by

Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry

On behalf of Anika Malhotra:

Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry

One of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, resulted in the deaths of over 230,000 people in fourteen countries and provoked worldwide humanitarian efforts which led to the donation of over USD$14B in aid. Of these fourteen countries, Thailand was one of those that were hardest hit with an estimated 8,212 death toll.

The two industries that were greatly impacted by this disaster were the fishing and tourism industries. The destruction of industrial infrastructure in coastal areas within the fishing industry had substantial impacts both on regional and national scales, affecting employment in coastal regions and foreign exchange earnings on a national level.

 

With these direct effects of the tsunami, came indirect effects within the hospitality industry. As investigations into the disaster continued, there was speculation that many of the resort hotels directly hit by the tsunami did not alert guests in a timely fashion and that staff were not well equipped to handle such situations. Moreover, regardless of whether tourist’s travel destinations were affected or not, there was a psychological concern and fear for their safety while traveling in areas of this part of the world. The hospitality industry was then hit with numerous cancellations as a result.

 

Tourist’s concerns and trip cancellations created a negative image of the hospitality industry for their lack of disaster preparedness. As the industry began to fear that this negative impact might be long lasting, many hospitality companies joined forces with humanitarian organizations to develop stronger disaster preparedness, recovery, and risk mitigating skills.

 

Addressing issues of crisis management and providing hospitality employees with the necessary skills involved gives these companies a competitive advantage. The first step in these efforts is focused on pre-crisis communication. The thought here is that communicating more effectively and implementing solutions for these situations will help rebuild trust and credibility from the public’s perspective.

 

Rather than a focus on maximizing profits for shareholders, there has been an increased focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the hospitality industry. Although brand reputation and financial factors still play a major role in the decision making process for tourists and potential employees, they are looking more for companies who contribute to more wide-ranging societal goals. These CSR contributions are often in the form of cash donations, work force initiatives, partnerships with NGO’s, and by providing shelter and evacuation. The top 3 hotel companies in the industry that are most contributing to this reform are Hilton, Marriott, and Accor.

 

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, The International Federation of Red Cross and Societies, and other NGO’s, as well as those in the Thai private sector formed partnerships with these hospitality companies to train employees and provide assistance and funding in these efforts to rebuild the economy in Thailand. The Tsunami Victim Relief Center was also founded days after the tsunami to help in mobilization efforts. The Royal Thai Government (RTG) has also been greatly praised for their role in providing support to the affected communities. The United Nations Country Team along with bilateral development agencies worked with the RTG to address issues and challenges in the rebuilding effort.

 

The efforts of these organizations in collaboration with hotel companies and educational efforts proved to help tremendously towards rebuilding the hospitality industry in Thailand. Below can be found the Tourism and Earnings Growth in Thailand chart as of one year after the tsunami (2005):

The above chart proves that not even fully into 2005, in Q2, there was shown a significant positive change in the percentage of tourism earnings in one year from

-6.2 to +4.4 in growth.

 

The monsoon season in Thailand in 2011 was a period in which was demonstrated how far humanitarian aid efforts and disaster preparedness have improved since the tsunami disaster in 2004. As a result of the storms during this time, flooding began to spread throughout the Northern, Northeastern, and Central areas of Thailand. These floods resulted in the deaths of 815 people, with a total of 13.6 million people having been affected by the same. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) projected a combined loss of USD$825M as a result of reduced international and national tourism, with people having cancelled their trips to the region.

 

Hotels in and around the affected areas in Thailand began to take measures to ensure the safety of their guests, and help with the relief efforts of the surrounding community. The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok organized a thorough workshop for more than 1,000 of its staff members to drill them in how to manage the flood situation. The Shangri-La Hotel also took precautionary measures during this time by placing sandbags outside of the property in an effort to prevent water from flowing into the property and by storing enough food and medical supplies for their guests and staff to last three days in the case of an emergency situation.

More major hotel companies are doing their part to help with disaster relief in other ways:

 

a)    Marriott International converts points donated by guests into cash for contribution to the IFRC Disaster Relief Emergency Fund.

b)    Hyatt has developed a volunteer outreach program, Hyatt F.O.R.C.E- allowing for employees to provide local and worldwide support on company paid time.

c)     Hilton Honors has implemented a charity titled “Blanket them With Love” to help with the after effects of the 2011 floods in Thailand. “The project will provide 1) immediate relief to victims by giving emergency life packs (includes food and other daily necessities) to evacuees, 2) 700 financially needy families affected by the coming 4 months of cold weather with blankets, so that the most vulnerable targets like young children and elderly will be protected from diseases associated with the cold climate. 3) Help to at least 10 affected homes with repairs after the floods, so that the family go back to safe shelters.”

d)    AirAsiaGo had absorbed the cost of credit card transaction fees on their website for one month from October-November 2011. In addition to this, they worked with local hotels in Bangkok to provide discounts to travelers.

e)    As part of their CSR initiative, Hilton Pattaya donated 100,000 baht to the Rotary Club of Taksin Pattaya to help with relief and rehabilitation projects for the aid of those affected by the floods in Thailand.

In order to help with the rebuilding efforts after the floods, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has implemented a communication center that will keep event organizers updated as to the status of their future events, one such event being the annual Royal Flora Expo.

 

It is made evident to us that the efforts made for disaster preparedness by the hospitality industry in Thailand and throughout the world will help in reducing financial and emotional burdens of many of those affected by such natural disasters as the 2004 tsunami and 2011 floods. Whether it is by partnering with NGO’s or companies within the private sector to help provide employees and their families the skills needed to help mitigate the outcome of such disasters, by providing direct financial support, by sending its employees on volunteer efforts within the community or worldwide, or by providing food and shelter to those affected, the hospitality industry in Thailand is helping to rebuild security and lessen the fears of travelers worldwide.

 

 

31,300 thoughts on “Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry”

  1. In the world of mobile gaming, where entertainment and rewards come together, winzo apk stands out as one of the leading platforms that allows users to play games and earn real money. Available on both Android and iOS, Winzo offers a wide variety of games that cater to every type of gamer. Whether you love playing casual games, strategy games, or even fantasy sports, Winzo has something for everyone. With its easy-to-use interface, secure payment options, and the chance to win real money, it has become one of India’s most popular gaming apps.

  2. The ppsc planner is a helpful tool for candidates preparing for Punjab Public Service Commission exams. It provides detailed schedules, subject-wise plans, and timelines to streamline your preparation. Stay organized, track progress, and boost your exam success with a well-structured PPSC Planner tailored for efficient and focused study.

  4. JeemandCo is your one-stop digital marketing solution, offering a range of services to elevate your online presence. Our Performance Marketing
    solutions in UAE, Dubai are data-driven, helping your business achieve measurable growth through targeted campaigns that maximize ROI.

  5. Thank you so much for such a well-written article. It’s full of insightful information. Your point of view is the best among many without fail.For certain, It is one of the best blogs in my opinion. result macau

  7. Experience powerful photo editing with meitu free mod apk, providing unlocked VIP features, filters, and beautification tools. Create stunning images effortlessly with this enhanced version, perfect for creative users.

  8. Explora entretenimiento ilimitado con magis tv descargar, una excelente opción para acceder a canales en vivo, películas y series desde tu dispositivo Android, ofreciendo una experiencia de visualización fluida y gratuita.

  9. Welcome to Lottery 66 Game, an online gamming platform that focus on Wingo lottery and popular colour prediction game Big/small & red/green. Playing lottery 66 is very easy & fun. This website allow users to register their id and allow to play all the games available in lottery 66 game.

  10. Lottery 66 offers exciting chances to win big with every draw. Join today for a chance to claim incredible prizes and transform your life. Play now and experience the thrill of winning with Lottery 66!

  11. RAJABANDOT memang luar biasa! Situs ini selalu memberikan pengalaman bermain slot yang seru dan menguntungkan. Link slot88-nya resmi dan gacor banget, bikin betah main lama-lama. Togel 4D-nya juga terpercaya dan hasilnya akurat. rajabandot

  12. VND88 khẳng định vị thế là cổng game cá cược uy tín hàng đầu với hệ thống trò chơi phong phú, dịch vụ chuyên nghiệp và tỷ lệ thưởng cao. Người chơi khi đăng ký tài khoản tại VND88 sẽ được hưởng nhiều quyền lợi hấp dẫn như nhận ngay 108K freebet và thưởng 1 triệu đồng khi nạp đầu thành công. Với giao diện thân thiện, tốc độ xử lý nhanh và hỗ trợ 24/7, VND88 mang đến trải nghiệm cá cược mượt mà và an toàn tuyệt đối. Tham gia ngay để khám phá thế giới giải trí đỉnh cao tại VND88!

  20. If some one wishes to be updated with hottest technologies afterward he must
    be pay a visit this website and be up to date daily.

    Take a look at my blog :: Proxies Deals

  44. Stay updated with accurate Lahore prayer times at prayertimings, your trusted platform for daily Islamic prayer schedules. Whether you’re at home, work, or traveling, knowing the correct prayer times helps you maintain your spiritual routine. prayertimings offers precise timings for all five daily prayers, including Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. Visit prayertimings regularly to check today’s exact Lahore prayer times and stay connected with your faith throughout the day.

  45. I’ve bookmarked this for later because the way you explain the topic made everything click for me. If anyone else wants to expand their view beyond this, definitely look into gardatoto—it continues the conversation in meaningful ways.

  46. Flix Vision is an on-demand streaming platform that offers a wide range of movies, TV shows, and sometimes live TV channels, catering to users looking for affordable or free entertainment options. Designed with simplicity and accessibility in mind, Flixvision download brings together a diverse library of content across genres, languages, and regions, making it a one-stop destination for global entertainment.

  47. Cybra offers expert Penetration Testing Melbourne, Penetration Testing Brisbane, and Penetration Testing Sydney services, helping businesses identify vulnerabilities and strengthen their cybersecurity with reliable, thorough testing.

  50. Play 66 Lottery online for your chance to win big! Get the latest results, lucky numbers, and winning tips. Join thousands of players and experience secure, fast, and fun gameplay with the trusted 66 lottery platform.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *