A series of new guides designed to help hotels and other tourism businesses manage and recover from natural disasters such as bushfires has been released by the NSW Government in response to the NSW Bushfire Inquiry.
The three guides, titled ‘NSW First Quick Tips for Tourism Businesses’ focus on specific phases of a natural disaster including preparing for, responding to and recovering from.
The guides have been developed by Destination NSW in conjunction with Resilience NSW and the NSW Rural Fire Service and have been collated drawing on expertise from individuals, businesses and departments with extensive knowledge and experience in disaster management.
Each guide covers topics including managing people on-site and incoming visitors, staff and suppliers, emergency response, overcoming adversity and the overall visitor economy.
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, said the guides would be an invaluable resource for regional tourism operators.
“With NSW responding so positively to the call to get vaccinated, we’re hopeful for a bumper summer of visitation across the State, so we encourage businesses to use this time now to prepare before guests arrive,” Minister Ayres said.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said the guides were another step taken to address recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry.
“Bush fires, floods and other extreme weather events are a part of our landscape, particularly in areas where most of us enjoy our holidays,” Minister Elliott said.
“Our emergency services stand ready to respond, but individuals, businesses and communities alike have a responsibility to have a clear plan.”