Tourism Risk Management - Sustainable Tourism Online

A National Tourism Safety and Security Plan
As tourism is so critical to national economies it should be developed and managed as a matter of
priority, and the development of a National Tourism Safety and Security Plan is recommended as a
measure to achieve this. The plan should address the following main areas:
• potential risks to tourism;
• detection and prevention of offences against visitors;
• protection of visitors and residents from illicit drug trafficking;
• protection of visitor sites and facilities against unlawful interference;
• guidelines for operators of visitor facilities in the event of such interference;
• media management;
• information to be provided to the international travel trade on safety and security issues;
• crisis management;
• safety standards and practices in visitor facilities and sites including fire protection, theft,
sanitary and health requirements;
• development of liability rules in visitor establishments;
• safety and security aspects of licensing for accommodation establishments, restaurants, taxi
companies, and tour guides;
• documentation and information on visitor safety to the public, for both outgoing and incoming
travellers;
• national policies on visitor health, including reporting systems for health problems of visitors;
• visitor insurance and travel assistance insurance; and
• research statistics on crimes against travellers.
Whilst in some countries these responsibilities are undertaken by national tourism authorities, other
government agencies and key tourism industry groups should be involved as a major crisis will
require a coordinated effort by them all.
A National Tourism Incident Response Plan
Developed following the events of September 11 and updated in April 2005, the Australian National
Tourism Incident Response Plan establishes a response framework and actions for the National,
State and Territory governments to pursue in cooperation with industry to ensure rapid, detailed and
targeted responses to incidents with a national impact of the tourism industry. The plan addresses
incident monitoring and management and recovery and recognizes the importance of close
collaboration between governments and industry when responding to major incidents. It ensures that
incidents with a national impact on the tourism industry are managed in a coordinated whole-ofgovernment
way to minimize potential negative economic impacts to the industry. The Government is
committed to working closely with industry to ensure the best possible outcome for the Australian
tourism industry.
The plan includes arrangements to:
• communicate accurate and timely information to:
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State, Territory and Australian governments and tourism organizations
38 Tourism Risk Management – An Authoritative Guide to Managing Crises in Tourism