The consequences of natural disasters in touristic destinations: the case of Madeira island - Portugal

Today, destinations are evaluated by tourists according to safety and risk factors with regard to natural, terrorism and political problems. The portrayal of places in news reports can alter an area’s image dramatically, even in a short period of time. Often, natural disasters have impacts on the image of international destinations that endure for months if not years. Hence, media coverage of disasters or crises is of particular concern to destinations where such disasters occur. The Island of Madeira was not prepared for a catastrophe such as the one that occurred in February 2010, and its consequence has been a huge drop in the tourism industry. Driven by the generally accepted importance of destination image as a concept to destination marketers and academics, this article proposes that previous destination image research has tended to underestimate the importance of safety, security and risk. It also proposes a strategic approach to Destination management from proactive pre-crisis planning through to strategic implementation and finally evaluation and feedback.