Tourism is facing four challenges that are perhaps more threatening than at any time since September 11, 2001. What is interesting is that just as in the years prior to September 11, 2001 many tourism officials have simply chosen either to ignore threats or to dismiss them with a great deal of verbiage and little actions. Although Al Qaeda, as it was constituted some 14 years ago, is less of a threat, terrorism has evolved into new and perhaps more dangerous organizations. This month Tourism Tidbits presents some of the major threats facing the world of tourism and what the industry can do to protect itself.