War in Gaza Security perception affects bookings in countries in the region – Greece’s position
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has had a ripple effect on countries in the surrounding region, particularly when it comes to tourism. In Greece, the security perception caused by the war has caused a significant impact on bookings and travel plans. Let’s take a closer look at Greece’s position in this tense situation.
Egypt and Jordan have suffered the greatest decline in perceived safety among all countries within 2,000 kilometers of the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip. Another country at this distance, Greece, has not experienced a significant change in its perception of security.
The results of the Safety Perception Index, put together by Mabrian, a Spanish company known for its research and analysis in the tourism industry, have been revealed. It’s no secret that the level of safety is a crucial factor in travel decision-making, leading to trip cancellations and holds.
As a result, there has been a significant decline in tourism during the four-week period starting from October 7, 2023 when the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted, up until the second week of November, in comparison to the week prior to the outbreak of the war. The extent of these losses can be seen below:
- 28% for Egypt
- 20% for Jordan
- 18% for Qatar
- 9% for Tunisia
- From 6% for Saudi Arabia and Turkey
- 3% for Oman, and
- 1% for the United Arab Emirates
According to Carlos Cendra, Chief Marketing Officer at Mabrian, the recent findings have brought attention to the severe impact of armed conflict on the travel industry. Cendra emphasized the swift repercussions of conflict on the sector, particularly at a country-wide level. Undoubtedly, the Mabrian Safety Perception Index holds significant value in our calculation for clients, as it plays a crucial role in attracting tourists to a country. As Mr Cendra posed the question, “What is the use of favorable weather or affordable prices if a destination is perceived, whether accurately or not, as unsafe?”
According to him, it is crucial to recognize the varying responses of markets to the current circumstances. Our evaluations are a compilation of insights from major global markets. Therefore, Destination Management Organizations must tailor their approaches for each market, with the priority of rebuilding trust quickly. For instance, Tunisia is not at risk in this issue and this message must be effectively communicated to restore a sense of security in the tourism markets.
For almost a decade, the Mabrian Security Perception Index has been meticulously crafted. According to the company, it serves as a metric for gauging the trust shown by tourists and prospective travelers towards a specific destination through the monitoring of social media. This innovative approach incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as Natural Language Processing, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning to analyze millions of candid interactions on Social Media in the blink of an eye.
Article on: 08.12.2023
