As a tourism sector representative, is your business well-equipped to handle an emergency crisis? Crisis communication is an essential tool that can help organizations prepare, reduce risks and act quickly when negative events occur. Good communication practices can help your organization remain transparent, trustworthy and avoid reputational damage. This blog will highlight some of the best practices for preparing and communicating during crises in the tourism industry.

Understanding the Importance of Crisis Communication 🚨

Contrary to popular belief, crises can happen at any time, regardless of how well-planned your organization is. An emergency crisis is any event that poses harm or risk to staff, guests, community, or reputation of an organization. Communicating quickly and effectively during crises can minimize the impact of negative events and promote a quick return to normal operational model.

One of the primary importance of crisis communication is maintaining trust and credibility with stakeholders inside and outside your organization. Stakeholders include staff, partners, customers, regulators, local authorities, community, media, and investors. Consider that a report from the World Economic Forum indicates “of all the factors that threaten a company’s reputation, rumors and false information are the most detrimental,” hence the need for a crisis communication plan.

A laptop, phone and newspapers lying on a desk

Developing a Crisis Communication Plan 📝

The first step in effectively dealing with a crisis is to develop a crisis communication plan. A crisis communication plan is a set of procedures and guidelines that help your organization communicate effectively with stakeholders when an emergency occurs. It usually includes communication protocol, tips, templates and alert procedures that guide staff to communicate with stakeholders timely and constructively. A comprehensive crisis management plan addresses following areas:

  • Identify potential crises
  • Establish a crisis team
  • Create communication protocol
  • Designate spokesperson
  • Establish communication channels
  • Plan for social media
  • Establish procedures for external communications
  • Plan for internal communications
  • Develop messaging and talking points
  • Conduct crisis communication drills

A team setting up a crisis plan on a whiteboard

Prioritizing Transparency and Accuracy 📊

During a crisis, stakeholders expect honest and transparent information, often in real-time. Therefore, an essential part of crisis communication is ensuring that the information you share is clear, accurate and truthful. You should be proactive with sharing information and provide regular updates. Falsehoods, rumors, and lack of information can impair trust and damage an organization’s reputation.

Moreover, it is crucial to have information that responds to stakeholder concerns, actions being taken to mitigate harm, and the organization’s role in the crisis. Inaccurate or incomplete information during a crisis can create confusion, delay necessary action, and lead to further harm.

A woman showing a document to a group of people

Using Social Media Effectively 📱

Social media is a powerful communication tool that can significantly boost crisis communication. Social media provides real-time information, enables communication with stakeholders and allows organizations to manage its reputation continuously. Your organization should establish a social media team that can:

  • Monitor social media channels
  • Quickly respond to stakeholder inquiries
  • Share accurate and timely information, such as updates and news releases
  • Provide contact information

Additionally, social media can help organizations prevent rumors by providing accurate and timely information. An effective social media strategy can help maintain trust and credibility with stakeholders during a crisis.

Several social media icons on a laptop and a mobile phone

Conclusion 🏁

Crisis communication is an essential tool for businesses to prepare, act on and minimise the impacts of negative events. A crisis communication plan can help organizations communicate effectively, respond quickly and maintain trust and credibility with stakeholders. Some of the best practices for preparing and communicating during a crisis in the tourism industry include understanding the need for crisis communication, developing a crisis communication plan, prioritizing transparency and accuracy, and using social media effectively.

Remember, every crisis is different, and following these best practices will help to ensure you remain transparent, trustworthy and recover quickly after a crisis.

A traveler wearing a mask and carrying a backpack walking among mountains and lakes in a beautiful landscape