Policy and Strategic Plan for Tourism Communication in Absence of Tourists Crisis

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study communication in crisis situations between government and private sector, particularly the communication tools utilized such as mass media, personal communication, new media, and event media. The research follows a qualitative research approach, utilizing observation, in-depth interviews, and semi-structured questionnaires to collect data. The sample group includes hotel and accommodation business operators, entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, local residents, and tourism experts in the Pattaya Special Economic Zone in Chonburi province. The sample size includes 10 hotel and accommodation business operators, 3 private entrepreneurs in the Pattaya Special Economic Zone, and 3 local residents. In addition, interviews with 4 tourism experts were also conducted. The data analysis method used was thematic analysis in conjunction with the crisis communication plan principles proposed by Fearn-Banks and other relevant concepts.

The results indicate that the pandemic crisis is a unique situation requiring specific communication strategies that incorporate crisis communication principles and the use of mixed media to create effective public relations. It was found that the use of new media and social media platforms provided a way to disseminate information rapidly to a large number of people, while personal communication was vital for creating trust and transparency in the government's communication efforts. The study concludes that effective crisis communication should be tailored to the specific context of the crisis and should incorporate a variety of communication tools to achieve maximum effectiveness. With a focus on policies and strategies related to disease outbreak prevention, ensuring security is regarded as a crucial topic in communicating crisis situations. The communicators are required to present comprehensive information to the recipients through various means, including visuals, audio, and text, in order to facilitate the recipients' thorough understanding of the data.