Natural disasters, terrorism, and civil unrest: crises that disrupt the tourism and travel industry-a brief overview

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of how disasters, natural and human induced disasters, terrorist attacks, civil and political unrest and other crises affect tourism positively and negatively. Design/methodology/approach This paper briefly analyzes case studies to establish the underpinnings of tourism disruption in the midst of disasters and crises. Findings This paper outlines how various crises and disasters affect the tourism industry and what processes can be used to enhance or restructure the industry through communication plans, the media and stakeholder collaborative efforts. Originality/value While disasters and crises are not new, this paper offers a series of recommendations and insights to help quickly restore a normal state of tourism and hospitality functioning and build a more resilient path for tourism for generations to come.