Crises in the hospitality industry come in all shapes and sizes: from natural disasters to pandemics, security breaches to political unrest, or even viral customer service failures. Each of these scenarios demands a tailored response—meaning preparation should be both broad and detailed.
A well-crafted crisis plan doesn’t just help you weather the storm (literally or figuratively). When done well, it transforms challenges into opportunities that showcase your hotel’s resilience and commitment to safety. Here’s what to know about making the most useful hotel crisis management plan for your property.
No matter how big or small your hotel crisis is, planning is important. Many things can be considered an emergency in the hospitality industry, but having a hotel crisis management checklist can mitigate the fallout from any of them. Some examples of scenarios to prepare for include:
When your hotel faces a sudden emergency or disaster, there’s a lot at stake. In the short term, the immediate priority is the well-being of your guests and staff. And every disruption can impact your bottom line, so maintaining or resuming operations is also a chief concern.
In the long run, your hotel’s reputation and the trust of your guests are on the line. How you handle a crisis can determine whether your guests feel confident returning or will look elsewhere next time. Plus, data shows that the effort you go to when building a crisis plan is time well spent — 98% of surveyed businesses report that their crisis plan was effective when deployed.
As you begin conducting a risk assessment and planning for a crisis, a checklist is the best practice to manage every part of your operations in unforeseen circumstances.
While you can’t predict the "when" or "what" of a crisis, you can plan for the "how" of your response. Though every crisis is different, each one unfolds in three phases: before, during, and after. When planning, you can organize your response strategy by stage:
A solid hotel crisis management checklist ensures you're ready to navigate all three with confidence.
Emergencies can happen in many ways: some impact just your property or town, while others, like a global pandemic, disrupt the entire world. In the hospitality industry, taking care of your guests is at the heart of what you do — so proper preparation is key. Here’s how to master the preparation process:
Assemble a cross-functional team responsible for identifying risks, creating action plans and keeping protocols up to date. This team must go beyond basic health and safety standards to ensure your hotel is prepared for anything; this means considering your hotel’s property and any unique features. This team should include an individual from every department to ensure you consider all aspects of the business in your crisis planning.
When establishing your crisis protocols, there are three key areas to keep in mind:
Clearly define who handles operations, communications, documentation and other critical aspects during a crisis. Conduct staff training and regular drills to keep everyone prepared, and conduct post-mortems to identify gaps and refine your crisis plan continuously.
When a crisis hits, speed and coordination are key. Follow these streamlined steps to take control:
Convene immediately to assess the situation, confirm details and execute your response plan. Schedule regular check-ins to adapt as the situation evolves until the crisis is under control.
Assign a dedicated team member to track updates from local authorities, such as changing guidelines during natural disasters, ensuring your actions align with the latest directives.
Share calm, clear updates via guest messaging to keep everyone informed and reassured. Have regular meetings with employees so they’re equipped to assist guests and fulfill their roles effectively, and appoint an external spokesperson to keep the public and stakeholders in the loop.
Record every decision, action and update during team meetings to create a timeline. This documentation supports coordination during the crisis and can aid post-crisis analysis, insurance claims or legal needs.
Provide emotional support and other additional resources as needed to ensure safety, stability and a sense of normalcy for everyone involved. Crisis response isn’t just about survival—it’s also about demonstrating calm leadership and care in the toughest moments.
The recovery phase is about transitioning from crisis mode to normal operations, whether you’ve stayed open or temporarily closed. It’s your chance to rebuild trust, reinforce loyalty and prepare for the future.
Here are three key focus areas as you move forward:
Address how guests were impacted, whether it was missed reservation days, compromised experiences, delayed check-ins or canceled events. Tailor solutions like refunds, future discounts or personalized compensation to make things right. Leverage guest data to create thoughtful, customized solutions that rebuild goodwill.
Take charge of the story by showcasing your team’s efforts and resilience on social media and other platforms. Share positive anecdotes, like selfless staff responses or creative problem-solving, and feature guest testimonials about the recovery. Respond thoughtfully to reviews, showing empathy and a commitment to improvement.
Once the dust settles, gather input from all your staff and convene with your Crisis Management Team to evaluate the response. What worked? What didn’t? Use these insights to refine your crisis plans and strengthen your preparedness for future issues.
Crisis management is about showing leadership, care and adaptability in the face of adversity. By preparing thoroughly, responding effectively, and recovering thoughtfully, you can protect your guests, support your team and emerge stronger.
The next crisis is bound to come, but with the right strategies in place, your hotel can meet it with confidence and resilience.
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