THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON A FRAGILE TOURISM PRODUCT

The Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea are not the first areas to fi nd themselves engulfed in a political situation which threatens econom ies so reliant upon tourism and foreign currency receipts. Recent exam ples along the coast of North Africa and former Yugoslavia for instanc e show how foreign tourism can be all but obliterated by political ins tability and civil upheaval. The on-going dispute between the two part itioned communities on the island of Cyprus threatens not only a touri sm destination already suffering from increased competition and qualit y problems, but also the neighbouring countries Greece and Turkey who rely upon tourism to contribute to their economies. Downturns in these economies can only exacerbate the problems in a vicious circle. The r eader is introduced to the more recent causes and the threats occurrin g in the area. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.