Project: Integrated crisis communications during the Icelandic ash crisis in 2010

Category: ISSUES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Summary

In April 2010 Europe’s tourism sector was hit by the ash cloud when a volcano in Iceland erupted. It wreaked havoc on Europe’s air transport system: standard precautionary acts included the immediate closure of airports. Estonian travel agency Estravel acted immediately through local mass media and social media channels. Also, Estravel constantly communicated directly with important target groups. Along local tourism sector players Estravel achieved the role of spokesperson and expert, whose commission was to consult clients and find solutions.

From competitors’ reactions and statements, Estravel’s role was completely different. We centralized and distributed guidelines and informative announcements in purpose to give people practical help. Also Estravel consulted Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in certain situations the ministry relied on and distributed the information that was given by Estravel.

According to Estravel’s notices it was the first time when Estonian media started to use (and quote) Facebook entries as the trustful fastest source of information.

Situation

April 15th, when first airports were closed in Europe, can be considered as the first day of the crisis. During the first days the range of the crisis was difficult to consider - all together 100 000 flights (53%) in Europe were cancelled! Chaos spread across Europe, with authorities in France, then Lithuania, then Hungary all deciding to close their airspaces. Tallinn’s airport was also closed. People, miles away from their homes and families, could not get back or had to cancel important meetings.

Immediately, Estravel’s call center overburdened and we had to help and give guidance to those clients who were stuck in the airports all over the world and to their families. For example, only during the weekend over thousand clients needed

Estravel’s assistance in cancelling or booking flights tickets, in annulling or organizing accommodation etc.

Last but not least one quarter of company’s employees were on the business trip in Venice and could not get back to Estonia. So, Estravel had to handle stressful crisis situation with decreased number of staff.

Objectives

Goals, objectives:

• Fend the reputation of Estonian tourism sector in case of a crisis

• Ease the burden of front-line workers of travel agencies through the provision of information through mass media and social media

• Hold an open, two-way communication in social media to reduce the tension and minimize the recurrence of similar issues

• Be the mediator of customer relations with international airlines and insurance companies

· Increase the band awareness of Estravel and reinforce its position as the

opinion leader of the tourism sector

• Positively distinguish Estravel from other travel agencies

• Activate public authorities to take a part of the notification load upon itself

Target audience: whole wider public, including existing and potential customers, participants of the tourism market, media etc.

Strategy

Describe the strategy and planning of the campaign to achieve the set goals and objectives, as well as the criteria for the assessment of results (150 words max)

· Message development and communications strategy:

- To achieve the role of spokesperson/ expert and through that differ from competitors

- To initiate proactive media coverage, to respond reactive media queries,

to manage efficiently different social media channels

- To inform and advise not only Estravel’ s clients but all the publicity

· Main tactical activities

- Catching the main spokesperson role in the media

- Communicating directly with the clients (main stakeholders)

- Constantly distributing information and updating it in social media channels:

Estravel’ s blog: informative articles for people who could not return home and for their relatives;

Facebook and Twitter: regular posts and updates about the last situation; real-time communications and advising; inciting people to share the information about transport etc;

Mass media: pro- and re-active media relations, interchange of information with different instances

· Cross-promotion between communication channels

· Contacts with authorities

· Assessment of results

- The number of media coverage and tonality compared to other travel agencies- The number of Estravel’s media coverage compared to other travel agencies and Estonian Association of Travel Agencies was the highest:

- Customer feedback NPS-score rose to 64% (on global scale an extremely high result)

- Immediate effect on sales results: compared to 2009 the sales results of the month following the crisis (in May) grew 12%, in June 16% (July 8%).

Execution

15th April

· First warning on Estravel’s Facebook page about the closing of Oslo’s Airport. Ongoing information about closed airports and airlines’ information appears under the same post.

· Estravel opens a blog, where they gather all the information of Estonian and Finnish travel agencies, information from different airlines and also guidelines for people abroad, people who wait for their trip to begin and people back home.

· Estravel is the first to give guidelines to travelers in media in terms of where to to turn to receive information.

16th April

· Estravel puts together a guideline to those in need. Television, radio and online media receive the information from them.

· Posts in Facebook, about Estravel’s plans to help clients who are affected by the crisis; reference to the guideline on their homepage; information about alternative vehicles in Europe turning back to Estonia

· Press release: Estravel asks their clients to be patient – coverage in all the main online publications

17th April

· Estravel significantly complements their guidelines of behavior on their homepage, reference on the Facebook page.

· In addition ongoing information about cars and buses driving back to Estonia on the Facebook page

18th April

· Estravel’s recommendation of postponing all planned flights in media

· Instructions on Estravel’s homepage how relatives and friends can send money to their loved-ones abroad, reference on the Facebook page.

19th April

· Via Facebook Estravel informs about the first signs of recovery of the airlines

20th April

· To fasten the process of finding important information about different airlines, Estravel publishes on their homepage the webpage information of all the major airlines, reference on the Facebook page.

Documented Results

Include tangible and quantifiable results in relation to the assessment criteria. Show how they measure up against the original objectives of the communication and business goals.

Please note, in the absence of any indication of results, the jury cannot award a mark, and the entry could suffer as a result. (150 words max)

· Estravel took the role of the main spokesperson and wore it out. The main difference can be seen when looking at different media coverage – Estravel is mainly giving advice how to act, other coverage are mainly descriptive (travelers are/are not arriving home)

· Generally, the case showed, that the importance of social media is growing, especially in crisis situations, because people have the chance to talk about their problems in real time. Estravel also showed the most action in this area, although others made some moves as well.

· Also please have a look at the information under “Assessment of results” again

Name of the links

URL

Estravel in Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/#!/Estravel

Estravel’s home page

www.estravel.ee

Estravel’s crisis blog

http://www.estravel.ee/uudised/category/turismiuudised/tuhakriis/

Estravel in Twitter http://twitter.com/ - !/estravel_pakub