These days business and leisure travelers are increasingly concerned about pandemic outbreaks and terrorist attacks. Long-haul travelers are observed to be even more sensitive to negative news and therefore tourism stakeholders around the world, and all those in associated sectors, ought to emphasize safety and security as an additional advantage in choosing their destination.

The Winning Edge seminar “Risk Prevention & Crisis Management” provides practical information on how you can train and prepare your destination, or your organization, for any potential risks that can turn into a crisis and, sometimes, a disaster !

These crises can be “small”, like an employee getting hurt, and big, like a terrorist attack or a pandemic. It is proven that the less severe the risk, the more frequent crises occur. It is The Winning Edge’s vision that any industry prepared for future risks and crises is best achieved by all stakeholders participating in community and industry preparedness so that our customers are better protected for potential disasters.

Disasters disrupt hundreds of thousands of lives every year. Each disaster has lasting effects ; people are seriously injured, some are killed, and property damage runs into the billions.

This training contains step-by-step advice on how to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. There are 4 sessions on “Shock and Threats”, “Responsibilities and Leadership”, “The 4 Phases of Crisis Management” and “Media and Information Management”, as well as suggestions on how to brainstorm and how to initiate discussions on Risk & Crisis Management.

It explains to owners, management and staff of every stakeholder in tourism and related activities how to respond to emergencies and gives a sense of what to expect. Being prepared, understanding your risks and taking steps to reduce those risks can reduce the damages caused by hazards. In almost every instance of successful response to a crisis, management and response activities, consisting of sound operating execution, coupled with superior communication, predominate.

Operational response is essential. It is the one that saves lives, property and other assets. The ability to communicate is no less important. It's the one that saves the business.

This often results in a situation where no single institution, person, or level of government is perceived as responsible for disaster preparedness. Accordingly, disaster preparedness goals and policies of various jurisdictions and agencies are often contradictory, and motivation to get things done is hampered by a lack of accountability.

Apathy results in limited resources for disaster preparedness. It is important to apply the limited interest and resources in such a manner that they will do the most good. In effect, priority setting has to be applied to disaster preparedness measures, and the cost-effectiveness of these measures has to be taken into consideration.

The simple fact is : perception is reality. Public perception of your destination’s or your organization’s reaction to a crisis is as important as your operating response. We all need to sharpen our skills at predicting and preventing such situations.