Peter E. Tarlow
Introduction
The British Journal, The Economist, in 1999 reported that Yassir Arafat stated: “I formally and absolutely renounce all forms of tourism” (sic). We may assume that Arafat meant
“terrorism” rather than “tourism” yet there may be more here than even he realized. Arafat, perhaps unintentionally, by his Freudian slip of the tongue connected what tourism schol- ars and practitioners have long known. Tourism and terrorism are linked in many more ways than about which anyone in the industry chooses to speak.
Arafat’s “career” serves tourism scholars as an academic entrance into a discussion con- cerning the impact of terrorism on tourism. The linkage between tourism and terrorism is not accidental. Indeed, a review of the multiple acts of terrorism against many of tourism component industries during the last decades challenges both tourism scholars and practi- tioners to take the time to try to understand the complicated “pas à morte” that has occurred during the last 4 decades.
Terrorism is such a broad subject that no one chapter can do it justice. In fact, there is no one general consensus as to who is a terrorist or what the definition of terrorism is. This chapter recognizes these difficulties and will define terrorism not by specific verbiage but rather operationally. The chapter then will look at several operational aspects of terrorism.
One way this operational definition will be developed is by distinguishing the differences between terrorism and crime. The chapter will then advance to specific parts of the tourism industry that have suffered from terrorism and finally present concepts concerning how the tourism industry can confront the terrorism risk.
Terrorism is often confused with criminal behavior. In the world of tourism, however, terrorism and crime are very different social ailments. Criminals, especially those who are businesses-people rather than criminals of passion, seek a parasitic relationship with tourism. Indeed, it may be stated that tourism criminals, be they freelancers or part of an organized group, need the tourism industry to succeed in order for them to be successful.
Terrorists, on the other hand, seek to destroy nations (or governments) often through ran- dom deaths that lead to an economic collapse. Terrorists’ goals are different in that they
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seek the destruction of a tourism industry rather than the personal/commercial benefits from a specific action. Tourism crime then is a business, while tourism terrorism is ideo- logically motivated. Former French President Charles De Gaul well understood “that ter- rorism was a religion of murderers plain and simple” (Loyola, 2004, p. 29). The goals of terrorism are destruction rather than construction. Terrorists do not seek peaceful ends to conflicts. Loyola (2004, p. 28) expresses this idea in his analysis of the Arafat era, noting that “violence was the only permissible strategy of liberation.” Table 6.1 summarizes the differences between these two tourism security issues.
One of the major mistakes that tourism officials make is the belief that terrorism against the tourism industry is a recent phenomenon. In reality, terrorism has a multi-millennia recorded history, especially in the Middle East. In this modern age of terrorism, however, there has been an intensification of the use of terrorism as a weapon against civilian cen- ters, with tourism being continually attacked. These attacks have been against all aspects of the industry: from cruise ships to hotels, from buses to airplanes. The Israeli scholar Rafael Raymond Bar-On has chronicled terrorism attacks against the tourism industry for over 30 years. His list shows that terrorism attacks against the tourism industry have taken place throughout the world (Bar-On, 2001). Among, but not including all, the nations that have suffered from terrorism attacks during the last 30 plus years are:
● Columbia
● Cuba
● Egypt
● France
● Germany
● India
● Indonesia
● Israel
● Italy
● Jordan
● Kenya
● Mexico
● Morocco
● Nepal
● Peru
● Russia
● Saudi Arabia
● Spain
● Sri Lanka
● Switzerland
● The Philippines
● The United Kingdom
● The United States
● Turkey
Table 6.1: Some terrorism basics for tourism professionals.
Crime Terrorism
Goal Usually economic or social To gain publicity and
gain sometimes sympathy for a
cause.
Usual type of victim Person may be known to the Killing is a random act and perpetrator or selected appears to be more in line with because he/she may yield a stochastic model. Numbers economic gain may or may not be important Defenses in use Often reactive, reports taken Some pro-active devices such
as radar detectors
Political ideology Usually none Robin Hood model
Publicity Usually local and rarely Almost always is broadcast makes the international news around the world
Most common forms in Crimes of distraction Domestic terrorism tourism industry are:
Robbery International terrorism
Sexual assault Bombings
Potential for bio-chemical warfare
Statistical accuracy Often very low, in many Almost impossible to hide.
cases the travel and tourism Numbers are reported with industry does everything great accuracy and repeated possible to hide the often
information
Length of negative In most cases, it is short term In most cases, it is long term
effects on the local unless replaced by new positive
tourism industry image
Recovery strategies New marketing plans, Showing compassion assumes short-term memory Need to admit the situation of traveling public. and demonstrate control Probability ideals: “Odds are Higher levels of observed it will not happen to you.” security
Hide information as best as Highly trained (in tourism,
one can terrorism, and customer
service) security personnel
Terrorism has not targeted one specific sector within the tourism industry, though attacks on airlines have gained the greatest amount of publicity. Terrorist attacks can occur in such diverse places/means of transportation as:
● Airlines
● Buses
● Casinos
● Cruise Ships
● Hotels and places of lodging
● Major events, sporting or recreation areas
● National parks
● Places where people congregate
● Restaurants and outdoor cafes
● Wherever people are carefree and happy.