INTRODUCTION
A crisis can be defined as any unplanned event that potentially presents a risk to people, property, environment, reputation and industry. As examples, a terrorist attack, natural disaster or cyberattack on a city can create a serious tourism crisis, making it a challenge for CVBs to attract potential visitors.
For these reasons, it’s critical CVBs are prepared with a crisis communication plan so that they can restore tourism to the city as quickly as possible. Having a plan helps minimize the economic and reputation impact of a crisis on the city’s tourism industry, and it helps to expedite recovery.
Here are tips convention and visitor bureaus can use to create their own crisis plan.
PREPARE YOUR CEO AS SPOKESPERSON
For most crises, your CEO will serve as spokesperson, as this person is used to acting as the face of the local tourism industry and, along with the communications department, will be tasked with internal and external communications. Make sure your CEO can demonstrate empathy and show the public that the CVB is taking all the necessary measures to make sure the crisis is handled correctly. In an article by Virtual Speech, it states that the public is more likely to trust a spokesperson in a high position because they should be able to provide reliable information.
To make sure the CVB’s messaging is consistent across all channels, all spokespeople (e.g. CEO) should go through thorough media training. For example, you want audiences to read or hear the same talking points whether it’s included in the local newspaper, television or on social media, and you want your spokesperson to be the face of calm during a time of panic.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE CRISIS PLAN
Each situation listed in the crisis plan should include the following: a goal, strategies, audiences, the designated spokesperson, order of operations and a phone tree, as well as sample internal memos, statements and social media posts. Take for example a tragedy at a festival. A goal could be “to ensure the safety and well-being of staff, volunteers and attendees.” To achieve this goal, one strategy could be to publicly show a renewed commitment to safety.
One tip for your phone tree is to use your CVB’s organizational chart (e.g. internal staff, Board of Directors, etc.). Don’t forget about external contacts such as your CVB’s lawyer and accountant.
DON’T FORGET TO BE SOCIAL
Part of your crisis communications plan should focus on social media and website. First, take down any pre-scheduled social media posts (e.g. list of restaurants open on Thanksgiving) and devote all upcoming posts to the crisis. The faster your CVB acknowledges the problem, the better.
Use tools such as Google Alerts and Mention.com to track any mentions of your organization. Also, monitor and respond to both positive and negative mentions and comments for platforms such as TripAdvisor. This shows visitors you care and reinforces brand loyalty. Don’t delete or hide negative comments, as your CVB needs to be as transparent as possible. Explain what you know and don’t know, document what steps you’re taking to rectify the situation and make amends.
For example, a social media post about a natural disaster could say something like “On [DATE], a [TYPE OF NATURAL DISASTER] affected [CITY]. Our hearts go out to the community, especially our partners who were affected by the weather. We are currently working alongside city officials, law enforcement and the Red Cross. We will provide further details when available.”
Second, consider having your CVB’s IT department create a dark website, which is a pre-made, non-visible website that is activated when a crisis or emergency occurs. The site stores pre-written information and provides all the latest information concerning the crisis as well as news releases, CVB statements and appropriate contact information. For example, Malaysia Airlines deployed its dark site just a few hours after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing on March 9, 2014. Its quick activation was widely considered a textbook example of good crisis communications.
HOW TO MOVE ON
It also is important to create procedures on what your CVB should do and how to act after the dust has settled. How can your CVB prevent this from happening again? How can you bring back tourists to the affected area?
In the example used above, working with a third party to improve safety measures at future festivals and building a mindset with staff in which security is at the forefront may help resolve the situation and prevent it from happening again.
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