ABSTRACT

Natural disasters become a catalyst for much larger social disasters when they separate and displace communities, evidenced by the situation in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The concept of vulnerability to natural disasters relates to the ability of an area to deal with the impact of natural hazards, to withstand the potential negative consequences, and to cope with the resulting damage in a timely manner. The context of social frameworks with respect to the relationship between natural disasters and tourism is a growing focus within research on travel behavior. Integrative tourism planning that accounts for regional disaster vulnerability can influence the ability of short-term travel to rebound following an incident. Conceptual models of disaster vulnerability and resiliency are important frameworks upon which we can organize and discuss theoretical relationships. Tourism crisis and disaster literature appears to be dominated by response and recovery at the expense of planning and prevention.