The recent events in the Middle East have demonstrated how quickly a picture can change and how difficult it is to prepare for such eventualities. It might be tempting to regard such a large-scale and major incident as a ‘one off’, however, recent history dictates that large-scale ‘crisis events’ occur more frequently than might be recalled. For example:
- Worldwide Covid outbreak in 2020 caused disruption to travel for nearly two years
- Icelandic ash cloud forcing the largest closure of European airspace at the time (2010) since World War 2
It is therefore very important that tour operators build in resilience and the ability to respond to major global crisis events. However, care should be taken to not forget other events, which, whilst more common and relatively less severe in terms of global effect, can nonetheless also critically affect the business.
Travel Risk Professionals have provided liability and crisis response solutions for tour operators and travel agents for many years, and over that period have seen events which, if not managed appropriately and responded to swiftly, could have caused significant damage to the operator’s brand reputation and consumer confidence.
Here, crisis preparation and response are key. We provide training sessions for many of our clients to assist and enhance their crisis preparation. Failure to have a robust crisis or incident plan could lead to reputational & PR damage if travellers do not feel they were appropriately assisted in a timely manner. In a worst-case scenario with the death of a passenger overseas, a coroner’s court may require you to explain your supplier selection and incident response.
Risk Management and crisis planning are intrinsically linked, and if you are fortunate enough to have a dedicated & experienced team internally, this may be easier to prepare. For smaller & mid-sized operators, this may look like a mammoth task from the outset. Travel Risk Professionals are always delighted to assist our clients in this regard with training sessions designed to focus on risk, identify appropriate responses, and prepare personnel for what might happen in the event of an incident.
Crisis team selection and preparation are necessary, as is the preparation of a crisis plan, which must stand up to scrutiny. Regular testing of the plan should also be carried out. Effective planning can only be conducted with a strong appreciation of the risks the company faces. These will differ for each company in terms of the types of holidays sold, clientele, destination, and activities.
In addition to our commitment to providing clients with assistance in crisis planning and preparation, we also offer a 24/7 crisis response partner service, available with our tour operator liability cover. This service is not just desk-based, but also telephone assistance. It goes to the heart of a major overseas incident and will also provide, where appropriate, expert boots on the ground and liaison with authorities and consulates, whilst providing daily situation reports to all parties.
Our team of crisis responders include former UK special forces and crisis experts, as well as kidnap and hostage negotiators. Our services have recently been successfully stress-tested by responding to a variety of customer needs in the Middle East, including evacuation from danger zones to places of safety; having emergency transportation on standby and preparing plans for the delivery of emergency medicine. Trauma counselling is on hand where needed, as is expert crisis PR to help protect the brand.
Our aim is to ensure that our clients have 24/7 access to the experts they need most in the event of a sudden crisis. From terrorist attacks to fatal fires at sea, and from kidnap situations to bus crashes, we have been there on the ground from Europe to North Africa and Asia to Australasia.
For more information, or for a free, non-obligation chat about what we might be able to do to enhance your current risk profile in terms of insurance and training, please feel free to contact:
Alan Pattison (Managing Director) alan.pattison@jensten.co.uk
Lee Hills (Senior Advisor) lee.hills@jensten.co.uk