A Study of Crisis Management Strategies of Hotel Managers in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area

Abstract

SUMMARYThe 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. had a devastating impact on the local hospitality industry, and tested hotel managers' preparedness for crisis management under great uncertainty and time compression. This study examines how hotel general managers handled catastrophic events, analyzes and compares empirically the impact of the terrorist attack on the human and financial aspects of the hotel industry. General managers operating hotels with different affiliations, sizes and in different locations in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area were surveyed to ascertain their crisis management and recovery strategies. The study offers an insight into crisis management strategies as performed by hotel general managers in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area and identifies strategies that can be emulated and formulated into future hotel crisis management plans.