A single disaster event has the potential to cause widespread damage and economic disruption, affecting private and public investments in tourism destinations, and the country’s image and reputation, while posing a threat to the lives of tourist, workers and surrounding communities. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is collaborating with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Asia and Pacific (UNISDR) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) within the framework of the Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) to improve climate and disaster risk management and to strengthen resilience in hotels and throughout destinations.

1. With support from the German Government through
Strengthening the Resilience of the
Tourism Sector
Hotel Resilient

2. Hazardous Leisure
• Tourism is one of the most severely exposed sectors
• Location of many destinations in hazard prone areas
• Interruptions of supply chains in the tourism sector
as flights are cancelled and suppliers affected
• Hotel industry is often unable to reduce their risk to natural and
technological hazards or to prepare adequately
• Strong emphasis on disaster response rather than reducing risks
• Tourists are vulnerable due to their unfamiliarity with the
destination, lack of local knowledge and/or language

3. Hurricane, Tsunami, Storm Surge and Earthquake Risk in Indonesia

4. Seismic, Volcanic and Tropical Storm Risk

5. Hazardous Leisure
-40.00
-35.00
-30.00
-25.00
-20.00
-15.00
-10.00
-5.00
0.00
Bali Maldives Sri Lanka Thailand
INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS DECLINE (%)
ANNUAL CHANGE 2005/2004

6. Disaster Risk Management in Tourism
• Partnerships with the private sector, which is responsible for 70% to
85% of all investments worldwide, are needed
• Tourism development can create new risk but also presents great
opportunities for risk management solutions
• Communities in destinations are heavily reliant on tourism
• Risk perception influences tourists’ decision to travel, besides crime
and terrorist attacks, disasters are of most concern for tourists
• Effective disaster risk management in hotels is expected by hotel
clients in all price categories
“ […] economic losses from disasters are now reaching an
average of US$250 billion to US$300 billion each year.” (GAR15)

7. Hotel Resilient
Partner:
Objective: To improve disaster risk management and strengthen
resilience in hotels and throughout tourism destinations
Approach: - Strong partnerships with the public and private sector
in the field of tourism and disaster risk management
- Development of standards, guidelines, checklists/
evaluation forms and tools to reduce business risk and
the risk of tourists, workers, and surrounding
communities to natural and technological hazards

8. Hotel Resilient
Current Focus Countries:
Outcomes: - Hotel Resilient governance structure
- Scoping study ‘Developing strategies to strengthen
the resilience of hotels to disasters’
- Promotion and agenda setting (DRM / Tourism)
- Handbook including multi-hazard risk management
standard module (standards, checklist, tools etc.)
Indonesia The PhilippinesMyanmar ThailandMaldives

9. Scoping Study - Methodology
• Semi-structured interviews with 17 representatives from
government agencies, hotel industry, hotel and tourism associations,
tour operators, and insurance companies in Indonesia, the
Maldives, the Philippines, and Thailand
• Key Areas:
 Hotel risk management strategies
 Benefits and barriers to adoption of standards
 Marketability of disaster risk management
 Needs of the tourism sector

10. Market Study - Recommendations
1. Develop international
recognized standards to
promote best practice
behaviours and create more
alignment between risk
management approaches.
2. Work with hotel industry
leaders to develop and pilot
the standards.
3. Reflect relevant legislation to
avoid contradiction and
prevent duplication.
4. Promote both legislative and
market forces to obtain
adoption of the standard
module.
5. Focus on business to business
marketing of the Initiative -
wholesales, tour operators,
conference organizers and
industry associations request
effective risk management,
providing market
opportunities.

11. Market Study - Recommendations
6. Engage global insurers and
industry associations to
promote the Initiative and
identify key elements they
consider important.
7. Create local partnerships
among stakeholders in the
public and private sector in
the field of disaster risk
management and tourism to
promote cooperative and
coordinated arrangements.
8. Consider the needs of the
industry and conduct
activities in low peak season
and adapt the costs relative to
the size of the establishment.
9. Consider certification in the
next phase of the Initiative,
when the standards have
been tested and extensive
support from the global
industry is obtained.

12. Standard Development Process
Development of a multi-hazard
risk management standard
module in a participatory
approach in the field to ensure
the product is accepted by the
industry and tailored to the needs
of hotels/tourism destinations
Selected destinations:
Bohol, Bantayan and Cebu in the
Philippines

13. Standard Development Process
Challenges and opportunities in the Philippines:
• Recent disasters had huge impacts directly and indirectly affecting
the tourism industry
• Whole provinces have often been perceived as unsafe though most
destinations were not affected
• The industry has become more
cooperative and receptive for change
recognising the need for standardised
procedures to address disaster risks
• Expansion of infrastructure and
increase of tourism arrivals expected
Abatan Bridge in Bohol following the 2013 earthquake
(Photo: © Lucas Nunag)

14. Standard Development Process
• Field team will be based in the selected destinations for a minimum
of three weeks to develop standard module with all relevant
stakeholders
– Weekly workshops with participating hotels as well as hotel visits
to test and fine-tune standards and procedures
– Interviews with hotel and tourism association, local authorities
• Detailed action plan will be developed jointly at the Kick-off
Workshop at the end of October
• Main Events: Kick-off Workshop, Hotel Resilient Expert Group
Meeting and Closing Workshop in Cebu City

15. Next Steps
Kick-off Workshop to launch the Standard Development
Process in the Philippines
Development of a multi-hazard risk management standard
module in a participatory approach in the field
Expression of interest launched, interested destinations/key
stakeholders apply to become pilot destinations
Selection of up to three destinations
Pilot of standard module in the Asia-Pacific region
10.2015
12.2015
02.2016

16. Expression of interest
Who can apply?
• Hotels, hotel or tourism association, destination agencies, other
touristic establishments or local authorities
 located in a tourism destination
 exposed to severe risk of natural and/or technological hazards
What is expected?
• Mobilisation of hotels in the destination that are willing to
participate in the pilot and implement standards
• Appoint dedicated resource person and support the pilot with
facilitation of workshops, in-kind or financial contribution etc.

17. For further information please contact:
Hanna Maier (GIDRM/GIZ)
E-mail: hanna.maier@giz.de
Brigitte Leoni (UNISDR)
E-mail: leonib@un.org
Paul Pruangkarn (PATA)
E-mail: paul@pata.org
Thank you very much for your attention!
With support from the German Government through