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In May 2025, the village of Blatten in the Swiss Alps was wiped off the map by a glacier. How many of us immediately wondered about the death toll, before learning, with immense relief, that no lives were lost?

Swiss geologists had been monitoring the situation for some time, and Blatten was evacuated in advance. Despite significant tangible and intangible damage, a crisis involving potential loss of life was averted – because it had been planned for.

Too often, though, this is not the case, particularly when it comes to specifically addressing visitors – both leisure and business tourists – during all four stages of a crisis: preparedness, response, recovery, and long-term resilience.

In the GDS-Index, one of our criteria asks whether tourism and events are explicitly included in a city’s crisis management plan. We recognise that most cities already have general plans to address safety hazards and various types of threats. So why do we emphasise the inclusion of tourism and events?

Bigger, faster, stronger, and more unpredictable

While the complete destruction of a village is rare, the frequency and severity of crises affecting tourism destinations around the world are increasing. For example, according to the European State of the Climate Report 2024: ‘Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe, and southern Europe is seeing widespread droughts. Changes in precipitation patterns, including an increase in the intensity of the most extreme events, have been observed. This can lead to increased flooding and likely contributed to some of the most catastrophic events seen in 2024.’

Considering this – and the growing urgency brought on by climate change – it is striking that so many tourism destinations lack crisis management plans tailored to tourism and events. There are often no procedures in place to address the specific needs of tourism sector stakeholders: international and domestic visitors, conference delegates, local tourism businesses and service providers, and specialised media.

These plans should cover not only crisis and post-crisis communication but also coordination with emergency services, public authorities, and both tourism and non-tourism stakeholders and partners. And this coordination must extend beyond the immediate response phase. Unfortunately, this is often not the case.

In 2024, I led the research on the impacts on crises on tourism and co-wrote a report for the European Travel Commission ‘Crises in Tourism: Impacts and Lessons from European Destinations‘, featuring a checklist on how to prepare, respond and build resilience to climate and non-climate related crises. While the National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) I have interviewed agree that there is a critical role for them to play in responding to crises, the process of planning for this response and the recovery actions that will follow is often left to one side for another day, as other more immediate tasks take precedence.

Why tourism-specific crisis management?

Our data shows that while most destinations have general crisis response plans, tourism or events are not often included. We often hear at these plans are meant to cover ‘all sectors’ and ‘all people’ implying that visitors are automatically included. While that may be true in theory, real-world crises have demonstrated that managing tourists or event delegates involves different considerations than managing residents.

Let’s take a case of rapid flooding in a mountainous destination popular with outdoor enthusiasts (a crisis) and communication around it (an action) as an example.

In such a situation, the priority is, of course, to keep everyone safe, residents and tourists alike. But visitors – especially those who don’t speak the local language – will need tailored communication. Some may decide to leave and will need clear, reliable information about how to do so safely, and where to stay before leaving. Others may prefer to stay in the country but move to a different region. They will seek reassurance: Are nearby areas unaffected? Are they safe to visit? Is transport running? What accommodation options are available? Have services been disrupted? What attractions are still open?

These concerns differ significantly from those of local residents and require a different approach.

At the same time, emergency services, government authorities, the media, families of those affected, and potential visitors will want to know: How many foreign nationals are in the area? How have they been affected? Do they have shelter? What support is being provided? When is it going to be safe to travel? This is essential not only during the immediate response but also during the recovery period. Future and prospective visitors (or conference delegates) who have already booked trips will require reliable updates to make informed decisions.

When tourism and events are part of crisis management

If a destination has a tourism-inclusive crisis plan:

• A designated agency – such as a DMO, CVB, or the City Hall’s tourism department – provides relevant updates in multiple languages and via various channels.
• Ideally, this team would be in ongoing contact with other emergency response agencies, aware of which areas remain safe, and able to share verified, timely information.
• They would coordinate with local accommodation providers to advise on availability and safety and communicate with tour operators and service providers about which trails are accessible, which rivers are safe for activities etc.
• There will be procedures in place for external communications with a range of stakeholders – rescue agencies, international tourism organisations, media, and local businesses – as well as internal communications with staff who may be exhausted, uncertain, and under pressure.
• Their efforts would also help counter misinformation and protect the destination’s reputation. This is a vital benefit that is often overlooked.

If there was an event or a conference in the affected area, the city’s (CVB or DMO) role would be mainly strategic and facilitative, ensuring all parties, including MICE organisers, have the info and support they need to act effectively.

• Business travellers may require tailored support, such as help with accommodation, flights, visa extensions, or insurance issues. The city’s crisis team – through the CVB or tourism department – would coordinate with airlines, consulates, and transport authorities to provide accurate travel updates and share this information with event organisers.
• Organisers and venue managers would need rapid, coordinated guidance on venue safety, crowd management, and whether to postpone, cancel, or adapt the format of the event, that needs to be communicated to delegates promptly.
• Timely communication and guidance is also essential for managing the expectations of sponsors, international associations, and attendees, protecting not just safety, but the city’s ability to host future events and the trust its audiences have in it.

Destinations that integrate tourism and events into their crisis planning will have clear, actionable procedures outlining who communicates, when, and how, across all four stages of a crisis. That’s why the integration isn’t just important, it’s a critical priority for destinations.