Abstract
Previous research showed that terrorism mostly influences tourism negatively. The influence, however, varies depending on many factors.
These include the intensity and communication range of terrorist incidents. Previous literature focused almost exclusively on destinations hit by high-scale terrorism.
As a result, the topic of the influence of low-scale terrorism on tourism remains understudied. Therefore, the article aims to reveal whether and in what ways the tourists' reactions change towards destinations hit by low-scale terrorism.
Both potential and actual tourists' reactions are addressed. For this purpose, the article employs secondary and primary data based on the case of Munich, Germany, hit by a terrorist incident in 2016.
The article discovered that low-scale terrorism changes (potential) tourists' reactions. The influence on tourism demand existed, was negative and not marginal.
In the case of tourists who arrived at the destination, no substantial changes in behaviour occurred. Nevertheless, even they perceived the threat of terrorism.
Domestic tourism demand was more resilient than the foreign one. Neither of the present studies proved that interregional tourists would react more sensitively than tourists from more distant source markets.
Visible security measures and organising various social events were identified as appropriate tools for improving tourists' reactions possibly influenced by terrorism.