Brussels is famous for its chocolate, beer and medieval architecture, but after a series of bombings that killed 32 people in March, Brussels has become associated with terrorism, and this reputation is likely to hurt the city’s tourism industry, according to the International Business Times.

Shortly after the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, concerts were cancelled, sporting events were postponed and hotel bookings dropped 30 percent, according to Time Magazine. Overall, tourism in Paris dropped for a three- to six-month period before it returned close to normal.

Other countries like Germany and Italy also saw a decrease in tourism following the Paris attacks, which means that there is a spillover effect. A travel-data firm reported to USA Today that “repeated terror attacks could have a cumulative effect that hasn’t fully been felt, coming atop the ongoing refugee crisis and news of several countries’ financial struggles … there’s nothing good on the news about Europe right now.”

It is unclear whether the same phenomenon will take effect in Brussels after the March 22 bombings, but the “Visit Brussels” agency, which aims to promote tourism for the city, has started a public relations campaign to let visitors know Brussels is safe to visit. The campaign, “CallBrussels,” began in January. The campaign provides specialized phones in the busiest areas of the city so tourists can report anything suspicious or get information on the security of their current location.

As the peak of travel season for Europe — spring and summer — approaches, some officials are worried tourists will be affected more because of the timing of the bombings. European travel is down 13 percent from what it was at this time last year, while tourism in Asia and South America has increased, according to USA Today.

To get an expert’s perspective on the situation, The Daily Orange interviewed via email Tod Rutherford, a professor of geography who studies economic geography in North America and Europe. Rutherford’s answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

The Daily Orange: What kind of impact have the attacks had concerning travel throughout Europe?

Tod Rutherford: The most significant is the re-institution of border checks between many nations in the so-called Schengen zone, which comprises 26 countries in the European Union (EU) that over the last 30 years no longer require the showing of any passport or visa when you cross the border. This includes nations such as Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, etc. (The UK and Ireland never joined Schengen.) Thus border controls have been reintroduced between France and Germany, Sweden and Denmark, etc. However, this is as much due to the migrant crisis as terrorism.

The D.O.: How are the attacks affecting security in European countries?

T.R.: More specific measures over terrorism are increasing cooperation between EU nations and information sharing around security. At the moment this doesn’t happen enough between some EU nations, like France and Belgium, and within some EU nations. For example, Belgium is very divided along ethnic lines, and this also impacts security effectiveness.

It is pretty evident that this was a major problem in both the Paris and Brussels attacks. There are also divisions between eastern and western EU nations — the former don’t see a significant terrorism threat at present, while the western nations such as France and the UK do.

The D.O.: What effect do these terrorist attacks have on everyday life?

T.R.: At the day to day level, what this means for the average person is the heightened presence of security and checks in public transportation hubs such as airports, train stations, etc.

Published on April 4, 2016 at 10:51 pm

Contact Caroline: cbarthol@syr.edu