Tourist victimisation and the fear of crime on holiday

Abstract

This paper reviews research undertaken in the field of tourism and crime which suggests that there is empirical evidence that tourism does contribute to an increase in crime. The paper also focuses on research aimed at assessing the nature of tourist victimisation and the fear of crime exhibited by British holidaymakers. A postal survey of 514 readers of `Holiday Which’ finds that respondents generally experience considerably higher rates of victimisation as tourists than they are likely to experience while at home (when compared to the results of the British Crime Survey). In terms of respondents’ fears of crime while on holiday it is found that neither crime nor incivilities are seen as a major issue. It is concluded that tourism crime rates that are far higher than crime rates within Britain have not, as yet, been translated into a tourism and crime problem.