Restoring Tourism Destinations in Crisis

Book excerpt: This is an outstanding book. It offers a comprehensive range of in-depth case studies that looks at past tourism crisis and analyzes the responses made. A must-read book for those in the industry, related associations and the various levels of government as they consider how to pro-actively deal with the potential for future crisis related to tourism. Perry Hobson, Head, School of Tourism and Hospitaliy Management, Southern Cross University and Editor-in-Chief Journal of Vacation Marketing. Tourism everywhere is vulnerable to changes in public perception. When news about an earthquake, a violent conflict or a contagious disease in a distant location hits the television, tourists cancel holidays. The September 11, 2001 terrorist attack against the USA impacted on airlines and tourist destinations worldwide, as did subsequent attacks on tourists. These events highlight the importance of destination crisis management for the global tourism industry. Experienced tourism marketer and trainer, David Beirman, has created a guide to crisis management for tourism operators and offices. He argues that managing public perception is critical to the recovery of a destination after a crisis, and that much depends on providing clear, frequently updated and accurate information. He provides detailed case studies of different types of crises from around the world, with analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of the approach taken by tourism managers. This is an invaluable reference for tourism managers anywhere in the world, and a useful resource for tourism students.