Category: Crisis Communication
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Let’s build a crisis response room for travel: Deep dive at ITB 2026
During this ITB, a lot of focus was put on the matter of resilience and crisis, against the background of the Iran war that began just a few days before the ITB, on 28 February 2026. I was invited to attend a deep dive session on the matter of crisis communications. I stressed the importance…
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There’s no glory in prevention…
There’s no glory in prevention. That’s why disaster preparation is often overlooked. No praise for the crisis that didn’t happen. No applause for “nothing has gone wrong”. Understandable, somehow. But: Hope is not a strategy, either! The mindset behind phrases like “It will not happen to us…” or “We have been through so many crises;…
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A short look back…
2025—a special year is entering the finishing line. A great deal happened to me in just a few months, especially from July onwards. At times, it felt as if someone had switched on the 𝘩𝘺𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘵. What stood out: 🌞 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆: The incredible number of warm and thoughtful messages from my wonderful colleagues at TUI upon my farewell,…
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When Politics Enter the Game
A single social media post by FC St. Pauli’s captain Jackson Irvine sparked weeks of debate – among fans, sponsors, the club’s management, and the media. The case raises a broader question that many football clubs and corporations alike struggle to answer: How should organisations deal with employees who publicly express political opinions and cross…
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Humour in a crisis, seriously?!
Humor in a crisis? Our instincts say no, but maybe the answer is yes. Humor has the power to overcome tense and deadlock situations. At a recent conference, I listened to fascinating research on how humour can be used in public apologies—especially in lighter, reputational crises where celebrities or politicians are in the spotlight. During…
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„Houston, we have a lesson” – what Jim Lovell teaches us about clarity
At age 97, James ‘Jim’ Lovell Jr. passed away last week on 7 August 2025. The commander of the Apollo 13 mission became world famous for maintaining his composure during one of the most dramatic crises in space history – and his crisis management skills hold some valuable lessons for us. The events of 13 April 1970…