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Crisis management and tourism is attracting increasing attention as an industry practice and subject of academic enquiry, not least in South East Asia which has been affected by a number of severe crises in recent years. However, organisations are not always well prepared and response strategies can be deficient. The paper discusses issues of tourism crisis management with specific reference to the popular Malaysian destination of Penang. Findings are based on qualitative research consisting of semi-structured interviews with industry leaders from assorted sectors. Tourism in Penang emerges as vulnerable to regional and global events which act as a trigger for tourism crises, demanding a response in which various strategies are employed. The destination is also seen to recover fairly quickly from experiences of crises, but a well designed and formulated tourism crisis management plan under the stewardship of the public sector is necessary to mitigate further damage in the future.

The paper investigates the effects of the floods which covered parts of Thailand in 2011. It discusses the responses of the public and private sectors and evaluates levels of resilience, making particular reference to the opinions of a group of stakeholders in the capital of Bangkok. The findings from primary and secondary data indicate that the immediate impacts of the disaster were severe, but recovery was rapid and the industry demonstrated a high degree of resilience. Consequences for organisations depended on their proximity to the flooded areas and the size and nature of the business. Shortcomings were revealed in the official approach to disaster management within a tourism context and the lack of a learning culture was observed among private enterprises. Responses were primarily of an ad hoc character and it is suggested that more proactive planning is undertaken and a comprehensive and inclusive tourism disaster management plan is established.

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PurposeCrisis planning and improvements to business resilience are increasingly significant aspects of hotel management. This study investigates the crisis preparation of hotel managers in Malaysia and how their perceptions affect crisis planning and preparation.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research method of semi-structured interviews with 24 hospitality managers in Malaysia was conducted. Data were analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti software, version 8.FindingsThe findings showed that crisis preparation among Malaysian hospitality firms is relatively neglected. Hotel crisis preparation schemes are greatly influenced by senior managers' intentions and organizational culture. Organizational resilience also has a significant role in hotel crisis planning and preparedness. Interestingly, in terms of long-term adaptation, hotels were less inclined to be “learning organizations” and managers were reluctant to change their organizational established structures, core beliefs and practice sustained resiliency in crisis preparation.Practical implicationsUnderstanding the crisis preparation of hospitality managers is important to develop effective strategies for different crises considering their severity and urgency. This study identified influential organizational and personal factors which affect crisis preparation of hospitality managers in Malaysia. The study further recommends a proactive mindset in crisis preparation of hotels.Originality/valueCrisis preparation of hospitality managers had received limited attention, and this study highlights how managers consider crisis planning and preparation.