We Asked, You Answered – Fears Addressed! Resilience Council session at Global Travel Marketplace

Industry leaders urged to plan to avoid repeating pandemic mistakes. The travel industry must “control controllables” and plan for the future, according to speakers at Global Travel Marketplace 2022.

David Atkin, managing director of occupational health and safety firm Sanderson Phillips, warned business owners the procedures they put in place for crisis management must be kept up-to-date to avoid repeating mistakes made during the pandemic, where crisis policies had not been created leaving staff unsure of what to do.

He referenced the results of a survey conducted by Deloitte in 2018, which showed 84% of companies said they had crisis plans in place. He then revealed the results of a separate survey conducted by PWC in 2021, which showed 95% of business leaders said their crisis management capabilities needed improvement.

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“Planning is really important and having a safety management plan is key,” he said.

“You don’t realise the value in your crisis management strategy until a crisis occurs, which is why it is so important to do a simulation so all your staff know their roles if the worst does happen.

“Staff are worried about the war in Ukraine, strike action and future Covid strains, all of which are out of anyone’s control. Businesses must instead control the controllables such as policies and staff training.

“The most important thing to do is plan, plan, plan. The travel industry has had such a tough time and organisations need to be prepared for the future.”

Atkins was one of three speakers at a session on resilience at the Global Travel Marketplace, held at the Leonardo Hotel in London on September 28. The three-day event, organised by Jacobs Media, saw delegates including travel agents, tour operators, tourist boards and partners connect with one-to-one meetings, networking sessions and entertainment.