Post Crisis Marketing

While there is little doubt that the best crisis recovery plan is to do everything possible to avoid the crisis, at times crises occur despite our best efforts. The ongoing global financial crisis is one that may have a wide impact on tourism. Also at times, what appears to be nothing more than a minor problem may become a major crisis for reasons that were impossible to predict. Once the crisis has occurred crisis denial is no longer an option. Instead, a coherent and strategic marketing plan must be developed to deal with the crisis and to resolve it.

Despite the fact that tourism crises come in multiple forms, from a natural disaster to a terrorism attack, from a well-publicised missing person to a pandemic or highly publicised illness, there are a number of basic principles that are essential no matter what the tourism crisis may be. Historically however, after each crisis those components of the tourism industry that have survived the crisis have found ways to recover. Not all crises are alike, but most tourism people have a fairly good idea if the crisis will be a man-made one (such as crimes, kidnappings, assaults or terrorism) or a natural disaster such as earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes. Prepare for those crises that are most likely to occur and then utilise the crisis management plan, should there be another form of crisis.

This article looks beyond the multiple crises to the recovery stage. While each crisis has its own uniqueness, there are general principles that apply to all tourism crises recovery plans. Here are a few ideas for your consideration. To help you prepare for a tourism crisis, I offer the following ideas and thoughts:

Have a pre-crisis set of plans

No matter what the crisis may be, develop a list of potential marketing strategies. Take the time to read books such as Media Strategies for Marketing Places in Crisis, by E. Avraham and E. Ketter or Restoring Tourism Destinations in Crisis by David Beirman. Have an emergency crisis committee ready so that it can swing into action as soon as possible. This latter point is essential as the longer you wait to implement a crisis recovery plan, the worse the crisis may become.

Have a list of potential crises that may occur in your region

Never assume that a crisis will not touch you. Perhaps the most important part of a crisis recovery plan is to have one in place prior to a crisis. While we can never predict the exact nature of a crisis before it occurs, flexible plans allow for a recovery starting point. The worst scenario is to realise that one is in the midst of a crisis and that there are no plans to deal with it.

Remember that the further one is from the crisis, the worse it appears

No one has to visit your community and once the media begins to report that there is a crisis, visitors may quickly panic and begin to cancel trips to your locale. Often it is the media that define a crisis as a crisis. Have a plan in place so that correct information can be given to the media as quickly as possible.

In times of crisis, look forward to what can be, not backward to what was

Crises are no time to play the blame-game. At a later date there may be time to criticise, but during and after a crisis focus on what needs to be done and who will do it. The goal is recovery.

Develop a working relationship with the media

Crises go from small crises to large ones, when the media discovers that your agency's spokesman has not been truthful. Be truthful with the media, if you do not have the answer either explain why not or tell them when you will have it. Nothing destroys credibility and thus provokes suspicions and a greater crisis then being caught in an ‘untruth’.

Never base your post-crisis recovery plan on one single course of action

The best recovery programmes take into account a series of coordinated steps all working together. Never depend on only one remedy to bring you toward recovery. Instead coordinate your advertising and marketing campaign with your incentive programme and with an improvement in service.

Get the word out that your community is not closed for business

After a crisis it is essential that the message be sent that your tourism community is alive and well. Encourage people to come by creative advertising, good service and incentives. The key here is not to worry about the size of a discount but rather to get the flow of people back to your community.

Go after the people who have emotional ties to your community and encourage them to visit you in your community's time of need

Make a visit to your community in the post-crisis phase an act of community, state, or national loyalty. Let people know how much you appreciate their business, give away special souvenirs and honours to those who come.

Emphasise the need for tourism employees to maintain both dignity and good service

The last thing a person on vacation wants to hear is how bad business is. Instead, emphasise the positive. You are pleased that the visitor has come to your community and that you want to make the trip as enjoyable as possible.

Be creative in developing programmes that encourage the local population to enjoy its community

Immediately after a crisis, it is essential to shore up the economic foundation of the local tourism industry. For example, restaurants that had depended on tourism income may find themselves in a desperate situation. To help these people over the crisis' hump, develop creative programmes that will encourage the local population to enjoy its hometown. For example, in the case of local restaurants, develop a dine-around programme or a ‘be a tourist in one's own backyard’ programme.

Immediately after a crisis, it is essential to shore up the economic foundation of the local tourism industry. For example, restaurants that had depended on tourism income may find themselves in a desperate situation. To help these people over the crisis' hump, develop creative programmes that will encourage the local population to enjoy its hometown. For example, in the case of local restaurants, develop a dine-around programme or a ‘be a tourist in one's own backyard’ programme.

Do not just throw money at a crisis

Often people deal with crises simply by spending money especially on equipment. Good equipment has its role, but equipment without the human touch will only lead to another crisis. Never forget that people solve crises and not machines.

According to Avraham and Ketter there are 6 key strategies to get your post crisis message across in the media

These are: (1) you can ignore the crisis and hope that it will simply disappear or dissipate, (2) develop some moderate changes that will be covered by the local media, (3) create some spotlight events that will show people that the crisis is less severe than mentioned in the media, (4) assuming that you have overcome the crisis or are in the process of overcoming it, bring in major opinion leaders to see the real situation. These should be people who nodules of communication, that is that once they start taking others will listen, (5) emphasise the stereotypical places regarding your locale, such as its beaches or historical points, and (6) give yourself a remake, emphasise something new or never before associated with your locale.

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Dr. Peter E. Tarlow is the president of T&M, a founder of the Texas chapter of TTRA and a popular author and speaker on tourism.

Dr Tarlow is a specialist in the areas of sociology of tourism, economic development, tourism safety and security. He speaks at governors' and state conferences on tourism and conducts seminars throughout the world and for numerous agencies and universities.

This article was original published in Tourism Tidbits and has been reprinted by kind permission of the author.