The European Travel Commission (ETC) recently released a major study analyzing the impacts of and lessons learned from crises on tourism in Europe, along with effective crisis management strategies.

According to the report conducted by Toposophy, the tourism sector is highly susceptible to the ripple effects of global crises in today’s interconnected world. “From terrorism and political instability to the unpredictable nature of pandemics and natural disasters, destinations face varied and profound challenges.”

Commenting on the study’s findings, ETC President Miguel Sanz said “resilience is no longer a luxury but a necessity” — a foundation upon which the future of tourism must be built.

“By fostering resilience and enhancing crisis management capabilities, we can ensure that European tourism not only survives but thrives in the face of future challenges,” he added.

WHO: European region in ‘Permacrisis’

As highlighted in the report, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 2022 that the European region is in a state of “permacrisis”. The frequency of crisis situations in Europe has been rising, encompassing issues linked to climate change, emerging infectious diseases, and conflicts. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, severely impacted the EU tourism sector, placing unprecedented pressure on businesses and communities reliant on tourism and exposing the sector’s structural weaknesses.

The report notes that crises are occurring on an unprecedented scale, with Europe experiencing in 2023 the largest wildfire ever recorded, one of the wettest years, severe heatwaves, and widespread devastating flooding. It also raises concerns about social media, pointing out that “the destabilizing impact of ‘fake news’ and mistrust of official sources creates new challenges in maintaining order and ensuring public safety during crises.”

Defining a ‘crisis’ and the role of NTOs

According to the report, a crisis is defined as a situation that significantly impacts tourism and necessitates intervention by National Tourism Organizations (NTOs), which must implement strategies to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.

The report underscores that NTOs now bear a larger responsibility than ever before, needing to manage crises in a way that minimizes both short- and long-term negative impacts on visitors, local communities, the natural environment, and businesses.

The study is accompanied by a detailed Crisis Management Checklist designed to help NTOs plan their response at every stage of a major crisis – preparedness, response, recovery, and resilience.

Europe’s crisis landscape

Moreover, the report notes that Europe is a diverse continent with a relatively temperate climate, sophisticated infrastructure, and well-established crisis response mechanisms. However, it still faces risks from heatwaves, wildfires, flooding, volcanic activity, earthquakes, geopolitical events such as the war in Ukraine, terrorist attacks, civil unrest including strikes and protests, cybercrime, IT system failures, and medical emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Europe crisis response preparedness

Despite these challenges, according to the report, Europe is relatively well-prepared to handle various crises compared to developing countries, thanks to robust government institutions, strong welfare systems, and affordable healthcare.

The EU and its member states have established several civil protection and crisis response mechanisms, such as the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), the European Civil Protection Pool of assets, and the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF), all aimed at effectively managing crises and protecting people.

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