. The interconnection between economies, coupled with social relations, cultural circuits are increasingly growing large and becoming widespread across national borders. Globalization of the world economy is a prominent driver of air traffic growth. The most critical contribution of airports details the connectivity they avail, which allows economies and tourism to flourish. Air transport sector is constantly evolving speedily to satisfy the shifting needs of the society as a whole. Globalization is not simply a trend, but rather represents an international system that has come to influence, either directly or indirectly, geopolitics, environment, politics, and the economy of any country. New acts of terrorism remain increasingly directed against citizens instead of governments (Stibli 2010, p.1). Globalization is by far considered as the trend to have a keen observation on due to its potential to shape the other key trends projected to impact on the tourism sector come 2020 (Dwyer et al. 2008, p.13). Globalization is derived from the ever ending changes in computing and telecommunications, development of free trade, and reduction in communism. Increase in international connectivity is likely to shape people’s way of life, weaken constraints within physical barriers, and expand on geographical scope (Dwyer et al. 2008, p.15). Globalization has the danger of increasing a country’s vulnerability to insecurity due to reduced barriers for people intending to visit the country as foreign tourists. Therefore, the use of air travel is likely to facilitate crime to any destination across the world. Without stringent measures in place safety and security in airports is highly compromised with the increased globalization (Theobald 2012, p.462). Social trends Social trends that will have an impact on tourism and travel fall into three categories, which are demographics, lifestyle, and social values within a society. Shifts emerging from changes in social and demographics are offering serious challenges on almost all social institutions. Factors leading to current shifts include population and ageing, urbanization, health, gender, religion, and education among other social factors (Cooper & Hall 2008, p.77). One of the prominent social trends that has manifested in recent years has been the rise in extremism, which fuels increased cases of terrorist activities. Tourism is a critical industry within the promotion of economic benefits and social unity, availing job opportunities, enhancing the quality of lives among the citizens, and fostering friendliness, networking, and broadening perspectives among countries. This necessitates appreciating that lack of safety and security of airports is a direct challenge to tourism development (George 2003, p.575). This necessitates standing united to guarantee the safety and security of travellers by realizing that safety and security are a critical constituent of success within the tourism sector. A prominent element of a successful tourism industry centres on the capability to highlight and respond to change happening across a broad of behavioural, technological, and environmental factor and the manner in which people interact. Political trends Politics in different regions of the world is likely to impact significantly on globalization and hence the tourism industry. Under political trends, terrorism is perhaps the greatest issue of concern in all nations across the globe (Gures et al. 2011, p.90). Increased terrorism activities and internal conflicts will hinder the growth of the tourism industry due to reduced air travels to countries affected by high incidences of terror attacks. It is projected that terror activities are likely to become decentralized due to the increased use of the internet. The increased use of the internet will cause an increase in cyber terrorism, whereby attackers are able to damage computer systems and information stored in computers (Sweet 2009, p.66; Cooper & Hall 2008, p.79). Environmental trends It is obvious that tourism is highly interconnected with the environment. Therefore, climate and the natural environment are crucial in determining the attractiveness of a region regarded to be a tourist destination. With this fact at hand, changes in climatic conditions will largely determine the destination tourists will prefer to take Spenceley 2008, p361). Regions that will be regarded as a major tourist destination will be at high risks of attracting crime activities at arrival terminals such as airports. Targeting such regions may be geared towards discouraging tourists from visiting those regions with an aim of interfering with economic growth of regions that source much of their revenue from tourism (Theobald 2012, p.496). Technological trends Advancements in technology are contributing significantly in promoting competitiveness in the tourism sector. The numerous social networks have also created a platform through which terrorism and criminal activities can thrive. In addition, growth of internet has generated a platform in which criminal and terror operative can recruit, plan, and coordinate their illegal activities (Zhou 2004, p.129). The policing of some of the key international airports can be regarded as inadequate and dysfunctional, and security systems remain characteristically uncoordinated sometimes owing to heightened bureaucratic turf. Robust safety and security protocols are pertinent to the safety of the airport community; nevertheless, operational efficiency and passenger experience also play a critical role in safeguarding airport reputation (Fodness and Murray 2007, p.492). Airport safety and security aids airports attain the balance by incorporating innovative video surveillance product, comprehensive safety management system, and airport surveillance. Balancing of the varying concerns can be a significant challenge (Gkritza, Niemeier and Mannering 2006, p.213). Conclusion Tourism has several factors, which determine how well a region regarded as a tourist destiny will perform. The main drivers of change are demographic, social, political, environmental, globalization, and technological factors. These factors produce varying impacts that are either positive or negative on the tourism sector. It is essential to look into the security of travel terminals such as airports once a region has gained a competitive advantage; making it the most preferred tourist destination. This achievement comes with increased security challenges that need urgent consideration before disaster strikes. One of the prominent threats to tourism development centres on the threat of terrorism. Terrorism and internal conflicts bear the potential of interrupting the process of globalization by considerably enhancing security costs linked to international commerce, stimulating restrictive border control policies, and unfavourably impacting on trade patterns and financial markets. The key factors of political trends will be the impacts, issues, and fallout from enhanced security deterioration. The realities of terrorism have cast a shadow over the global travel, especially to the tourism sector, industry, and opportunity; nevertheless, countries should not accept fear as an element of the visitor’s experience to a destination. As such, the tourism sector ought to face, rather than dismiss the threat of terrorism. References List Altinay, L. & Paraskevas, A. (2008). Planning Research in Hospitality and Tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. pp. 33-50. Bloom, R. W. (2010). Fear of Flying: Globalization, Security, and Terrorism. TR News 2 (4). pp. 21–27. Cooper, C. & Hall, C.M. (2008). Contemporary Tourism: An International Approach, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. pp. 60-80. Dwyer, L., Edwards, D., Mistilis, N., Roman, C., Scott, N. & Cooper, C. (2008). Megatrends Underpinning Tourism to 2020: Analysis of key drivers for change CRC for Sustainable Tourism, New York, Taylor & Francis. pp. 5-36. Fodness, D., & Murray, B. (2007). 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