The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in partnership with Global Rescue, a membership organization providing medical, security, evacuation, travel risk and crisis management services, released a new body of research today that analyzed the impact of 90 crises between 2001 and 2018, at a national and city level; examining the time to recovery as well lost arrivals and lost visitor spending.
Key findings included:
- The Travel & Tourism sector is more resilient than ever – average recovery times have decreased from 26 months in 2001 to 10 months in 2018.
- Of the four crisis categories analyzed, political instability proved the most challenging, with average recovery times of 22.2 months, minimum 10 months, while terrorist or security-related incidents have the shortest average recovery time of 11.5 months, with a minimum two months.
- Additionally, the average recovery times for natural disasters and disease outbreaks were 16.2 months and 19.4 months, respectively, with a minimum one and 10 months, respectively.
- Public-private partnerships and effective, transparent communications are critical for preparedness and prevention.
In the report, WTTC and Global Rescue offer recommendations on how destinations can mitigate the impact of a crisis, showcasing successful examples from the likes of Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Hawaii and Japan. The report also highlights the importance of being prepared and the need for coordinated management to ensure a successful recovery.
To view the report, visit www.wttc.org/crisisreadiness
Related Stories
SAP Research: Employees Prefer Dentist to Business Travel
Why Sustainability Will Be More Important to Events Than Ever in 2020
Domestic U.S. Airfares Fell to Record Low in 2018
U.S. Travel Association: Domestic Travel Remains a Bright Spot