MODULE 3 – Destination Management Strategy

This module will introduce you to destination management and

strategy formulation for resilience

Why is this important?

As we have seen, tourism destinations face a range of risks that are both within and out of the DMO’s control.
The lack of a strategic approach to crisis management can result in a damaged destination image, a decrease
in tourism revenues and a decline in the number of visitors.  

With this in consideration, this module will touch on innovative forms of governance and collaboration
that will enable you to apply a more holistic approach to destination management and resilience.

Relevant case studies will be presented to illustrate how DMOs exhibit strategic
stewardship, effective implementation and efficient governance in handling tourism crises.

In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Travel & Tourism has a real opportunity
to help drive recovery and fulfill its potential as a critical sector in our
transition towards a greener and more equitable society and economy. To
do so, we must be destination stewards and ask – in the spirit of President
John F. Kennedy's timeless call – not what our destinations can do for us but
what we can do for our destinations.
WTTC (2021)

So what will you learn in this module?

The various concepts and issues in tourism destination management and the role of DMOs in
1 creating a more sustainable tourism destination. 

The shift from destination management to destination stewardship, the role of tourism in the
2
achievement of the SDGs and the GSTC criteria for destination management. 

What risk management in tourism entails and how to translate the principles and tools of ISO
3
31000 in crafting risk management policies.
 And what are the learning outcomes?
By the end of this module, you will be able to:

understand the primary functions and responsibilities of DMOs in ensuring a successful

tourism destination;

understand the principles of destination stewardship as an emerging approach to destination

management;

situate your destinations against the GSTC criteria on destination management;

formulate risk management strategies to help your destination cope with the negative effects
of crises using the ISO 31000 Framework.

Understanding Destination
Management and the Role of
DMOs

Introduction
Today more than ever, tourism destinations are facing several challenges – environmental crises,
technological advancements, leadership issues, overtourism and, more recently, a global health crisis –all
calling for a responsive mode that makes destinations more resilient against these disruptors. 

This first section will emphasise the important role of DMOs in effective destination management. This
requires an in-depth analysis of several factors, including: Who is managing? What is being managed? How
should the destination be managed?

Tourism destination management must maximise visitors' value and quality perception while
ensuring the competitiveness and sustainability of the destination, as well as the
preservation of its natural and cultural assets, and catalyse the benefits for the local economy
and its residents.

But what is destination management?

Destination management consists of the coordinated management of

all the elements that make up a tourism destination, (...) [such as]
promotion, visitor services, training, business support and any
management gaps that are not being addressed.

UNWTO (2021)
 However, the recent pandemic has now changed the way we look at destination management. There should
be a strategic approach to linking up the sometimes very isolated elements for better planning and
management of a destination.

In the past, destination management was often a reactive process in response to some crises, but now it must
transition to a proactive, forward-looking and future-oriented approach.

Destination management should be concerned specifically with ideas on the future

of tourism and should adopt a coherent risk management process towards
destination resilience.

And what is a Destination Management Organisation (DMO)?

As stated previously in Module 1, we see the 'M' in DMO as management and not marketing – because the role
of the DMO has become much broader than only focusing on the destination promotion. 

Again, we will turn to UNWTO for the definition of DMO:

a leading organisational entity which may encompass the various

authorities, stakeholders, and professionals, and facilitates
partnerships towards a collective destination vision.
UNWTO (2019)

A DMO is a governing body that calls for partnerships beyond traditional organisations
to include communities and non-governmental organisations in decision-making and
management.

Functions and responsibilities of DMOs

DMOs must continually engage with the stakeholders (public and private sectors, NGOs, local community,
academia, etc.) in the design and implementation of plans and strategies to support the destination’s goal
towards resilience and sustainability. Therefore, a consultative process is needed to assess the destination's
current situation.

Also, effective destination management works best when in partnership with the trade. This is a two-way
process: the trade benefits from regulation, education and access to marketing platforms beyond their
budget and reach, and the DMO benefits from direct access to authentic content, market intelligence, access
to user-generated content from actual visitors and strategic guidance.
 Now let's take a look at some of the most fundamental functions of DMOs:

Planning and developing Developing and implementing Monitoring and reporting Developing tourism products
strategies  the destination’s tourism policy

Training and capacity building Funding and securing Marketing and branding Managing crises
investments

The DMO should develop a roadmap and formulate strategies based on the destination's
needs, competencies and priorities assessed during the participatory process.

Benefits of effective destination management

Good planning and management bring several benefits to a tourism destination, by, for example (UNWTO, 2019):

1. Increasing resilience and sustainability. The destination will be able to withstand adversity; bounce forward from crises
and disasters; maintain its economic viability, its environmental & socio-cultural integrity, and its authenticity and character.

2. Enhancing tourism quality and yield. The DMO will reduce seasonality & overcrowding and deliver great value and
experiences, increasing the average length of stay and visitor expenditures.

3. Spreading tourism benefits. The economic benefits from tourism will be spread across various areas of the destination
through the development & promotion of locally-owned SMEs, products and experiences, and decent job opportunities for
residents.

4. Boosting competitiveness. The quality of the tourism experience will be further enhanced through the unique
positioning of the destination that highlights its authenticity and high-standard products & experiences.

5. Strengthening governance. The DMO will align efforts and bring together all relevant stakeholders to improve the
destination and its communities.

6. Involving the community. The wants and needs of local communities towards tourism development will be considered,
and they will be included in the decision-making process.

Destinations with effective destination management led by a competent DMO have a

higher capacity to keep pace with tourism trends, innovate and adapt to risks. They
become more resilient to challenges and have a higher level of effectiveness in planning and
decision-making.
 What makes a tourism destination successful?
Some DMOs often ignore important factors that negatively affect the environment and culture and see
tourism as mere business transactions. 

Traditional parameters for measuring success – i.e., that solely integrated economic considerations –have led
to many complications: 

Overtourism Commercialisation of culture Environmental degradation

Economic leakage Congestion and pollution Damaged destination reputation

This commonly results from a fixation on growth alone, which often stems from using Key Performance
Indicators that are solely focused on growth measured by volume, such as arrival numbers. By focusing on
management, these KPIs can be modelled on what is best for the destination and instead be ranked on yield
(increasing length of stay and spend), grading of environmental and social impact and ratings and reviews of
visitor experience.

There is a clear mismanagement when the tourist arrivals and receipts are more favoured
than the destination’s culture, environment and community well-being.

More is not always better!

DMOs must be able to create a favourable system that benefits the local communitiesin the destination.

DMOs should consider the more important social, cultural, aesthetic,

natural, spiritual and historical dimensions. This requires good
planning and management to minimise social and cultural conflicts
and prevent tourism from negatively affecting local traditions and
values.
Helena Egan, Co-founder and Director at Planet Egan Ltd
 Think value, not volume
As we have seen, success in tourism does not have to be the same as increased visitor arrivals.

Fewer tourists staying longer is a better long-term business plan than more tourists staying shorter. In
the long run, it will bring more economic benefits with a much lighter footprint – less pressure on the
destination, a better experience for tourists and a higher quality of life for residents.

Case studies: Ireland and the Philippines

See below two examples of DMOs that have addressed sustainability issues by responding to the call on
choosing value over volume:

Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher is a popular destination on the

West Coast of the country. To protect the destination and

its reputation, park managers proposed to raise tour-bus

parking fees, despite the initial reaction of the County

Clare government that this would reduce the number of

tourists.

The stewards of the Puerto Princesa Underground

River in Palawan, the Philippines, agreed to limit

visitors to preserve the nature experience, despite

other stakeholders’ objection that more tourists

would benefit the economy.

Case studies source: Future of Tourism Coalition (2021)

When taking this approach, destinations should avoid the practice of greenwashing, which is creating demonstrations
of environmental or social benefits specifically for promotional purposes. Some examples of this are:

• tree planting projects in areas where forests are being destroyed (as opposed to protecting the forests);

• appointing and benefiting local community associations based in their willingness to be used for publicity (as

opposed to a participatory relationship with the entire community);

• not washing towels in large resorts (as opposed to addressing the broader water consumption); 

• undertaking 'research' on captive dolphins or animals (rather than actually protecting wildlife).

Volume-focused Value-focused

Unique, genuine experiences provided by local

Numbers are the easiest metric to record
people 

On the surface, it looks good... the more A higher percentage of the money stays in the
people, the more money destination
 Volume-focused Value-focused

But the more people who come, the more Adventure travellers spend more than
problems you have ordinary travellers

Measuring the percentage of people coming is

Local people benefit directly from tourism
a simplistic way of looking at tourism

With mass tourism, only a small percentage of It gives opportunity for local people to own the
the money stays in destination tourism businesses and stay in their communities

Rethinking Tourism Management through Destination

Stewardship

Introduction
Destination management requires full public-private-community (PPC) collaboration. This lesson will
discuss the different levels of engagement to support stakeholders in assessing their current context and the
pathway towards destination resilience. 

A new approach of destination management will be explained to present greater potentials for DMOs to
operate efficiently and transparently, thereby generating legitimacy and trust among the different
tourism stakeholders in the industry.

The new mode to destination management

In Module 1, you were introduced to the concept of destination stewardship, which evolved from destination
management. As you remember, even though the main role of DMOs has always been to promote the
destination, they should now shift towards a more holistic approach that encompasses destination
development, community collaboration
and sustainability.

If we want to manage the visitor flows and cash in on tourism's

opportunities, we have to act now. Instead of promoting the
destination, it is time to start managing and developing it.
Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions (2021)
Tourism and the SDGs
The PPC (public-private-community) approach that we just mentioned is aligned with the policies and actions
of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This

allows DMOs to maximise their destination’s contribution to the following specific SDGs. 

Click on each of the pictures for examples on how DMOs can incorporate the SDGs in their plans
and policies (UNWTO):

As one of the world’s largest sectors, Tourism empowers women through Tourism provides 1 in 11 jobs
tourism fosters economic growth and jobs and income-generating worldwide, creating access to decent
development at all levels and provides opportunities in small and larger-scale work opportunities particularly for
income through job creation. tourism enterprises. women and the youth.

A city that is good for its citizens is Tourism adopts sustainable Tourism strengthens public-private
suitable for tourists. Investments in consumption and production practices partnerships and engages multiple
green infrastructure result in more that accelerate the global shift stakeholders to work together to
innovative, greener cities benefiting towards sustainability. achieve the SDGs and other common
both residents and tourists. goals.

Explore more about the examples above and the relationship between tourism and the 2030
 Agenda at: www.unwto.org/tourism-in-2030-agenda

Destination stewardship should be an essential element of tourism's recovery.

With the potential to maximise the benefits for all, from the tourists to the
communities, environment, heritage, industry, and governments. The
pandemic has impacted us all – let us ensure that solutions do, too.

Destination Stewardship Center (2021)

 GSTC criteria on destination management structure and framework
Now that we have explored the benefits of efficient and holistic destination management for the destination
and its community, we will remember another concept from our first module.

You were introduced in Module 1 to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which provides
sustainability standards and criteria for the tourism sector. These criteria are also a powerful tool in guiding
you towards good destination stewardship.

Section A of the GSTC Criteria (2019) on Destination Management Structure and Framework deals with
sustainable management and is concentrated on the following areas:

1 Management Structure;

2 Stakeholder Engagement;

Managing Pressure and Change.

3

Let's start by looking at the specific criteria for Management Structure:

The destination has an effective organisation, department, group, or committee responsible for a
coordinated approach to sustainable tourism, involving the private sector and civil society. This
group has defined responsibilities, oversight, and implementation capability to manage socio-
economic, cultural, and environmental issues.

The destination has a multi-year destination management strategy and action plan: publicly
available; suited to its scale, developed by stakeholder engagement; and based on sustainability
principles. The strategy includes the identification and assessment of tourism assets and socio-
economic, cultural and environmental issues and risks.

The destination is implementing a system to monitor and respond to socio-economic, cultural

and environmental issues and impacts arising from tourism. Actions and outcomes are regularly
monitored, evaluated and publicly reported. The monitoring system is periodically reviewed.

DMOs must strive to manage holistically, with full regard to the destination’s character
and assets, which add up to the area’s “sense of place”:

History Culture Archaeology Traditional architecture

Geology Religious and spiritual sites Cuisine Arts and crafts

Now let's take a look at Stakeholder Engagement
DMOs must be able to involve stakeholders representing the various groups from the private sector, public
sector and civil society and giving them an active voice in tourism planning, policy and management.

Let's see the criteria:

The destination regularly informs tourism-related enterprises about sustainability issues

and encourages and supports them in making their operations more sustainable.

The destination enables and promotes public

participation in sustainable destination planning and
management. Local communities’ aspirations,
concerns and satisfaction are regularly monitored
and publicly reported, and action is taken in
response to them.

The destination has a system to monitor and publicly report visitor satisfaction with the
quality and sustainability of the destination experience. Also, promotion and visitor
information material about the destination is accurate with regard to its products,
services and sustainability claims.

The stakeholder groups to be involved in the tourism planning and management include: local
 residents and minority groups (women, indigenous populations, LGBTQ+ community, individuals
with disabilities), community leaders, spiritual/religious leaders, business sector representatives,
researchers, local government and tourists themselves. 

To .finish, let's see the criteria for Managing Pressure and Change
Crisis management must be part of the destination's agenda, with strategic plans on how to carefully manage
risks. DMOs must be able to establish destination resilience through policies and programmes to build on
their capability for destination stewardship.

Managing Visitor Volumes and Activities

The destination has a system for visitor management which is regularly reviewed. Action is taken to monitor and
manage the volume and activities of visitors, and to reduce or increase them as necessary at certain times and in
certain locations, working to balance the needs of the local economy, community, cultural heritage and
environment.

Planning Regulations and Development Control

The destination has planning guidelines, regulations, and/or policies which control the location and nature of
development, require environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impact assessment and integrate
sustainable land use, design, construction and demolition. 
Regulations also apply to operations, including property rental and concessions for tourism purposes.

Climate Change Adaptation

The destination identifies risks and opportunities associated with climate change. Climate change adaptation
strategies are pursued for the siting, design, development and management of tourism facilities, information on
predicted climate change, associated risks and future conditions is provided for residents, businesses and
visitors.

Risk and Crisis Management

The destination has a risk reduction, crisis management and emergency response plan that is appropriate to
the destination. Key elements are communicated to residents, visitors and enterprises. 
 Case study: St. Kitts

When taking part in GSTC's Early Adopters Program

in 2013, the government of St. Kitts realised that a
lack of stakeholder collaboration was hampering
their sustainability progress.  

For this reason, the Ministry of Tourism partnered

with Sustainable Travel International to create an

innovative cross-sector collaboration advisory
Case study source: Sustainable Travel International (2017)
board: the St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council,

which is made up of representatives from the public

and private sectors to promote sustainable

destination management.

Developing organisational strategies helps destinations avoid or limit the severity of risks induced
by crises. The GSTC Criteria highlights the importance of a holistic approach, meaningful
engagement with stakeholders and effective management of risks.

A Risk Management Approach towards Destination Resilience

Introduction
As we know very well by now, tourism destinations face a wide variety of risks. Some risks arise from events and
circumstances beyond the control of DMOs (natural disasters, political unrest, epidemics, etc.) while others result
from management failures or lack of contingency measures to deal with predictable risks (inappropriate
strategic management, financial problems, property loss, massive turnover, business collapse due to management
failures, etc.).

In this lesson, we will discuss the fundamental roles of DMOs in establishing risk management.

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.

Charles Darwin
 What is disaster risk management and why is it important?
Disasters do happen, therefore it is best to be prepared to manage these unavoidable events. Disaster Risk
Management (DRM) is the application of:

prospectivestrategies to prevent new or increased disaster risk (e.g., better land-use

planning or disaster-resistant water supply systems);

corrective strategiesto reduce existing disaster risk (e.g.; retrofitting of critical

infrastructure or the relocation of exposed populations or assets); and

compensatorystrategies that strengthen the social and economic resilience of

individuals and societies in the face of risks that cannot be effectively reduced.

These strategies include preparedness, response and recovery activities, but also a mix of
different financing instruments, such as national contingency funds, contingent credit,
insurance and reinsurance and social safety nets.

Take a look at the Disaster Risk Management Cycle below (UNESCO, 2010). Disaster Risk Management
consists of 3 main stages: before, during and after disasters. Click on the numbers to know how these
stages are covered in our TDR course:  

1. Module 2 covers risk assessment as

a preparedness activity to be
undertaken before a disaster. Other
activities in this stage are also
covered under Module 7 which
includes mitigation measures for
critical infrastructure and services.

2. Module 3 also focuses on the before
 phase, specifically on the formulation and
implementation of destination management
 policies and programmes for disaster risk
reduction.

 3. Module 4 covers emergency

preparedness and response to be
undertaken before and during a disaster.

4. Module 5 covers activities after a

disaster, with a specific focus on
communication.

In times of crisis, visitors and residents need firm leadership and direction. Adequate
planning is necessary to address risk management issues and reduce the impact of crises
on the destination.
 Risk management consists of 6 main functions:

1 Identify: identify risks or hazards before they become realities. 

Analyse: create decision-making information by evaluating the probabilities, time-frames and

2
potential impacts of each risk and then classifying and prioritising them. 

3 Plan: use the decision-making information to formulate contingency action plans for mitigating
the potential impact of each risk. 

4 Track: monitor the likely effectiveness of these plans by reviewing data on evolving risks. 

Control: revise the risk mitigation plans according to data from the tracking stage. 
5
Communicate: implement internal and external information policies to ensure
6
stakeholder buy-in and support in monitoring changes in the risk environment. 

Risk management plans therefore should:

ensure the safety of visitors, local communities and employees;

establish systems to communicate with all individuals at the destination;

have trained personnel at the disaster management agencies during response and recovery
operations;

supply resources to support response and recovery operations;

identify procedures for return to normal activities upon the termination of the disaster
operations.

DMOs have two essential roles in risk management:  1) developing strategies

to ensure continuity of normal operations; and 2) partnering with stakeholders
in the creation of crisis management plans, systems and procedures.

Disasters like earthquakes, floods, oil spills, conflicts and the outbreak of diseases cannot be entirely prevented, but
destinations can implement mitigation measures to reduce the risk that these can present, and empower stakeholders to
act. An effective DRM plan can help to support tourism stakeholders and vulnerable communities by protecting the
loss of life, assets and property in a destination.

Disaster risk governance 

Let's take a look at an important aspect of Disaster Risk Management (DRM), which is governance. According to UNDRR,
 
 Disaster risk governance is the system of institutions, mechanisms, policy
and legal frameworks and other arrangements to guide, coordinate and
oversee disaster risk reduction and related areas of policy. Good
governance needs to be transparent, inclusive, collective and efficient to
reduce existing disaster risks and avoid creating new ones.

UNDRR

Disaster risk governance at the regional or destination level is part of destination management/stewardship
and refers to the way in which all stakeholders within a tourism destination (public authorities, civil servants,
media, private sector and civil society) coordinate together (and within the
regional and national disaster risk governance structure) in order to manage and reduce disasters and
climate-related risks in tourism destinations.

Clear vision, plans, competence, guidance and coordination within and across sectors, as
well as the participation of relevant stakeholders, are needed to best prepare for disasters.

Strengthening disaster risk governance for prevention, mitigation,

preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation fosters
collaboration and partnerships acrossinstitutions to implement
relevant instruments to disaster risk reduction and sustainable
development.

The ISO 31000 risk management: use and benefits

We have learned that DMOs are responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing policies
relating to risk and disaster management. To assist with this process, ISO 31000 provides guidance for
DMOs on efficient risk management, communicating its value and explaining its intention and purpose.

How do DMOs benefit from ISO 31000?

Through the development of a risk management strategy to effectively identify and mitigate
risks.

By allowing you to understand the consequences associated with risks and thus make more
informed decisions.

The ISO 31000 principles, framework and process 

The purpose of the ISO 31000 is to provide DMOs with the principles, framework and process to assist the
integration of risk management into significant activities and functions in destination management.  

The ISO 31000 principles, framework and process encompass developing, integrating, designing, implementing,
evaluating and improving risk management across the organisation. Click on each step to know more about them:
 Principles
 The principles provide guidance on the characteristics
of
an effectiverisk management, communicating its
value and explaining its intention and purpose. 

The principles are the foundation for managing risk and

should be considered when establishing the
organisation’s risk management framework and
processes.

 

Framework Process

The purpose of the risk management framework is to The risk management process involves the systematic

assist the organisation in integrating risk management applicationof policies,procedures

and practices
to the

into significant activities and functions.  activities of communicating and consulting, establishing
the context and assessing, treating, monitoring,
This requires supportfrom stakeholders, particularly
top management.  reviewing, recording and reporting risk.

Read about each component and how they will help your destination's risk management here.

According to ISO (2018), you should evaluate your existing risk management practices and
processes for any gaps and address those gaps within the framework. The components of the
framework should be customised to your needs.

ISO 31000 is a highly effective risk management framework for identifying,

analysing, evaluating and handling risks. It helps DMOs understand the causes of the
risks and the opportunities that can support achieving the destination's goals. 

Case study: Indonesia

In this link, see a specific example of how the ISO 31000 Risk Management Framework was
applied to the tourism industry in Indonesia.

Mitigation Risk Based on ISO 31000:2009 on The Optimization Model for Developing Spiritual Tourism
Destinations
This article analyses the implementation of risk mitigation through ISO 31000: 2009 on the optimisation model for
developing a spiritual tourism destination at Parahyangan Agung Jagatkartta Temple, Indonesia.
Final thoughts on DMOs risk management
Throughout this section we have emphasised the importance of being prepared through risk management. This
means being prepared to minimise emergent risks (which may be unforeseen and happen suddenly) and then
shift rapidly into disaster management. This raises the risk of inaction or slow response that makes the crisis
even worse. 

The risk of inaction or slow response needs to be addressed. How? 

DMOs should undertake advance audits of the organisation's ability to manage and handle a crisis. This means
identifying issues that may occur during a crisis or disaster and how this could happen. These often include:

Communication policies and protocols

Who can respond to a crisis and share information? And via which channels? 

Do these people have the ability to take action without seeking permission or clearance that may be
time consuming or difficult? 

An immediate chain of communication is needed and must be agreed in advance. We will cover more on this topic
in Modules 4 and 5.

Ability to halt activity and change tack

Can marketing messages, approaches and channels be stopped or changed at short notice without
breaking protocols or losing available budget? 

Policies need to include clear contingencies for taking these actions.

Access to resources

During a crisis, new resources may be required for managing the situation. These may include services of PR
firms, media buying or supportive resources for the trade such as producing web based content, mapping of
impacted areas and more. 

If accessing these resources requires lengthy procurement procedures, approvals and selections, the
management of the crisis can become too slow, or stopped. 

Risk management polices should include procedural and procurement waivers that are agreed in
advance and explaining the circumstances under which they may be invoked.

Budget

Managing a crisis and risk and impact mitigation can be costly, and in many cases DMOs failure to respond
is because of lack of available budget. 

Having a contingency budget agreed, identified and available in all DMO budgets is important, with an
assessment of the amounts that will be required, under what circumstances they can be used, and how they can
rolled over.
 An audit process to identify these areas as well as a collaboration with the public sector
to develop these contingent plans, actions, resources and budgets is essential.

Time to get to work!

It is time to put your knowledge into practice!

See three practical tips on how you can apply the content you learned in this module and
improve your destination's management and stewardship:

Destination management

An effective tourism destination management maximises

visitors' value and quality perception while ensuring the
competitiveness and sustainability of the destination,
preserving the natural and cultural assets, and catalysing the
benefits for the local economy and community of the
destination.

The Destination Management Organisation (DMO) should formulate strategies based on the destination's
needs, competencies and priorities that were assessed during the participatory process with all relevant
tourism stakeholders, including the local community and minority groups.

Destination stewardship

As we have seen, the shift from destination marketing to

destination management allowed the creation of a new
approach: destination stewardship, which
encompasses destination development, community
collaboration and sustainability.
 Risk management

It is crucial for DMOs to implement risk management strategies to handle the adverse effects of crises
and disasters in their destinations.

DMOs must develop strategies to ensure continuity of normal operations and, at the same time, partner
with stakeholders to create crisis management plans, systems and procedures. 

ISO 31000 can help DMOs develop a risk management strategy to effectively identify and mitigate risks, as
well as it allows for more informed and effective decision-making.

Module Summary

Key takeaways
We have seen that managing tourism destinations requires a shared understanding of the common good
and effective platforms for collaboration with shared objectives and measurements of
success that go beyond traditional growth metrics, such as visitor arrivals and overall spend. More than
ever, DMOs face the challenge of addressing the effects of crises in a more proactive and sustainable way.

In this module, we have covered:

what a DMO is and the importance of effective destination management towards resilience and
1 sustainability;

that innovative forms of governance and stakeholder collaboration enable a more holistic
2 approach to destination management;

the principles and processes of ISO 31000 as a comprehensive framework to ensure that risks are
3 managed effectively and coherently across an organisation;

that all tourism stakeholders should have significant input into the risk management process
4
and contribute to the development and implementation of associated risk management plans,
systems and procedures;

that by identifying and managing risks, DMOs may very well respond to any crisis correctly and
5
precisely.
Thank you for completing this module! In Module 4, we will dive into a crucial step in risk
management: the development of an emergency plan. Please contact us at crc@pata.org
for any questions, suggestions or support.

The Tourism Destination Resilience project is

implemented by PATA with support of the
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the
German Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ).