Crisis Management Tools

VTIC has prepared the following information to assist with crisis management. A crisis can impact heavily on tourism, whether it be a natural disaster, the outbreak of a disease or even the disruption of a transportation network.
 

Preparing for the unexpected

Handling cancellations - Guidelines on cancellations can be found at the Consumer Affairs Victoria website. A fact sheet titled “Customers Who Want To Cancel” is also available on this website.

Tourism Victoria's Crisis Essentials Guide - The Crisis Essentials Guide aims to provide essential information to tourism businesses about how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a crisis event.

An emergency can have a profound affect on a tourism business whether it directly impacts upon the business or simply occurs within the same region, state or country. Tourism regions are vulnerable to public perceptions of health and safety. An emergency in your area can potentially result in a downturn in visitation to your business. This guide will help you to get organised so you can recover more quickly from any emergency incident.

The ‘Crisis Essentials’ guide will support the more comprehensive ‘Open for Business’ crisis management publication. Hard copies of the guide are also available from Tourism Victoria on ph: 03 9653 9777.

Small Business Victoria - Is your business prepared for bushfire? - Small Business Victoria have prepared a checklist and other resources to help business owners prepare a bushfire response plan. For details go to http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD.HTML/PC_63616.html

Useful Contacts (preparing for and during a crisis)

Country Fire Authority: Fire Danger Ratings - A national system of fire danger ratings is now in place. To learn what the fire danger ratings are, and what action is recommended for each rating, and for fire ban information, fire plan information and fire threat updates visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au

Bureau of Meterology - For all weather forecasts visit www.bom.gov.au

Park closures - Visit www.parks.vic.gov.au for information about park closures or call the Parks Victoria Information Line on 13 19 63

Road closures - For road closures check the Vic Roads website traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au or call 13 11 70

For latest bushfire information - Check the CFA www.cfa.vic.gov.au and DSE websites www.dse.vic.gov.au or call the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667. Sky News TV also is an emergency broadcaster. Callers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication impairment may call textphone/ telewriter (TTY) on 1800 122 969

Transport - For updates on rail and bus transport visit V/Line www.vline.com.au  For Suburban trains visit  www.metrotrains.com.au

Updates on family and friends - Concerned about family or friends call the National Registry and Inquiry Service 1800 727 077

If travelling, listen to ABC Local Radio. These frequencies are:

Recovery Assistance - Useful Contacts (post-crisis)

Give Now www.givenow.com.au has packaged up in one place all the various ways people can help out and give to people affected by a crisis. This website describes where to donate money, time, blood, clothes or furniture, donate blankets, help animals and more!

Department of Human Services www.dhs.vic.gov.au/emergency for emergency payment information, counselling and offers of assistance. Ph: 1300 842 737

Centrelink www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/index.htm  for emergency payment eligibility and information. Ph: 132 850

Australian Red Cross www.redcross.org.au for donations of money, blood and essential items such as food and clothing. Ph: 1800 811 700

Other charities for donations of clothes and household goods: Salvation Army - www.salvationarmy.org.au, Brotherhood of St Laurence - www.bsl.org.au, St Vincent de Paul - www.vinnies.org.au.