Answer

EMERGING ISSUES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY

Overview of the Recent Event/Incident

Terror attack has been one of the great challenges that both developing and developed nations have to come face to face with.   Countries which are known for tourism   are some of the renowned hot spots for the terrorists. This is due to the fact that, these countries attract a greater number of people during a certain season of the year (Bhattacharya & Basu, 2010:p.112).  Terrorism is considered since 20^th century, and more precisely 21^st century, the main problem the today’s world is facing. Several times terrorists have been able to promote their ideas, mainly religious ones, to the world through dissemination of fear, terror and causing many deaths and losses.

 Australia, just like any other nation has not been spared from this an unfortunate challenge.  On 21^st December 2017, more than ten people were critically injured when an SUV went straight through pedestrians in Melbourne, Australia, walking along a busy intersection.  The extremist Muslim group planned this terror, as vengeance for bombings and military interventions in Syria and Iraq, as well as the political support for the United States and cartoons, denigrating the image of Prophet Mohammed, made by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo  (Times December 21^st 2017). The attack was well coordinated, with people who paused as civilians. Before carrying the attack, the attackers paused as a normal vehicle, hence eliminating the possibility of any suspicion. This was followed by throwing bombs into the targeted areas, causing injuries to many people.  Due to high level of coordination, it could not be confirmed immediately whether or not it was a terror attack.

Recommendation Policy Draft

Overview of Tourism and Hospitality Industry

Bhattacharya and Basu (2010), defines hospitality as the gesture that is showered on those that visit a new place. Tourism on the other hand, refers to travelling from one place to another, in order to enjoy the natural scenes. The importance of Tourism and hospitality industry cannot be ignored, due to its great contribution to the global economy, as the well as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the various nations. This sector has create millions  of employment opportunities, both in developed and developing nations, which is a confirmation that has been given by the World Travel and Tourisms Council (WTTC). Statistically, tour tourism has employed approximately 230 million globally, hence accounting for 8.7% of the total employment opportunities, (WTTC, 2006:p.101). Australia is known for hospitality and Tourism, owing to their act of finding engaging activities to tourists.

According to survey which was done in the year 2005 in Australia, a total of 61,000 new jobs were created in hotel industry within a period of five years. The survey also made a focus that the rate at which the new jobs would be created in the subsequent years would grow by 2.2% in the subsequent five years (WTTC, 2006).   This is a clear indication that hospitality and tourism industry, is a major contributor of the country’s GDP. At the global scale however, this sector has experienced a decline in this sector, with the prime decline being witnessed in the year 2009 (Das and Sandee, 2011). This was however, attributed to the global recession. In Australia however, the number of tourists remained constant.

Despite the above, this sector is ailing, due to external factors, which have hit it, one of them being continuous terror attack. Another challenge which is facing this sector is excess outbound tourists, as compared to the Australians. The ration of outbound and Australians in this sector is 30: 4, which is very low. The total economic value of this sector is however, expected to hit $ 71.7 million by the end of 2019, hence making it a very promising sector, despite the glaring challenges (Korstanje & Skoll, 2013: P.119).

Critical Analysis of Identified legal and regulatory concerns

In order to analyze the legal and regulatory concerns, it is prudent that for one to understand the adverse effects, which terror attacks has caused to tourism and hospitality sector first.

Effects of Terrors Attacks on Hospitality and Tourism Sector

Despite tourism being an economic strength, terrorism presents a major challenge to this industry.  Terror activities have a major negative impact in the international and a country’s tourism sector. The terror attack adversely affect the flow of foreigners into a particular country, hence reducing drastically the outbound visitors (Korstanje, 2013:p.221). A number of publications which have been done on terror attacks, have not addressed its root cause. Recent radicalization has led to an increase in the rate of terror attacks. The attackers seems to be aware of the immense contribution of this sector. This therefore, makes it an area of target, by these attackers. With terror attacks, the number of visitors reduce, the GDP reduces, as well as the rate at which job opportunities are created.

Legal and regulatory Concerns

            According to Korstanje (2013:p.227), the legal concerns which have been identified in the analysis of tourism and terror attacks relates to immigration, as well as citizens operations. Currently, the government of Australia receives visitors into its borders, upon verification of a stamped passport.  It is assumed that the various offices of the ambassadors, from the countries of origin, must have interrogated the intention of visitors before they are granted the visas.  Once in the country, the government has not set legal set-ups of ensuring that people do neither change their documents to change their time of stay, or communicate with other people whose intentions might be terror related. Though there is CCTV surveillance in most public places, as well as major offices, the movements of the people who are within the borders are not properly surveyed.  Some terrorist pause as visitor in Australia, or even students into the country only for them to turn terrorists.  

Australia has been in the forefront in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by providing scholarships. Most potential students apply online, and this makes them to have a higher chance of being granted visas into the country (Kalesar, 2010:p.117). Some of these students are terrorist’s sympathizers.  The country has put in place very limited surveillance for monitoring communication between the people within the country’s borders and those from other countries. This make the terror to sneak the legal ammunition into the country. Finally, the country has not been able to monitor its citizens to eradicate the possibility of them being radicalized.   A perfect evidence of this, is what took place in the New Zealand, where the perpetrator of the terror attack, was established to be a citizen of Australia.  This is an indication that the legal and regulations framework which governs immigration and hospitality in Australia, have gaps, which makes the country to fall a victim of terror attacks.

Policy Objectives

            In order to ensure that the policy which will be designed helps I solving the current terror attack challenge, it is prudent that clear objectives be set. The overall objective of this policy is to eradicate terror attack in Australia, in order to boost tourism and hospitality industry income and job creations. This will be achieved by addressing the following specific objectives;

1. Reviewing the immigration policies, to establish intentions of the immigrants, both at the time of applications, as well as at the time of entry into the country’s borders.
2. Making the guidelines for extension of stay of an immigrant stringent.

• Implement a surveillance system for all the people within the borders of the nation.

1. Intensify the surveillance for movements for immigrants within the country’s borders.
2. Come up to with bomb neutralization devices, and installing them in all public offices, places and major roads.

Stakeholders Involved

The following stakeholders will be involved;

1. The government
2. The security managers within Australia

• The citizens

1. The players in the hospitality and tourism industry
2. Immigration officers
3. The United nations

Validation Statement

From the analysis above, it suffices to conclude that terrorism has undeniably far-reaching effects on tourism, both locally and globally, thus destabilizing countries’ economies. This therefore calls for an immediate implementation of measures which will ensure that this challenge is mitigated, so as to salvage this noble industry. However, despite the widespread terrorism, Australian tourism figures have been soaring positively, proving its hidden potential of contributing greatly to the country’s economy. It is believed that if the industry were to be flexible and spread its peak times across the year, it could foster economic prosperity and defeat the primary objective of terror attacks. For this to be achieved, then all the various areas which have been identified to be porous, must be sealed, so as to reduce the possibility of occurrence of terror attacks.

The core objective of implementation of the policies, will be propelled towards ensuring that this general crisis is mitigated. In order to achieve this, the people who are directly involved in managing the security system of Australia, as well as the major players in the sector must be involved. Besides, citizens must also be involved, as they are bound to suffer the impacts of terror attacks. It is general belief that, if implemented, these policies will reduce the porosity in tourism and hospitality industry, hence increasing its ability to create jobs and contribution to GDP.