Post-SARS tourist arrival recovery patterns: An analysis based on a catastrophe theory.

Area of Science:

• Tourism Management
• Epidemiology
• Crisis Management

Background:

• The 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak significantly impacted Asian tourism.
• Taiwan experienced a notable crisis in its tourism sector during the SARS epidemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and compare post-SARS recovery patterns of inbound tourist arrivals in Taiwan.
• To analyze differences in recovery trajectories among travelers from Japan, Hong Kong, and the USA.
• To apply the cusp catastrophe model to understand tourism recovery dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the cusp catastrophe model as a theoretical framework.
• Analyzing inbound arrival data from Japan, Hong Kong, and the USA.
• Comparing recovery patterns to identify distinct trends.

Main Results:

• Identified varying recovery patterns in Taiwan's tourism sector post-SARS.
• Highlighted differences in the recovery speeds and characteristics of inbound arrivals from Japan versus Hong Kong and the USA.
• The cusp catastrophe model provided a framework for understanding these divergent recovery processes.

Conclusions:

• The study elucidates distinct tourism recovery patterns following the SARS crisis in Taiwan.
• Findings offer insights into factors influencing traveler behavior and recovery dynamics.
• Results inform targeted tourism promotion policies for crisis recovery.