Catastrophic weather events and the threat of major economic and social upheaval has become the new normal for the global tourism sector.
EarthCheck, an internationally recognised research-led advisory group for travel and tourism, today launched its CrisisReady Program designed to help destinations and the hospitality industry swiftly rebound from crisis situations and climatic events such as earthquakes and extreme weather.
The EarthCheck CrisisReady Program builds on over five years of research and more than AUD$400,000 of investment.
CEO of EarthCheck Mr Stewart Moore said the technology has evolved from stand-alone Apps to a connected Crisis Management Control Centre that links the App to a personalised central communications centre developed to help businesses and destinations deploy their teams to the most important jobs, and ensure everyone knows their role.
“The EarthCheck CrisisReady Program is an evolution of technology that puts paper-based crisis management practices into a smart phone and into the hands of your team; no matter where they are.
“Effectively it’s a ‘Disaster HQ’ in your pocket,” said Mr Moore.
“Research shows that 80 per cent of businesses without a continuity plan won’t survive two years after a major crisis. The world is at a tipping point and the type and impact of climatic events such as the super storms in the USA, bushfires in Australia and the tsunamis in Asia are likely to continue,” Mr Moore warned.
“It’s not so much about if, or when, a disaster will strike. Today it’s about having a business continuity plan already prepared; and that means adopting new technologies and operational procedures to help build resilience.”
The EarthCheck CrisisReady Program can now be customised for destinations or businesses to manage their team’s response to a crisis situation. It includes access to capacity programs to onboard users quickly and efficiently; an EarthCheck CrisisReady Toolkit to help users prepare their crisis response; access to your own CrisisReady Control Centre (Content Management System or CMS) ; and an interactive Mobile App providing each member of the team with clear roles and responsibilities (linked to the CMS) and access to crisis updates.
The EarthCheck CrisisReady Program is currently being deployed in New Zealand and the Americas.
“Our experience in Christchurch reminds us that visitors can be overlooked in disaster planning. As non-locals, they may not know the escape routes, may not be connected with local media, and they may not speak the same language as local residents. For these visitors the tourism industry is often their first safety life line.”
“Having a crisis plan at your fingertips - set to go at the push of a button - means a cross section of stakeholders can get their information faster in order to make the best possible educated choices and actions,” said Professor Simmons Professor of Tourism at Lincoln University and Chair of the EarthCheck Research Institute.
To find out more about the EarthCheck CrisisReady Program please visit www.earthcheck.org
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