Responding to Natural Disasters: Managing a Hotel in the Aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami

Abstract

The case describes the experiences of the General Manager of a luxury resort hotel on the Thai island of Phuket in the days immediately following the Indian Ocean tsunami at the end of 2004. Although the property escaped physical damage and there were no fatalities among residents and staff, the management had to deal with an unprecedented crisis caused by disruption to the tourism industry in the destination as a whole and a dramatic fall in arrivals. Recovery efforts are outlined and reference is made to longer-term impacts on business and the challenges of restoring confidence and returning to normality. Issues arising from the case are suggested in a final list of questions for discussion.