Linking tourism security to national security : A brief comment on the implications of the Christopher Coke Saga

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain why national security should not be segregated from tourism security, especially in small island states. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the Christopher “Dudus” Coke saga of 2010 in Jamaica to show how urban security issues can impact on security in tourism areas. It also draws on critical pieces of the literature to make the case. Findings – The social upheaval created by the Christopher Coke saga led to a reduction in visitor arrivals in the capital city of Kingston and in corporate hotels close to where the security operations took place. Estimates indicate that in some cases revenue from tourism was down by 11 percent. This impact was not as significant for areas outside of Kingston, although some flights were initially cancelled. Originality/value – This paper draws on the Christopher Coke case in support of the argument that in small states all aspects of national security should be seen as being intimately linked to tourism security.