Emergency Preparedness Week 2026: Tools & Resources for BC’s Tourism Industry

Emergency Preparedness Week takes place May 3–9, 2026. This year’s theme, “In it together,” highlights an important truth: preparedness is stronger when we look out for one another.

For BC’s tourism industry, emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. From tourism operators and destination management organizations to provincial partners and local communities, working together helps ensure safe, resilient experiences for visitors and residents alike.

Supporting a Prepared and Resilient Tourism Industry

In BC, we have a dedicated group of tourism industry and government partners – the Tourism Emergency Management Committee (TEMC) – who work collaboratively to support the safety of visitors, the viability of tourism businesses, and our reputation as a safe and welcoming destination in a provincial or multi-regional emergency preparedness and response. The TEMC have established a robust BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework that provides resources for the four pillars of emergency management: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response & Recovery.

Emergency preparedness is not only about responding to incidents, it’s about planning ahead, sharing trusted information, and building strong connections across communities and sectors.

Start Here: Emergency Preparedness Hub

Tourism partners are encouraged to explore Destination BC’s Emergency Preparedness Hub, a central resource designed to support readiness across the industry.

The hub includes:

• An overview of the BC Tourism Emergency Management Framework
• Emergency communications modules and messaging guidance
• Shareable responsible travel graphics
• Resources to help operators and destinations plan ahead

Whether you are reviewing your emergency plans or building new processes, the hub provides practical guidance to support your work.

Emergency Preparedness Week: In it Together

This year’s theme reinforces the importance of connection. A strong sense of trust and belonging before an emergency means people can rely on each other when one occurs.

BC’s tourism success has long been built on a collaborative “Team BC” approach, where industry, communities, and partners work together toward shared goals. That same spirit of collaboration extends into emergency preparedness and management. By aligning efforts, sharing trusted information, and supporting one another, tourism partners play an important role in strengthening community resilience.

As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, PreparedBC offers a range of resources to help organizations and communities get involved, including:

• Posters and activities to promote awareness
• A social media toolkit to support information sharing
• Practical guidance to support emergency planning

Tourism partners are encouraged to incorporate these resources into their communications and engage staff, visitors, and communities in preparedness efforts.

Learning Opportunities

Preparedness is an ongoing process. This week offers opportunities to build knowledge and strengthen connections, including:

• PreparedBC’s “Preparedness Through Connection” webinar, focused on building community readiness (May 7, 7pm PT)
• The Canadian Red Cross disaster preparedness and resilience learning series, offering virtual sessions on emergency readiness

Participating in these sessions can help organizations better understand their role and build confidence in responding to emergencies.

Supporting Visitor Preparedness

Helping visitors stay informed is a key part of emergency preparedness.

Tourism operators are encouraged to:

• Share Know Before You Go information with guests
• Use responsible travel resources to promote safe behaviours
• Direct visitors to trusted sources, including PreparedBC

Prepared visitors are better equipped to make informed decisions—supporting safer experiences for everyone.

Practical Tools to Strengthen Preparedness

There are many tools available to support tourism businesses in preparing for emergencies, including:

• Emergency mobile apps that provide real-time alerts and updates
• Communications templates and messaging guidance
• PreparedBC hazard-specific guides, including resources tailored for tourism operators
• Internal emergency plans and response protocols
• Visitor-facing safety and preparedness materials

Taking time to review and integrate these tools can help strengthen readiness across your organization.

Take the Next Step

Emergency Preparedness Week is an opportunity to reflect, plan, and take action.

Start by exploring the Emergency Preparedness Hub and identifying one step you can take to strengthen your organization’s preparedness, whether that’s updating a plan, sharing resources with your team, or engaging your community.

Preparedness is something we build together. By working collaboratively across the tourism industry and with our partners, we can support safer, more resilient communities across BC.