Crisis Communication Planning for BC Tourism Organizations

In recent years, emergency, disaster, and crisis communication planning have become more essential than ever for Community Destination Management or Marketing Organizations, Visitor Centres, and Provincial Experience Sector Associations, who act as representatives, partners, and advisors of small businesses in their respective communities and sectors.

Along with environmental emergencies, organizations may find themselves facing reputational, social, political, or even financial crises, all of which can have devastating impacts.

Designed for Destination Management or Marketing Organizations Organizations, Visitor Centres, and Provincial Experience Sector Associations, this free, two-day Crisis Communication Planning Training Series will coach participants with a step-by-step approach to developing a crisis communication plan. This practical training will share best practices for crisis communication management – how to prepare, how to respond, and how to learn from each crisis we face – to ensure your organization is ready to respond when the unexpected happens.

This in-depth series will help you:

• Understand your organization’s role during an emergency or crisis, within BC’s Tourism Emergency Management Framework
• Understand the elements of a crisis and how it impacts behaviour and response;
• Assess potential crises that could impact your local destination or organization;
• Create the tools and responses you will use in a crisis situation; and,
• Put your new skills to work in a simulation exercise.

This interactive virtual series will be facilitated by a crisis communication expert and will allow you to engage with other tourism professionals from regions and communities around the province to share ideas, information, and solutions to help in your planning process.

Whether your organization needs to refresh its existing crisis communication plan or needs help getting started, this training series will give you the information, best practices, and tools to be prepared, responsive, and responsible in a crisis.
 

Is this session right for you?

This is an application-based program for organizations that meet the following criteria:

• Your organization is a Destination Management or Marketing Organization, Visitor Centre, or Provincial Experience Sector Association in British Columbia;
• Your organization communicates directly with the public, including visitors to your destination;
• You are directly responsible for creating, building and maintaining your organization’s communications plan;
• Depending on your organization’s structure and/or staffing, in addition to the above, you may also be responsible for, but are not limited to, approval/oversight of the plan; and
• You are available to attend both training sessions in full, held on April 12 and 13, 2023

Please note that due to limited capacity, only one representative from any organization will be accepted to participate.
 

Application

The seven-hour Crisis Communication Planning Training Series is delivered across two days, with the next series scheduled for:

April 12 and 13 – Registration Full

Registration is currently full. Subscribe to Destination BC’s Directions newsletter to learn about future opportunities.

If you have any questions, please email: Beth.Sangara@DestinationBC.ca