Deal with Travel and Tourism Emergencies

Overview

Framework:
RQF
Level:
Level 2
Unit No:
K/505/2502
Credits:
3
Guided learning hours:
24 hours

Assessment Guidance

Portfolio of Evidence.

Unit Learning Outcomes

1

Know the type of emergencies that travel and tourism organisations must be prepared for.

Learning Outcome 1: Indicative Content 

Types of emergencies

  • Natural disasters e.g. hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, tsunami
  • Transport accidents e.g. airline crash, coach crash
  • Transport delays e.g. at airports
  • Fires e.g. in hotels or across regions

Assessment Criteria

  • 1.1
    Explain different types of emergencies that travel and tourism organisations must be prepared for, giving recent examples.
2

Understand the need for effective responses to problems and emergencies

Learning Outcome 2: Indicative Content 

The need for prompt help to:

  • protect lives
  • prevent further damage or more people being affected
  • to reassure friends and relatives
  • to gain information
  • to prevent spread of disease e.g. cholera after a flood

Importance of communications

  • To reassure people and provide support
  • To ensure relatives of those affected are clear about actions being taken and where to gain information
  • To ensure the brand is not damaged by poor communication/bad PR

Assessment Criteria

  • 2.1
    Explain why prompt help for those affected is important.
  • 2.2
    Explain why excellent and on-going communication with customers and others affected is important to the organisation.
3

Know the emergency procedures of a travel and tourism organisation.

Learning Outcome 3: Indicative Content 

Policies and procedures may include details about emergency procedures; who to call out; managing the media, who is/is not allowed to talk to the media; dealing with suppliers/contractors in an emergency; confidentiality.

Employees responsible may include Operations Director, all overseas staff, marketing department (to manage public relations and all media interactions); social media team.

Specific actions will include calling all key staff into the office (if an out of hours emergency), liaison with British embassy (if an overseas emergency), identifying alternative accommodation/availability of return flights, speaking to the media; managing social media; supporting overseas staff, sending additional/senior staff to emergency situation.

Importance of managing the media

  • To ensure correct information is relayed
  • To gain support /aid where required
  • To protect and reassure relatives of those affected
  • To protect the brand

Assessment Criteria

  • 3.1
    Explain the policies and procedures of one organisation for dealing with emergencies.
  • 3.2
    Identify the role of those employees responsible in emergency situations.
  • 3.3
    Describe specific actions that can be taken to handle different emergency situations.
  • 3.4
    Explain the importance of managing the media.