Watch: Eight tourist destinations so much in decline that you may only have to see them on video
Wars destroy much more than people, cities and culture; they cripple the tourism culture.
What do Atlantic City in United States the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, the seaport of Acapulco in Mexico, Lourdes in France, the pyramids of Egypt, and the seaside town of Blackpool in the UK all have in common? For one reason or another, they are all tourist destinations in decline.
The Boardwalk empire of Atlantic City, once known as "the world's playground" was hit by WW2 and despite the residents voting to legalise gambling, the visitors have steadily declined over the years. In Syria, where, $ 8.4 billion, or 14 per cent of the country's revenue, came from tourism, none of the gorgeous ruins of the ancient world is safe to visit, or even accessible, anymore thanks to the Islamic State.
Flooding came to Lourdes in 2012-13 and the renovation has been very expensive, while visits have declined by half. Acapulco, the vacation destination for classic Hollywood stars, has become a "flashpoint for Mexican drug wars". There's civil war and political unrest in Egypt. Blackpool is another example of the decline of UK's domestic seaside tourism because of cheap flights abroad.
Here’s the playlist of videos, this footage has been culled from.
A drop in tourism can hurt in many ways. Here's Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian activist, who, citing the example of Palestinians visiting Israel, says that tourism might be a way to erode decades of hate.
Here's a way to create 3D archives of ancient monuments to preserve them for future generations. It was created in light of the Taliban destruction of ancient Buddhas in Afghanistan.