Crisis Management
Tourism Training Program
Webster Crisis/Emergency Definitions
• Crisis – an unstable situation of extreme
danger or difficulty; an unstable or crucial
time or state of affairs in which a decisive
change is impending.
• Emergency – an unforeseen combination of
circumstances or the resulting state that
calls for immediate action; an urgent need
for assistance or relief.
For Destinations … a Wide
Variety of Potential Threats
Tourism Training Program
Hawai„i Crisis/Emergency Categories
Categories Examples
Weather/Natural Disasters
Tsunamis, hurricanes
Health-Related SARS, Avian flu, food poisoning
Business Airline strikes, aircraft groundings, bankruptcies
Disturbances Acts of terrorism, power outages
Accidents Toxic contamination, fires
Crisis Management Goal
• To preserve the integrity of the
tourism industry in the wake of a
crisis/emergency
• To take care of affected visitors and
visitor industry employees
• To plan for recovery
Employees Are Affected by
Crisis, Too
Tourism Training Program
HTA Crisis Management Objectives
• To serve as a liaison to provide visitor-
related information to its stakeholders
groups and facilitate communication and
interaction among interested parties;
• To coordinate and maintain a crisis
emergency communication system within
the visitor industry that will provide
tourism-related information in response to a
crisis;
HTA Crisis Management Objectives
• To monitor and assess the situation to
determine appropriate actions and
responses by the Authority; and
• To implement marketing plans to
promote Hawaii as a safe destination
during the recovery from a crisis.
Three stages of planning …
• Pre-planning/preparedness
• Emergency response
• Recovery
Crisis Plans
• General provisions … applicable to
all crises
• Crisis categories …
– Specific responses developed for
specific crisis categories
Resources
• UNWTO
– Crisis Guidelines for the Tourism Industry
• Pacific Asia Tourism Association
– Crisis recovery plans from SARS and
Tsunami
Tourism Training Program
Pre-planning …
• Know and understand “who does what”
• Survey plans from other organizations
… lessons learned … and share
different plans
• Build a database
• Have resources and plans in place (and
tested)
“Who Does What”Weather/Natural disaster: Hurricane,
Tsunami, flooding
Haw
ai‘i To
urism A
utho
rity
Hote
l & L
odging
Ass
n.
HVIS
A
Sta
te C
ivil Defens
e
Coun
ty C
ivil Defe
nse
Hote
l Sec
urity Ass
ociat
ion
HVCB
Island
Cha
pters
Building
Owner
s & M
grs.
Reta
il M
erch
ants
WBID
CATR
ALA
Airline
Com
mittee
Red
Cro
ss
Dept
. of T
rans
pora
tion
Dept
. of H
ealth
Coun
ty G
over
nment
FEMA
TSA
Coas
t Gua
rd
Natio
nal G
uard
Overall planning (destination)
Coordinate agency plans
Sector planning
Brief government leaders/key players
Training and exercises
Develop/maintain crisis centers
Coordinate county planning
Visitor education
Statewide emergency response
County emergency response
Deploy assets/emergency equip.
Communications with members/companies
Communications with visitors
Communications with media
Communications links/technology/systems
Redistribution of visitors/evacuation
Transportation coordination (rental cars)
Transportation coordination (air)
Coordinate emergency centers
Coordinate shelters
Creating security alerts
Distributing security alerts
Cleanup
Business recovery plans
Evacuation
Communications links/technology/systems
Regular Meetings (and Drills)
to Get to Know the Players
“A Crisis is Not a Time to
Exchange Business Cards”
Tourism Training Program
Training, training, training
… especially front line staff
Tourism Training Program
The Database …
• Must be kept up-to-date and checked
regularly
• Must be distributed widely … with
copies kept in the homes of key
players as well as offices
• All forms of communications should
be included
Tourism Training Program
The Database …
• Brainstorm who should be included on
the contact list …
– Beyond the obvious …
– Consular corps/Embassies
– Religious organizations/counselors
– Airlines (both local contacts and
headquarters)
– Shipping/cruise lines
– Ground transporation
– Etc., etc.
Tourism Training Program
Communications Exercises
• Conducted without notice
• At night or on holidays
• Post-exercise assessment … and
updates on the database
Tourism Training Program
Physical plans
• Communications Center Established
and equipped
– Designated equipment staged and
ready
– Call list
– Rehearsals
• Technical ability to communicate
with industry and guests
Prepare for the Unexpected
• Communications goes down …
– System of “runners” between hotels
– “Emergency kits” include forms and
supplies
• Cellular coverage is affected
– Satellite phones
• Test: What doesn‟t work when all
power is lost
Tourism Training Program
Physical Plans: Communications Center
Dedicated Equipment
• Generator with sufficient fuel
• Telephones (and designated
emergency telephone lines)
– Special lines are cited on emergency
communications releases
• Computers with internet connections
• Televisions/radio
• Cameras
Tourism Training Program
Connecting to the Center
• Make sure the number is widely
distributed
– Employee cards
• Set up transfers from key sites
Tourism Training Program
Redundancy
• Remote and/or backup sites for web
servers
• Multiple telephone systems (land,
cellular, satellite)
Tourism Training Program
Resources for Visitors
Inform … not
alarm
Prepare for Low Tech
Communications
Ex: Signs and Standees in
Lobbies
Tourism Training Program
Travelsmarthawaii.com
For Visitors and Travel Professionals
• Includes general safety information
continuously
– … for those with concerns
• Bulletins and updates posted during
an emergency
Tourism Training Program
Travelsmarthawaii.com updates
Travelsmarthawaii.com
Communications Principles
Tourism Training Program
Spokesperson(s)
• Identify your spokesperson(s) in
advance … in the plan
• Make sure that all others know to refer
inquiries to the dedicated
spokesperson(s)
• Conduct regular media training
• Check and double-check all
information before going public
Tourism Training Program
Communications
• Pre-prepare general press releases and
talking points …
– Express sympathy/empathy
– We‟re diligently working to …
– We will distribute more information as
soon as it is reliably available
Tourism Training Program
Lessons Learned in Hawai„i
• Traffic jams at the airport
• Restroom that didn‟t work
• Elderly visitors stranded on upper
floors of hotels
Tourism Training Program
Recovery: Some lessons from
Hawai„i …
• Keep marketing budgets flexible
• The most immediate response is from
seasoned travelers
– Airline frequent flier programs
– Best-developed markets
– “Fish where the fish are …”
• Reassure … but don‟t over-promise
safety
• Employ discounts and offers carefully …
it is very difficult to regain normal pricing
after deep discounts
Marketing in the Recovery
• Shift marketing funds from the crisis
period to the recovery period
• Use technology
– Travel agent websites and distribution
systems
– Satellite/Video News Releases
• Review the marketing message
– New Orleans, post-Katrina
Tourism Training Program
Post Event Analysis
Interview Everyone
Tourism Training Program