Resilience Amidst Adversity: Tourism Recovery Post-Violence

By: John Deveney, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, IABC Fellow

Tragically, tourism and violence intersect far too often.

And when they do, it profoundly affects a destination’s image, economy, and emotional resonance with visitors. The eclipsing of a destination’s image by violence is a serious issue that requires immediate attention. How can a destination recover?

The world reeled last weekend from the tragic attack that senselessly killed 11 ranging in age from 5 to 65 at the Lapu-Lapu festival in Vancouver. And this week marks four months since the horrific terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

These are two of the best destinations in North America for travelers.

Vancouver’s economy is by far the more diverse and robust, with major sectors including finance, insurance, and real estate, along with contributions from trade and commerce, technology, film production, and tourism. The tourism industry, Vancouver’s third-largest industry by value, generates $4.8 billion annually, supports 70,000 jobs, and is a crucial part of its economic landscape.

Tourism generates nearly 40% of New Orleans’ operating budget, making it a significant driver of the city’s economy. This includes supporting over 75,000 jobs in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. The industry’s contribution to a reduction in residents’ tax burden underscores its importance in the city’s financial health.

Each destination must recover. In our decades of working with destinations, I’ve seen how communities can face seemingly insurmountable odds and emerge better, stronger, and more successful—when they deploy the right strategies, such as crisis communication plans, coordinated messaging strategies, community engagement initiatives, and safety enhancement measures.

With its inherent resilience, the tourism industry offers hope in the face of adversity. How destinations respond to violence determines whether its effects are fleeting, temporary, lasting, or terminal.

I lead DEVENEY, a nationally recognized agency trusted for repositioning destinations, restoring public confidence after disruption, and re-igniting tourism economies through award-winning strategy. With our advanced problem-solving ability and decades of travel industry experience, we help brands reclaim relevance, captivate audiences, and increase visitation with storytelling that moves markets.

My agency has led the preparation, management, and recovery for states, multi-state regions, regions, and cities for a wide range of crises. From hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ida, Superstorm Sandy, the BP Oil Spill, and floods to civil unrest, crime, and brain-eating amoebas, we have navigated tourism destinations and their public perception through it all. Our proactive work has also seen us assist destinations like Shreveport-Bossier City strengthen their ability and skills to manage major crises.

Below, I share insights and strategies to navigate the complex landscapes in which destinations can find themselves, drawing on real-world examples and proven approaches. And I offer a look at what New Orleans has recently done, weighed with the lessons and examples of other relevant events.

Perception Is Everything: The Psychological Impact

Violence immediately focuses perceptions on safety. Whether the 2017 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas or the Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando, such events lead travelers to question a destination’s security and their safety.

Recovery depends on proactive and consistent messaging. Communicating enhanced safety measures while celebrating the destination’s identity helps rebuild trust. For instance, Las Vegas pivoted its narrative post-shooting to reinforce its status as a premier entertainment hub.

Following the tragedy on Bourbon Street, New Orleans responded to the inevitable concerns of potential travelers who questioned the destination’s security and their safety if they were to visit. Their proactive and consistent messaging included listing some 40 specific enhanced safety measures, equipment, and resources being marshaled by 36 top experts, leaders, and entities being brought to bear to keep visitors safe.

Preparation: The Key to Success

Destinations can do a great deal to steel themselves and fortify their resilience before tragedy strikes. Media training, segmented spokespeople, messaging platforms, media policy, social media policy, audience analysis, tabletop exercises, and phantom websites are the start to the list, and having relationships in place with the resources and experts tone hopes never to need.

Leadership is crucial in crisis management. Having leaders who have managed such challenges before and have raised the needle on intent to visit a destination following a widely promoted crisis is invaluable. The experience and expertise on the destination’s team are what will guide the destination through the recovery process and raise the needle on intent to visit.

A bright side to having gone through hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the BP Oil Spill, floods, and brain-eating amoebas is that New Orleans has a deep and wide bench of experienced leaders. Two exceptional examples are New Orleans & Company, the official destination sales and marketing organization for New Orleans’ tourism industry, led by Walter Leger, Mark Romig, Jeremy Cooker, and Kelly Schulz; and New Orleans, Inc., a non-profit corporation formed to spearhead economic development for the ten-parish Greater New Orleans region, led by its President & CEO Michael Hecht.

Resilience in Action: The Industry’s Collective Memory

Tourism’s ability to rebound from tragedy lies in its capacity for collective memory and solidarity.

• Boston’s Marathon Bombing (2013): The “Boston Strong” campaign transformed tragedy into a symbol of resilience, drawing support and renewed interest in the city.
• Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub Shooting (2016): Despite the devastation, Orlando’s broader identity as a family-friendly destination remained intact. The tragedy became a rallying point for the LGBTQIA+ community but did not become a barrier or deterrent to visitors who were not part of that community.

These cities demonstrated that reframing a narrative toward resilience and solidarity can energize recovery efforts.

New Orleans defines resilience.

Following the terrorist attack, New Orleans’ city leaders, including GNO Inc.’s Michael Hecht, rallied the community in a show of solidarity and determination.

“We all know that New Orleans defines resilience. We will work together to overcome this hateful act, and build a better tomorrow,” said Hecht.

“Our business and tourism communities are united with all local, state, and federal partners to continue making New Orleans a great and safe city to live, work, visit, and invest. A single act of evil will not deter us. If anything, it has only strengthened our resolve and love for this community.”

One-Voice Strategy: Stay on Message

And New Orleans understands the importance of message consistency. Compare this statement from Leger to Hecht’s paragraph above:

“Our business and tourism communities are united with all local, state, and federal partners to continue making New Orleans a great and safe city to live, work, visit and invest in. A single act of evil by an ISIS-inspired terrorist will never deter us. In fact, it has only strengthened our resolve and love for this community.”

Economic and Social Recovery: Tourism as a Tool

Tourism can be more than just an economic driver—it can be a powerful tool for healing. After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans leaned into its cultural vibrancy to reignite interest. After the BP Oil Spill, social and digital campaigns reminded the world of the city’s unparalleled music, cuisine, and festivals, inspiring a sense of resilience and hope.
Similarly, Louisiana’s River Parishes showed how tourism supports economic and emotional recovery post-Hurricane Ida by inviting visitors to dine, shop, and explore while directly aiding local communities.

And New Orleans’ cultural vibrancy rises to the need of the occasion again.
New Orleans has been ranked #1 as the most cultured city in the United States based on a “culture score” developed by the travel website Holafly, which developed a U.S. Culture Index ranking America’s cultural hotspots by analyzing the number of theaters, live music venues, museums, art galleries, and landmarks per 100,000 people. And the timing of this first-place ranking helps to recast public perception.

At the end of March, after a three-year process, New Orleans & Company announced that New Orleans is one of only two U.S. cities under consideration for the prestigious UNESCO Creative Cities Network! for the UNESCO Creative City of Music Designation. If selected, this designation will fortify New Orleans’ seat at the global table and bring a wave of highly credible global recognition, excitement, and optimism. This would be a global spotlight fixed on the destination’s rich cultural landscape among musicians and music lovers.

One-Size-Does-NOT-Fit-All: Context-Specific Responses

Each city’s challenges are unique, requiring tailored solutions:

• New Orleans: Episodic violence stems from systemic issues, yet its enduring cultural richness ensures visitors return for its music, food, and festivals.
• Las Vegas: The city’s scale and infrastructure helped frame the Harvest Festival shooting as an isolated anomaly, allowing quicker recovery.
• Boston: Its historical and cultural identity and community solidarity bolstered its image post-bombing.
• Orlando: The Pulse tragedy was recognized as a targeted hate crime against a discreet section of the community, distancing it from the city’s family-focused tourism brand and, in travelers’ minds, from the family-focused tourists.

Turn the page: change the narrative to change public perception

After a situation that makes travelers question and reevaluate a destination, a large part of the recovery is getting back to work as a destination. It must demonstrate that people can and should visit and will enjoy a visit. Since the New Year’s Day tragedy, New Orleans has successfully hosted major events to rapped audiences.

Mardi Gras 2025 in New Orleans was a resounding success, with hotel occupancy rates exceeding pre-pandemic levels and attracting a large number of visitors. Despite the world’s largest free party being cut short by severe weather concerns, the celebration was bigger than the previous year. The annual event also positively impacted local spending and regional economic growth.

Though the competition appeared to be between Philadelphia and Kansas City, New Orleans was the real winner of Super Bowl LIX. Hosting the event was expected to generate at least $500 million in local revenue and create over 5,000 jobs. The event’s positive reviews highlighted the city’s exceptional hospitality, energy, and ability to host such major events. The crown jewel of sports boosted the local economy, attracted numerous visitors, and cemented a positive impression on viewers, players, corporate travelers, the NFL, and other titans of industry.

New Orleans & Company is adeptly leveraging the extensive media coverage and international spotlight as a springboard for future events and economic opportunities.

Lessons in Resilience: Key Takeaways

For destinations navigating the aftermath of violence, several lessons emerge:

1. Narrative and Messaging: A compelling story of safety and resilience is vital. Transparency is crucial.
2. Consistency: competition for attention needs to concede to a single-voice strategy to resculpt public opinion.
3. Recognizing Context: Systemic violence requires strategies different from those used for isolated or episodic events.
4. Emotional Engagement: Visitors support communities showing strength in adversity and leadership in their recovery.
5. Strategic Recovery Plans: Tailored approaches, like those seen in New Orleans and Boston, ensure sustainable recovery.
6. Coordinated Collaboration: facilitating real change when needed and resculpting public opinion about a destination requires strong leadership in multiple areas that work together productively.

As marketing professionals and tourism leaders, we have the power to help communities turn tragedy into triumph. By addressing safety concerns, emphasizing cultural identity, and inspiring emotional connections, we can guide destinations in implementing these strategies, helping them not only recover but thrive.

The increasing frequency of violence and other crises is creating an increasing need for innovative and tailored recovery strategies. Response must both communicate, empower, and inspire target audiences. Destinations need to think outside the box in their crisis management approach.

Resilience is not just a theme; it’s a testament to the human spirit—and the enduring allure of travel.