Chapter 4: Microcase Studies on Managing Tourism Destinations in the Aftermath of Disasters

Tourism can be regarded as one of the largest industries in many countries as a source providing income and employment. According to the World Tourism Organizations (UNWTO), there were 1,461 million international tourist arrivals in 2019, a +4 percent (+54 million tourists) change over the previous year (UNWTO, 2020). In general, the average annual growth of international tourist arrivals within the past 10 years is up to +5.1 percent, signifying the steadily growing travel and tourism industry globally. Reasons for tourism growth can be attributed to many factors such as globalization, the increase of affluent travelers from “emerging” markets, more efficient and affordable air travel, the increase in disposable income in some countries, and better destination brand awareness due to technology and social media.