IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

The Cyclone Debbie Review

Further clarity is needed about who is responsible for tourists once removed from their location and who should expect to pay. This may be the individual tourist, it may require greater emphasis on holiday insurance, it may be a duty-of-care in a holiday contract, it may be part of resort business continuity plans, or exceptionally it may be the responsibility of emergency management authorities for a short time. Tourists and tourism operators should know this in advance of holidays and travel. There is opportunity to learn from international examples of how to do this well. An engaged and valued local tourism sector enables clearer understanding of everyone’s roles and responsibilities in managing disasters. Such knowledge builds trust and confidence among decision-makers at all levels. This, in turn, makes it easier to share information consistently and confidently before, during and after disasters. Engagement of transport companies as part of the business continuity and recovery process, and developing new partnerships with accommodation providers in different locations may enable reciprocal agreements about the care for tourists and transient people for future events. Mapping of local assets such as local transport companies, and identifying more places of refuge for tourists, could be shared as options with all involved. With the benefit of hindsight it seems obvious that an evacuation from an island after a cyclone would be more difficult than one before. We recognise that cyclones are inherently unpredictable, and economically it may be unsustainable to evacuate in the face of every one. But the question of mandatory evacuation, put forward by one tourism operator we heard from, and raised in our opening quote, should be a stronger consideration in any future event.

Themes

Finding Responsibility for tourists who require evacuation is unclear,

causing confusion among authorities and tourism operators, and frustration for tourists themselves.

Recommendation Principles, applicable to all tourist budgets, covering liabilities for costs and shelter in the event of evacuation should be developed and promulgated as part of tourism marketing.

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6 THEMES

EVACUATION: Post-cyclone evacuation