Sars in China: Tourism Impacts and Market Rejuvenation

Abstract

In an increasingly turbulent world, the tourism industry is forced to respond to external factors that are beyond its control. This article examines the consequences of SARS for tourism in Beijing and elsewhere in China and the initiatives that were taken to revive the tourism economy. The SARS episode is divided into four stages: preliminary, crisis, recovery, and normalization. Although severe, the impact of SARS was short-lived, partly because the Chinese authorities took prompt actions to address the crisis, particularly through product repackaging and new marketing initiatives.