Tourism, safety, and health information provided on European country websites: a content analysis

Abstract

This study assessed the content provided on national tourism websites of 28 European countries. Websites were evaluated for content presented based on 36 topics related to categories of destination/promotion (n = 14 topics), safety/security (n = 11 topics), local authority contacts (n = 3 topics), and health/healthcare (n = 8 topics). A content analysis was conducted for official tourism websites utilizing a content rubric containing 36 topics. The percent of topics represented on official websites ranged from 25.0% to 83.3%. Approximately 61% (n = 17) of countries reported information about 50% or more of the topics contained in the rubric. In terms of  destination/promotion, all 28 official websites contained information about characteristics of main cities (100%), and each website provided recommendations to tourists regarding destinations to visit (100%), cultural attractions (100%), and natural attractions (100%). However, only 35.7% of websites contained information about the security status of the country or in specific regions/cities, 25% reported information about dangerous locations as related to criminality or terrorism, and 39.3% of websites provided recommendations about ways in which to avoid criminality or terrorism. Findings reveal highlights opportunities for improved efforts to meet the specific needs and behaviors of tourists visiting Europe.