Strategic Risk Management for the Tourism Sector

Tourism is the biggest employer in the Asia-Pacific, providing substantial income and employment, as well as stimulating regional growth. Terrorist attacks, war and epidemic disease outbreaks are just a few of the threats to this vital sector. Meeting these threats head-on, the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST) has just published practical risk management advice for governments and tourist operators in a new study, "Tourism Risk Management for the Asia-Pacific Region".

For the first time, traditional risk management principles and techniques have been applied to the tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific by highly experienced academics, in one comprehensive report. The many potential threats that affect the tourism industry, the sources of those threats and strategic responses are laid out clearly to help operators and governments respond effectively to crises. Case studies on issues such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and terrorist activities that have global impacts on tourism graphically highlight the need to manage risk, to enable the tourism industry to overcome crises and bounce back quickly and effectively.

Practical checklists and recommendations to encourage tourism destinations and businesses to adopt new ways of approaching risk management and to adapt their current methods are provided in the report. Destination managers are encouraged to identify and acknowledge sources of risk and their possible consequences, to adopt a systematic approach to risk and crisis management and to gain the support of crucial stakeholder groups such as government ministers. Detailed instructions are provided to make this process straightforward.

The report urges Asia-Pacific governments to develop mixed-sector National Tourism Councils to work with them on National Tourism Crisis Management Plans. Governments are also encouraged to participate in the United Nations and other international bodies on collaborative crisis and disaster reduction strategies.

Step by step instructions to develop an action framework on risk management are detailed in the report. The report helps tourism operators and governments apply the four R's of risk and crisis management to their operations, including:

Using the media as a partner during a crisis is also encouraged through the report. Sensible strategies for engaging the media before, during and after a crisis are provided, to enable operators and governments to communicate clearly with the public to build traveller confidence.

Research for "Tourism Risk Management for the Asia-Pacific Region Study" was undertaken by a team of highly qualified academics from The Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism in Australia, the University of Hawaii and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

This project was an initiative of the APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST) working in partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

The primary funding organisation was the Department of Industry, Tourism & Resources (Australia), with additional funding provided by PATA and the WTO.

For information on obtaining a copy of the study report, please contact Mr Ian Kean.