Abstract
The world tourism industry suffered some severe losses as a result of a series of major international events and the magnitude of disaster/catastrophic risks has become a major topic of discussion for a sustainable tourism especially in the insurance industry. Risk management in the tourism context refers to the planning and implementation of processes directed towards managing the adverse effects of crises and disasters/catastrophes on tourism. The sustainability of a tourism destination is significantly influenced by its ability to adapt to changing market conditions, use resources efficiently and deliver innovative planning and development strategies about risk management. The aim of this paper is to consider the key elements of crises and disasters and their effects upon tourism destinations, and to provide background on risk management processes for sustainable tourism.