Travel Bans & Boycotts

Travel boycotts in the United States have risen in popularity in recent years and are regularly making headlines today. The impact of travel boycotts on changing policy has been mixed and the details of what makes for a successful or failed boycott tend to be hazy. Even less understood is how boycotts are impacting destination brand equity.

The research studies conducted by APCO is a joint effort by the Destinations International Foundation and the PCMA Education Foundation to explore whether travel boycotts and bans work to effect political change, the long-term damage to a destination's brand, and the life cycle of a boycott.

Toolkits

In today’s political climate, travel bans and boycotts are increasingly popular tools for public officials, corporate leaders and grassroots activists to undermine the passage of controversial legislation. Whether for business or leisure, travel was once a question of where to go, when to go and how much to spend. Now, disputes over social legislation have given fuel to some positioning travel as a political act. Where an individual or organization decides to travel or host a future meeting can be a sign of direct support (or critique) of state-based policies. 

Research Studies

These research reports addresses the gap in understanding how boycotts are impacting perceptions and measured effectiveness, both in the short and long term, among outside residents, visitors, and meeting & event planners.