Crisis Communications in Travel

Complex global events and challenges including political tensions, terrorism, environmental threats and the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the need for travel companies to be able to respond quickly and communicate effectively during a crisis. When disaster strikes customers expect a rapid and honest response. 

Attend this practical training and explore how best to communicate with your stakeholders in the event of a crisis including staff, customers, concerned family members and the media. Discuss lessons learnt from the past two years and ensure your communications plan is still fit for purpose for any form of crisis.  

Assess the impact of remote working on your crisis plans and the communications team, identifying key roles and preparing spokespeople. Get guidance on what to do as a crisis unfolds including practical exercises on how to manage the media plus top tips on how to conduct interviews and press enquiries on Zoom and Teams. Understand how to effectively manage and monitor your social media accounts and maintain your online reputation.

Get advice on post-crisis comms to prevent further damage to your brand and ensure a positive outcome.

Moderated by ABTA, get guidance from communication experts, 8020, listen to new case studies from travel businesses and hear from a leading travel journalist on their top tips on working with journalists before, during and after a crisis.
 

• Crisis management, planning and execution: the role of the PR team
• Preparing your spokespeople and message development 
• How to build and maintain good relationships with the media 
• Managing immediate communications when a crisis hits
• Effective use of social media during a crisis and how to protect your online reputation
• Interview with a travel journalist on what they want from travel businesses 
• Practical exercise: managing the media and interview skills including virtual interview guidance 
• Post-crisis communications to protect your brand and reputation.
• The role of the ABTA Communications team in a crisis

Moderator: Graeme Buck, Director of Communications, ABTA

Graeme leads ABTA’s external and internal communications, including PR and media relations, marketing communications and brand stewardship. Joining ABTA in 2020, he was previously Head of Communications for Waitrose & Partners. He brings to the role more than 25 years’ experience of working with major organisations.

• Ben Clatworthy, Transport Correspondent, The Times
• Phil Bloomfield, Communications and PR, dnata Travel Group
• Simon Llanos, Chief Marketing Officer, Contiki
• Emma Brennan, Head of Media and PR, ABTA
• Trudi Beggs, Director, 8020 Communications
• Kate Beveridge, Operations Director, 8020 Communications
• Chiara Lawrance, Account Director, 8020 Communications

Additional speakers will be announced shortly including travel industry representatives and media experts.

• Ensure you are fully prepared to communicate with stakeholders and the media if a crisis occurs
• Understand how to plan, respond to and recover from a crisis with effective PR handling
• Discover how to overcome problems brought about by the pandemic including teams working remotely 
• Gain practical insights into managing social media and the immediate response to a crisis
• Learn what the media are really looking for from a journalist’s perspective
• Hear first-hand experience from travel companies on how they communicated throughout a crisis
• Gain new ideas for updating your organisation’s crisis communications strategy

The event is designed for large and small companies, including the following teams: 

• Directors, CEOs and senior managers
• Communications and external affairs and PR teams 
• Emergency planning and crisis management teams

ABTA Member/ABTA Partner* rate – £235 plus VAT 
Non-Member rate – £355 plus VAT 

This includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day, all delegate materials, presentations and an attendee certificate. 

Make payment by credit or debit card. 

View our booking terms and conditions here.

Discounts

• Book three places and get 50% off the third place.
  ^{(This discount will be automatically applied when you book online.)}
• If you are looking to book for a larger group please contact events@abta.co.uk for a bespoke discount.

*To qualify for the ABTA Member/Partner discount you must have a current ABTA Member/Partner number or your application must be in progress when the event takes place.

Non-Members are welcome to attend. For information about becoming a Member click here.

Event partner

At 8020 Communications, we’re in the inspiration game. As a leading travel PR agency, we know how to put travel destinations, products and services on the map. Through creative media relations, vivid digital media campaigns, valued marketing content and reputation management, we connect the right travellers to businesses and generate the excitement that builds bookings and sales. 8020’s team is passionate about travel and combines that spark with deep industry insight, creativity and brilliant execution to ensure outstanding, measurable PR results. Our team’s experience includes leading tour operators, destinations, airlines, airports, private aviation services, accommodation providers, TMCs and travel technology companies.

For details on how to promote your company at this event, contact Matt Turton on 07766 517 611 or mturton@abta.co.uk