Nowadays, tour operators are increasingly in “crisis mode” due to the unstable geopolitical situations, the effects of climate change, growing cybercrime and numerous strikes. In order to overcome the associated challenges as smoothly as possible and ensure the safety of guests and employees, well-organized crisis management is required.
Due to the different types of crises, a large number of people from different organizational units and locations are usually involved, which further increases the complexity of the processes. A distinction must be made between tourism and non-tourism crises, as well as foreseen and unforeseen crises. Due to this complexity, structured and detailed crisis management is necessary. The aim is to ensure that all those responsible are optimally prepared in the event of a crisis so that they can act quickly and proactively together.
Requirements for crisis management
One of the most important basic requirements for successful crisis management at tour operators is transparency throughout the entire process. The crisis process is already recorded when purchasing and concluding contracts with service providers, e.g. airlines, DMCs or hotels. In addition, constant monitoring of events and crises as well as crisis controlling ensure clarity.
Good preparation is essential to ensure effective crisis management in the event of a crisis. This means that the roles, responsibilities and processes must be clear to all persons involved and have already been internalized through regular training and exercises. The preparation of frameworks, checklists and templates as well as the establishment of a highly motivated crisis team that is valued by the company are helpful. Good preparation also includes building and maintaining a network of partners with whom to work closely in crisis situations, e.g. associations, insurance companies and special assistance teams.
In the event of a crisis, events are processed based on the predefined processes in place in all business units and interface departments. Constant monitoring, communication and adaptation to the event are crucial to success.
In the aftermath of a crisis, all actions across all business units are reflected upon and documented. The “lessons learned” are processed to make appropriate adjustments to processes and documents and to ensure the best possible preparation, including materials, for the next crisis.
Steps for implementing successful crisis management for tour operators:
- Consideration & handling of all crises (touristic and non-touristic)
- Risk analysis & crisis definition/ classification
- Clear definition of roles & responsibilities
- Preparation of documents/ templates
- Training and exercises
Success factors in the preparation of a crisis
One of the key success factors in preparing for a crisis is the allocation of roles and the development of processes. These include a chain of command, checklists, document templates, event classifications and a detailed crisis manual. Ideally, the roles and processes listed above are supported by online and offline digital tools, especially for alerting and reporting. Human resources have a key responsibility in crisis management. Employees look after the well-being of guests, which is one of the overarching goals of good crisis management. Accordingly, the focus must also be on employees, who must be motivated and empowered, enjoy benefits and receive the best possible support during and after the crisis.
Success factors in the event of a crisis
Clear communication comes first in the event of a crisis, both internally and externally. It is important to always communicate openly and calmly what information is and is not known about the crisis, what steps are being taken and what decisions are being made. Important character traits for the crisis coordinator, as the highest authority in the event of a crisis, are decisiveness, flexibility and the openness to adapt decisions that have already been made depending on the situation. The trick is to make clear decisions, even if a complete picture of the crisis is not available. The basis for swift action is the efficient collection and prompt processing of all relevant information once the crisis has begun.
Over the course of a crisis, a step-by-step approach that is process- and goal-oriented must always be followed. This includes a clear allocation of roles and responsibilities, following the rules and explicitly working through checklists. Clear control of the process through a constant and comprehensive overview of the tasks, supported by suitable and powerful tools, is also crucial.
Advantages of successful crisis management for tour operators
In order to be optimally prepared for a crisis, it is essential to recognize crisis management as a central company process and to establish cross-departmental crisis processes. The resilience created in this way helps the tour operator to limit the damage to guests, employees and the company in a targeted manner in the event of a crisis. This professional handling of crises offers opportunities to position oneself as a reliable travel partner in the market and achieve competitive advantages.