Tourism plummeted in Egypt in 2011 following the Arab Spring, with visitation dropping more than 33 percent. Tourism has rebounded over the past few years, though, with several river cruise companies putting Nile River itineraries back on their schedules. - Independent Traveler
Tourists are starting to worry about Greece's economic crisis—a sign that the country's tourism industry, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of GDP, could experience a slowdown if the financial situation worsens. - CNBC.com
With an expected 25 million visitors this year set to contribute up to a quarter of Greece's income in 2015, the country wants to reassure them that their vacations are safe. - CNN
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, last year tourism contributed 11 percent to Kenya’s GDP and over 9 percent to South Africa’s. Because the slipping oil and mineral prices have pulled down prospects for Africa’s major export revenue earners, the slackening in tourism numbers could unleash a deadly blow to economic growth in these countries. - Diaspora Community
ome 56 million tourists visited Africa in 2014, a 2% rise from the previous year, according to UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) figures, but growth in Africa lagged behind that in Europe, Asia or the Americas. - BizNews
Almost 24,000 people have been infected with the Ebola virus since December 2013, almost all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and 9,807 of them have died, according to the WHO. The countries at the centre of the Ebola epidemic are forecast to lose 12 percent of their combined gross domestic product this year, according to World Bank estimates. - BizNews
From 2008 to 2014, North America showed a stunning 600-percent increase in cases of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, whooping cough and mumps, while the rest of the world saw a 57-percent decrease. - Forbes
In an annual annual survey that asks respondents to identify the region posing the greatest risk to travelers and expatriates, found that the Middle East/North Africa is the most troubling region, with 46 percent of respondents listing it as their top concern. It was followed closely by Latin America at 25 percent and Sub-Saharan Africa at 15 percent. Rounding out the concern was Asia at 10 percent and Europe at 4 percent. - Forbes
In a survey that asked respondents to identify security issues that would impact their travel, 19 percent cited civil unrest, and 20 percent cited terrorism as the top security concern for travellers. In order, the remaining risks included opportunistic crime (15 percent), kidnap and ransom (12 percent), petty theft (11 percent), natural disasters (10 percent) and road accidents (11 percent). - Forbes
