Analysing the impact of the 2011 natural disasters on the Central Queensland tourism industry

By analysing the impact of the 2011 natural disasters on the Central Queensland tourism industry, this chapter identifies that organization size, management attitude and media influence the crisis recovery stage. While the impact of the widespread flooding and Cyclone Yasi on the Central Queensland region was quite short, there was a long-term impact to the tourism industry in the region. The media reported extensively on the event, leading to tourists' perception that all tourism in Queensland was suspended. In reality, however, many tourism operators were only indirectly affected and were still operating. Therefore, some operators had a long recovery stage and had not returned to 'business-as-usual' six months after Cyclone Yasi and the Queensland floods.