Zeitschrift für Wirtschaft und Hotelmanagement

The Need to be Prepared:Disaster Management in the Hospitality Industry

Barent N. McCool

The Need to be Prepared: Disaster Management in the Hospitality Industry

Although hospitality firms face serious threats from disasters, few of these firms have engaged in planning for effective disaster management. Such planning entails both proactive and reactive planning so that the firm is able to take actions to minimize risk and damage prior to and during the disaster event and is then also able to resume operations as efficiently and effectively as possible following the event. Effective management planning incorporates internal input from the firms’ most valuable asset, its employees, and external input from a variety of stakeholders in the community. Effective disaster management for hospitality firms entails the development of partnerships between the firm and external partners, such as government and non-governmental agencies, suppliers and the media.