How can you stay up-to-date with industry standards in tour risk assessment and crisis management?

1 Join professional associations

One of the best ways to keep up with the latest best practices, trends, and regulations in tour risk assessment and crisis management is to join professional associations that represent your sector and destination. For example, you can join the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), or the International Association of Tour Managers (IATM). These associations offer resources, training, events, and networking opportunities that can help you improve your skills and knowledge.

2 Follow reputable sources

Another way to stay informed about the current and emerging issues and challenges in tour risk assessment and crisis management is to follow reputable sources of information and guidance. These can include government agencies, travel advisories, health organizations, media outlets, and industry experts. You can subscribe to newsletters, podcasts, webinars, blogs, or social media accounts that provide relevant and reliable updates and insights. You can also use tools like Google Alerts or RSS feeds to monitor specific topics or keywords.

3 Conduct regular audits

A third way to stay up-to-date with industry standards in tour risk assessment and crisis management is to conduct regular audits of your own policies, procedures, and performance. You can use frameworks like ISO 31000 (Risk Management) or ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management) to evaluate and improve your risk management system. You can also seek feedback from your clients, staff, partners, and suppliers to identify any gaps or areas for improvement. You can also benchmark your practices against your competitors or industry leaders.

5 Review and update your plans

A fifth way to stay up-to-date with industry standards in tour risk assessment and crisis management is to review and update your plans regularly. You should have a comprehensive risk management plan that covers all aspects of your tour operations, from pre-departure to post-trip. You should also have a crisis management plan that outlines the roles, responsibilities, and actions of your team in case of an emergency. You should review and update these plans at least once a year or whenever there are significant changes in your environment, operations, or expectations.

6 Learn from your experiences

A sixth way to stay up-to-date with industry standards in tour risk assessment and crisis management is to learn from your experiences. You should document and analyze any incidents, accidents, complaints, or crises that occur during your tours and identify the root causes, impacts, and lessons learned. You should also implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence or reduce severity. You should also share your learnings and best practices with your team, partners, and peers to foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?