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Who’s in charge of the story when disaster strikes?
Natural catastrophes do not always spell disaster for the tourist industry.
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Tranquil scene of Mawun Beach in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. (Shutterstock/File)
N
atural catastrophes do not always spell disaster for the tourist industry. Handled well, the temporary dip during a natural disaster could lead to a sustained period of growth.
Tourist operators in Bali share Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung’s recently voiced concern that natural disasters come at “a high price to tourism in the region” and agree there is no need to declare the Lombok earthquakes a national disaster.
Obviously, the response and recovery efforts are being well coordinated; however, there is a huge information gap to be filled between the efforts on the ground and potential visitors abroad.
Why can a disaster fuel growth? Because for a sustained period, the disaster is highlighted in the world’s media and people are talking about it around the globe. Bad news travels fast and catches attention that advertising cannot buy.
