Abstract

Globalization has overall positive trend contributing to economic development, social and cultural exchange, and technological improvements; however it can be a double-edged sword for tourism disaster management by facilitating global assistance or exacerbating negative impacts of disasters in tourism destinations. The impact of globalization on tourism disaster management has not been fully discussed in tourism literature because past research focusing on the actual management of the destination or business at the response or recovery phrase. This chapter examines the inter-relationship between tourism, natural disasters and globalization and this apparent paradox, focuses on developing countries or regions that are often heavily reliant on tourism and are under-represented in tourism disaster management research. The vulnerable nature of tourism destinations and its global networks are critical factors in understanding globalization’s beneficial or negative force in tourism disaster management. The chapter concludes that tourism industries need to reduce their vulnerability to disasters by diversifying products and markets, learning from past disasters to improve future planning, and utilizing global resources to better prepare and respond to disasters. Several future research agendas are provided in this chapter.