Abstract

Tourism is a important economic sector in many countries of the world and a major source of employment, government revenue and foreign exchange earnings. It is also one of the sectors most vulnerable to and affected by the introduction of economic sanctions. Tourism is usually defined as a form of short-term voluntary mobility which means that it includes not just leisure/holiday travel, but also business travel, visiting friends and relations. Therefore, the reach of tourism includes the movement of a country’s diaspora as well as business connectivity. Sanctions can affect tourism directly, i.e. through the imposition of limitations on individual mobility as well as carriers, as well as substantially affecting investment in the sector. Indirectly, sanctions can affect industry access to equipment and technology, leading in the long-term to a run down in infrastructure and plant as well as a negative destination image. The chapter addresses these issues in relation to a number of cases including Cuba, Iran, Turkey and Russia and notes the way that while tourism flows are often severely affected by the imposition of sanctions, tourism is also sometimes seen as a response.