Liew calls for better crisis management
Published on: Saturday, May 25, 2019
By: Larry Ralon
Kota Kinabalu: The number of tourist arrivals in Sabah exceeded one million as of March this year, an increase of 9.1 per cent compared to the same period last year.Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the increasing number of tourist arrivals showed how important it is for tourism industry players in the State to be well-prepared and equipped in cases of a crisis.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The cooperation and good coordination among all parties involved are also equally important and necessary.
“When we are able to act during a crisis together and manage it well, we will be able to show that we are a responsible and reliable destination to our visitors,” she said when closing the two-day Risk Mitigation and Crisis Recovery Management Workshop organised by Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) and hosted by Sabah Tourism Board (STB) at Marriott Hotel here Thursday. Her speech was read by her Assistant Minister, Assaffal P Alian.
Thanking Pata for its support and collaboration with STB in organising their first crisis management workshop here, Liew said the two-day course has been tailored specifically for the travel and tourism industry with international standards on handling and managing a crisis.
“I believe the topics covered by two reputable and experienced speakers in this workshop provided the participants with information needed as well as a platform to exchange ideas, experiences and lessons learned in various crisis experienced here in Sabah,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
She hoped Pata, together with STB, will continue to organise similar courses in the future for those who were unable to attend the first workshop.
The workshop, which is part of Pata’s human capacity building programme, was participated by 40 travel industry professionals from the various states of Malaysia, as well as from Brunei Darussalam.
ADVERTISEMENT
The two-day intensive workshop provided key insights on how destinations and organisations can prepare for the risks that can potentially evolve into a crisis, through an interactive training programme that incorporated a series of classroom sessions conducted by leading travel industry experts coupled with practical activities, group assignments and networking opportunities.
Pata CEO, Dr Mario Hardy, said unforeseen events are happening around the world which are affecting tourism, affecting the way people live and quite often the people are not prepared for it.
“We don’t know what to do, we don’t react really well, and we don’t react fast enough. So, what you will be learning over the next two days are some key skills that you need to learn to prepare yourself.
“Because the question is not about if you will have another crisis, but it’s a question of when it will happen,” he said.
Acting STB General Manager, Noredah Othman, said Sabah has also faced many challenges such as economic downturn, the SARS epidemic, bird flu and earthquakes.
“However, I am glad that the Sabah tourism industry, both public and private sectors, are resilient and cohesive in working together.
“With this workshop, we hope that we can develop a strong and effective plan and set up a team in charge of risk mitigation and crisis recovery in the near future to ensure the safety of our tourists visiting Sabah,” she said.
The programme was led Dr Bert van Walbeek of The Winning Edge, Thailand, and John Bailey, Managing Consultant, Crisis Communications Consulting, Singapore.
Van Walbeek said an increasingly important destination selection criteria for tourists is safety and security and Sabah’s tourism providers must emphasise this more convincingly as a competitive instrument.
“A better conceptual understanding for ‘Risk Mitigation and Crisis Recovery Management’ will provide key insights on how to prepare Sabah’s public and private entities for risks that can evolve into a crisis and perhaps a disaster.
“This workshop will enhance a reduced risk-avoidance mentality through realisation that one should always ‘expect the unexpected’ and that tourists want to feel safe,” he said.
According to Bailey, the challenge of preparing for and responding to crisis situations has never been more complex.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
