The present thesis uses secondary data and quantitative research to discuss political instability and its effects on the Greek tourism industry and Greek economy.
The thesis presents a number of proposals on how Greece can protect its tourism industry from political instability. The emphasis is given to crisis management and disaster management planning to alleviate the negative economic effects of political instability. In addition, all theories associated to tourism motivation and decision making are studied.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Literature Review
1.1 Introduction
Definitions
1.2 Factors that influence Tourism Development
1.3 Theories of tourist motives
1.4 The comprehensive theories of motivation
The needs and aspirations
1.5 Theories of tourist motivation
1.6 Limitations of the comprehensive theories
1.7 The expectation theories of motivation
1.8 Valuation of the approach for the analysis of tourist motives
1.9 Holidays decision making
The stage preceding the purchase decision
The purchase decision
1.10 A simple model of tourist decision making
1.11 Moutinho’s model of tourist behaviour
1.12 Evaluation of decision making models
1.13 Segmentation approaches
“Institutional” segmentation
Demographic and geo-demographic segmentation
A priori and a posteriori approaches
Other segmentations
Styles of travel segmentation
Segmentation according to recreation activities
1.14 Typologies of tourists (or psychographic segmentation)
The concept of way of living and psychographic methodology
Lifestyle typologies in tourism
New European Life Style – Eurostyles
Evaluation of typologies and final results
1.15 Political instability and recent global incidents
Assessment of Political Instability and Risk
1.16 Terrorism and Tourism
1.17 Media – Crisis Management and Destination Image
1.19 Safety and Security at a National Level
2 Tourism in Greece
2.1 Tourism and Greek economy
2.2 Advantages of Greek tourism
2.3 Disadvantages of Greek tourism
2.4 Greek Economic Crisis
2.5 Greek tourism and International Economic Crisis
2.6 Tourist arrivals in Greece – 2011 & 2012
2.7 Travel balance
2.8 Greece – Political Instability 2012
3 Research Methodology
3.1 Research Philosophy (Positivism vs. Phenomenology)
3.2 Research Approach (Inductive vs. Deductive)
3.3 Research Types
3.4 Research Methods
3.5 Sampling methods
3.6 Data Collection Methods
Questionnaire
Preparing the questionnaire
Questionnaire Creation
4 Research Findings
5 Proposals
Conclusion
Objectives & Research Topics
This thesis examines the direct and indirect impacts of political instability on the tourism industry, using Greece as a case study. The primary objective is to identify safety and security factors that influence tourists' decisions to visit a country facing economic crisis and political instability, while providing strategic recommendations for authorities to mitigate these negative effects.
- The influence of political instability on tourist decision-making processes.
- Evaluation of tourism motivation theories and segmentation models.
- Assessment of the Greek tourism industry's vulnerability during the economic crisis.
- Development of crisis management and disaster planning strategies for destinations.
- Analysis of the relationship between media, destination image, and tourist safety perceptions.
Excerpt from the Book
1.15 Political instability and recent global incidents
The world is still an unsafe place and tourism is very susceptible to instability and crisis. Political instability is one of the reasons that affect tourism levels.
The September 11th 2001 event in USA had a very negative effect on global tourism; in Egypt in 2005 the terrorist attacks in Sham Al- Sheikh reduced the number of tourists by 15% whereas the number of tourists in 2006 was decreased by 25% in Lebanon and Israel due to the war between Israel and Hezbollah (Cavlek, 2002).
Political instability or terrorism are extreme events that affect negatively tourism. The absence of these events is necessary since tourists want peaceful holidays and tranquile environments. According to Cavlek (2002) the intention to visit a tourist destination is affected by events such as terrorism, political instability, crime and violence since tourists value safety whereas they give it the outmost importance. Many researchers (Aktas & Gunlu, 2005) have found that tourists avoid places they consider as unsafe.
Chapter Summary
1 Literature Review: Provides a theoretical foundation by exploring motivation theories, tourist decision-making models, and the impacts of political instability and crisis on tourism.
2 Tourism in Greece: Analyzes the economic significance of tourism in Greece, its advantages and disadvantages, and the specific impact of the 2012 economic and political crisis.
3 Research Methodology: Details the quantitative research approach, sampling methods, and questionnaire design used to gather data from tourists at major airports.
4 Research Findings: Presents the analysis of collected survey data regarding the image of Greece and the intentions of tourists to visit during times of instability.
5 Proposals: Offers strategic recommendations for government and business leaders to manage crises, improve destination image, and protect the tourism sector.
Keywords
tourism, Greece, political instability, revolution, quantitative research, crisis management, destination image, terrorism, tourist behavior, consumer motivation, safety and security, economic crisis, market segmentation, travel decision-making, tourism policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on how political instability and security concerns influence the decisions of tourists when choosing a holiday destination, specifically using Greece as a case study.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work covers tourism motivation theories, decision-making models, the impact of political and economic crises on destination image, and the role of crisis management in the tourism sector.
What is the main objective of this research?
The main objective is to detect which specific safety and security factors influence a tourist's decision to visit a country, with a focus on Greece during its recent economic and political difficulties.
Which research methodology does the author employ?
The author utilizes a quantitative research methodology, employing standardized questionnaires to collect data from 200 tourists at major airports in the UK and Greece.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines tourism development factors, motivational theories (such as Maslow’s and Murray’s), tourist behavior models (including Moutinho’s), the impact of terrorism, and strategies for national safety and security planning.
How would you characterize this work based on its keywords?
The work is characterized by its focus on tourism management, risk and crisis mitigation in destinations, consumer psychology, and the socio-economic context of the Greek tourism industry.
How does political instability in Greece affect tourist intentions?
The findings indicate that negative perceptions—influenced by news of strikes and debt—lead a significant majority (77%) of respondents to show no intention of visiting Greece in the near future.
What proposals does the author suggest for Greek tourism recovery?
The author proposes that the government should adopt strategic crisis management, improve public relations and media communication, diversify tourism offerings, and implement a destination management system to rebuild confidence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Fotini Mastroianni (Autor:in), 2013, How Safety and Security influence the decision of tourists to visit another destination, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/365399
