The tourism sector is especially vulnerable to the effects of natural and man-made disasters and events. Worldwide and local experience shows that the absence of an effective, tourism-focused communications response in the immediate and short term following a crisis or incident can be devastating to local businesses, towns and regions. The implementation of a timely communications response is crucial, as the lack of planned, coordinated communications can significantly delay the restoration of a region’s ability to attract visitors and generate economic activity.

Crisis communications strategies are needed to help retain the confidence of travellers and the travel industry, and to minimise the impact of a crisis on the destination.

The Crisis Communications Handbook for Regional and Local Tourism (1.81mb) is an acknowledgment that effective stakeholder communications play a critical role in the tourism recovery process for regions affected by disaster and other high-impact events. No matter what the crisis, standard communications techniques apply. Good communication based on honesty and transparency is the key to successful crisis management. To assist regional and local tourism officers with this process, the handbook has advice on:

• Before a crisis - Preparing for the worst
• Response during the actual crisis - Minimising damage
• Recovery - Restoring visitor confidence

The following templates are designed to assist with an immediate crisis response:

• Industry Impact Assessment (20kb)
• Media Inquiry Log (21kb)
• Media Statement (21kb)
• Visitor Information Update (20kb)
• Tourism Industry Debrief (20kb)

Advice for tourism businesses in dealing with customers during a crisis:

• Customers who want to cancel (73kb)