Discovery Coast Tourism Crisis Management Program: Building Resilience in Agnes Water

Preparing for the Unexpected: Building Tourism Resilience on the Discovery Coast

In 2023, Discovery Coast Tourism & Commerce partnered with Tourism Tribe to deliver a tailored crisis management program for ten small tourism businesses in Agnes Water and the 1770 region. Designed in direct response to the challenges exposed by the devastating 2018 bushfire event, this fully funded program equipped local operators with practical tools, planning resources, and confidence to manage future emergencies and support regional recovery.

Why Crisis Readiness Matters for Regional Tourism

In late 2018, a major bushfire swept from Agnes Water to Baffle Creek, forcing evacuations and causing damage across the region. While Agnes Water itself was spared structural loss, the aftermath revealed a deeper issue: visitor numbers plummeted, not because of physical damage, but because potential travellers were unclear on what was open, safe, or operating for months afterwards. We watched horrified as the high season that many tourism operators depend on passed with the town staying quiet and empty. We quickly put together some resources to support our local operators, but the long-term impact on local businesses highlighted a critical need for clear, timely, and coordinated communication during a crisis – and plans to support recovery once the threat has passed.

The Discovery Coast Tourism Crisis Management Program was developed to address exactly that.

About the Program

The program was fully subsidised for ten local businesses and included a mix of live workshops, personalised coaching, and online learning. Its structure focused on practical implementation, helping operators walk away with not just ideas, but documented plans and communication tools they could rely on when it mattered most.

What was included:

• In-person full-day workshop
  Held in Agnes Water, this interactive session set the foundation for crisis planning. Operators were introduced to risk assessment tools, crisis communication templates, and case studies from across Australia.
• Three online follow-up workshops
  These 90-minute online sessions built on the core content, helping participants apply learnings, refine their emergency response plans, and prepare lead magnets and customer communications to keep audiences informed.
• 1-on-1 in-person coaching
  Each business received a personalised coaching session with a Tourism Tribe strategist to workshop their crisis response plan, address unique risks, and put structure around their marketing and communication recovery strategies.
• Access to the Online Course Library
  Through Tourism Tribe’s Digital Assistance Plans, participants received access to self-paced crisis management materials and additional digital training content. This included templates and guides from the Disaster Recovery Communication Management Course, covering:
  • Crisis communication planning
  • Customer and media messaging frameworks
  • Online reputation and review management post-disaster
  • How to “reopen” your destination online
  • Email and social media templates for staged reopening

Supporting Tourism Resilience One Business at a Time

Although this was a small group, each of the ten participating businesses plays a role in the visitor economy from accommodation and tours to attractions and local experiences. Their ability to respond and communicate effectively during a crisis affects not only their own operation but the perception of the entire region.

A key focus of the program was helping these operators:

• Prepare clear, practical emergency communication plans
• Understand how to use their website, Google listing and socials during a crisis
• Build confidence in their recovery messaging, including how to invite visitors back at the right time
• Reduce reliance on third parties by building in-house capability

Why This Model Can Work for Other Regions

One of the most valuable lessons from the Discovery Coast program was this: you don’t need a large group or complex system to build real resilience. With the right tools, targeted content, and a delivery model tailored to local needs, even a small cohort of committed businesses can make meaningful progress toward preparing for emergencies and supporting regional recovery.

A regionally specific, low-barrier program that:

• Includes emergency communication training
• Is built on real past events
• Gives access to templates and coaching
  …can create a powerful foundation for recovery when the next crisis hits – whether it’s fire, flood, or a reputational threat.

Tourism Tribe’s model is designed to be adaptable. Whether you’re working with 5 or 150 operators, our programs can scale to meet your region’s needs.

Looking Ahead

With growing pressure on climate, weather, and public safety systems, tourism regions across Australia, Canada and the world are recognising the need for structured crisis response plans not just at a destination level, but within each business.

Programs like this help fill the gap between strategy and action by translating high-level plans into practical steps that individual tourism businesses can take. They provide tangible ways to retain bookings, manage customer and stakeholder communication, and return to market faster and more confidently after disruption reducing downtime and reinforcing the region’s reputation in the process.

We’re continuing to work with Discovery Coast Tourism & Commerce and other regional organisations to deliver scalable, relevant digital and crisis-readiness support for small tourism operators.

Interested in a Tailored Program?

Tourism Tribe delivers targeted, scalable crisis management and digital capability programs for councils, RTOs, and tourism organisations across Australia and the world.

If your region would benefit from a structured approach to building resilience and crisis readiness in your tourism businesses, we’d be happy to tailor a package that fits.

View our current and past programs or learn more about what we offer on our Industry Training page. If you would like to talk to our team about building your region’s digital resilience contact us by filling out the form at the bottom of the industry training page.

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