Disaster Risk Management For Coastal Tourism Destinations - DTIE

Disaster Risk Management For Coastal Tourism Destinations Responding To Climate Change
A Practical Guide For Decision Makers
Media as Key Partner: As mentioned above, the media should be
considered partners in public outreach and education rather than as merely
targeted recipients, and hence should be involved in the development and
implementation of the communications strategy for all disaster management
phases.
Develop the Message: The message content and delivery mechanisms are
important elements of the outreach strategy. Communications specialists are
especially relevant to this task. Too much information carelessly put together is just
as disingenuous as essential information withheld from the public. Consistency,
relevance, accuracy, conciseness and timeliness are worthy objectives to be
attained. Depending upon the target group, maintain interest and engagement
through use of varied styles of narrative and story telling.
Communication Tools: Dissemination of the targeted messages should utilize
tools such as electronic and print media e.g. websites, email, community
message boards, annual reports, newsletters, periodic updates, advertising,
radio and TV, wherever possible. Some communities also have periodic
meetings and annual festivals which provide good opportunities for sharing
information, distributing printed matter and hosting themed events and
activities on disaster preparedness.
Waiting for a disaster to occur to provide essential information to the public for the
coordinators to severe public criticism. This will serve as unwelcome distraction
and an added burden in crisis situations. At the very minimum, the most vulnerable
members of the community should be aware of the agencies from which support
and assistance might be anticipated, and how to react if a disaster strikes.
6.5
The planning and implementation phases of preparedness plans should also
prevention and resolution (see Box 6.2) will therefore need to be developed. Over
the years disaster management and risk reduction practices have increasingly relied
on public participatory processes in order to engage diverse community stakeholder
groups. This relates to the collaborative tasks of planning, addressing the needs
of vulnerable population groups, and dealing with controversial risk reduction
measures that touch on sensitive socio-economic issues such as land use, squatter
settlements, property rights and vendor rights especially at tourism destinations.
Coastal tourism communities are also sites where frequent land and recreational
beach vendors and hotel operators, jet ski operators and beach users and between
community members and the local government entity.
Strategies are frequently used to address the concerns of rival groups. These begin
with making a sincere attempt to listen attentively and objectively to each side and
creating opportunities for successful resolution and outcomes i.e. win-win strategies.
82 | Implementing The Preparedness Plan