Natural disasters, tourism destinations and recovery strategies: the case of February 20, 2010 in Madeira Island

Abstract

This work addresses the natural disaster that occurred in Madeira Island, Portugal, on February 20, 2010 and the consequent challenges produced for the tourism industry aiming at the implementation of appropriate strategies to restore the image of this insular destination. The goals of this work are to analyze the strategies adopted within the regional tourism system to minimize the consequences of these events and also to investigate the role of the Regional Directorate of Tourism in the effective management of these disasters. The research was centered on the recovery strategy, namely the creation of a promotional campaign promoted by the Regional Directorate of Tourism.