THE spectre of terrorism perpetuated by groups like ISIS is unlikely to impact on global travel as the number of travellers is forecast to rise from 1.1 billion last year to 1.8 billion by 2030.
Addressing reporters this week on the sidelines of UNWTO regional meeting at the Bandos Resort and Spa in the Maldives, UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai said: “We will continue to travel because this is the antithesis of terrorism and the forces of darkness.”
Travel is no longer a luxury or secondary activity in people’s lives, he explained, and the impression that there is more instability in the world than before comes from being better informed today.
The Maldives’ deputy tourism minister, Hussain Lirar, concurred, saying his country has had its share of political unrest but this has not adversely impacted tourism. “Tourism will grow despite all problems.”
Likewise, Hiran Cooray, chairman of Sri Lanka’s Jetwing Leisure Group and former PATA chairman, commented: “People have short memories, and within a month I’m sure visitors will go to Nepal, which suffered a devastating earthquake recently.”
But Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority’s managing director, Malraj Kiriella, warned: “Nobody wants to go to a place where there are life-threatening problems. My take is in case of a major crisis, they will go elsewhere.”
His comments reflect how Sri Lanka’s 30 years of civil conflict kept tourists away until its resolution in 2009.
According to UNWTO, the number of inbound travellers to Asia could hit as high as 560 million by 2030. The world’s main source markets are also shifting to Asia, especially China, from Europe and North America, commented Rifai.
