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The clincher in the title is "irrevocably". The meaning of the word is given by Merriam-Webster as "unalterably". So the question is, I think, whether Muslim extremism has brought about a detrimental change in world tourism that can not be undone, ever.

Another consideration is, how do we decide what is detrimental? With the current global concern about carbon emissions that contribute to the phenomenon of "global warming" with all its attendant catastrophes - not my opinion, Al Gore just won the Nobel Peace prize for it - we are all urged to eschew air travel, especially the long haul flights on which world tourism depends. (I wonder whether Al Gore is going to fly to the Nobel Award ceremony or whether he will take a boat.). With this in mind, a decline in world tourism is probably a good thing and something we should all aspire to.

A problem arises when you consider how many jobs depend on tourism - especially jobs in "emergent" economies - i.e. the poor countries. What do we value most - less carbon emissions from jet travel or jobs for the families who depend on foreign tourists to make a living? What is the Greater Good and who is going to enforce it?

So what is the effect that "Muslim extremism" has had on world tourism? Is it any different from the effect of bird flu? Or the war in Darfur? Or the mess in Myanmar? What prevents tourists from venturing outside their own country (besides the schlep of trying to get past surly border officials)? Is "Muslim extremism" a new issue that has suddenly become a consideration for would-be world tourists? What about other extremisms like McCarthyism? What effect did that have on tourism to the USA?

For myself, I would not visit certain countries because I know from other people (who have worked there) that Westerners are treated with particular contempt by Muslims. But there are about 196 countries in the world - I'm sure I will be able to find a few that I can visit as a tourist without being harassed by Muslim extremists. And when I read all the articles about airports being congested beyond capacity and intercontinental flights being insufficient for the demand, I do not see any empirical evidence that world tourism has suffered a decline (due to any reason, including Muslim extremism).

No, any effect that Muslim extremism has had on world tourism is hardly noticeable and certainly not irrevocable (e.g. most of the faces on the Emirates flights to Dubai are Western..).

Learn more about this author, Santi Meintjes.
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