The Virginia Tech Massacre : Campus and Tourism

By Peter Tarlow

This is a short comment written right after the tragedy at Virginia Tech. More than anything else our hearts go out to the victims and to their families. There are no words to ease their pain, the most we can do is increase our resolve to make the world safer in an age where violence is all too common.

The tragic and senseless massacre at Virginia Tech ought to remind everybody that tragedy can strike at any time and at any place.  In a world of mass media violence, there simply are no peaceful places. 

Sociologically university life and tourism are quite similar. To a great extent campuses may be compared to long-term tourism, and many college students often act in ways that resemble tourists and visitors.  For example, the security concerns of a hotel and a dormitory are similar and often large tourists attractions and large university campuses have similar security needs and many of the same security challenges.  In light of the recent tragedy here are a few important things to remember.

- In many cases communities have a campus. And many of the methods that are relevant for the security branch in the tourism industry are useful to a campus police department. Also note that universities are huge tourism generators and their security and law enforcement personnel need and deserve the tourism industry's full support. To increase campus safety it is helpful to invite the campus security department to learn about tourism security methods and to participate in any tourism security exercises that you may be conducting

- Despite the media's hype, most people are safe and will never experience a mass killing or a bombing. This fact does not mean however that perceptions of insecurity cannot impact a university or a tourism area.  People act according to emotions and to perceptions. Both students and visitors need to feel safe and the best thing the tourism industry can do for people is to let them know that..

- You cannot cut police budgets during quiet times and then be shocked when the police do not have the resources needed during times of emergency.  While police department budgets should be watched carefully and waste should never be tolerated, it is essential to support law enforcement's legitimate material and manpower needs. And it is essential that the tourism industry provides for massive support. Law enforcement officers/security professionals deserve to be paid well and the public has the right to expect that these brave men and women be always vigilant.

-Assume all threats are serious. While many threats are mere hoaxes, we never know which are the real threats and which are not. The price for reacting to a false threat is economic; the price for ignoring a real threat may well be in the cost of lives. Money can be recovered; lives can never be replaced. Simple rule: take all threats seriously. If in doubt call the police.

- It is absolutely necessary that law enforcement and security professionals have good communication systems, not only with each other but also with the civilian centers such as local tourism offices.  All too often local rivalries or desires for control overtake good sense. Security in an age of increasing violence is not easy and demands that the best interagency communication possible.

- Do not expect the impossible. No matter how good your law enforcement and security services are they can never provide 100% protection.  The best we can hope to do is to lessen the possibilities that a tragedy will occur and when it does occur keep its consequences to a minimum.  In today's 24-hour news world, the public often expects the unrealistic.  No matter how hard we desire it, total security is never possible.

- There is great need to develop a good risk management plan to keep tragic occurrences to a minimum and then to develop a series of crisis management plans to help victims both in the short term and with long term recovery. The students at Virginia Tech right now are in a state of shock. It will only be with the passing of time that their trauma can be confronted and hopefully at least partially healed.

- Listen rather than lecture. During times of crises no one needs to hear such platitudes as 'going forward" or 'you'll be fine." Let people speak or be silent, let them be angry or remorseful. Each person is different and no one method will fit everyone's needs.

- Remember that your first responders are people too.  Just like everyone else they are feeling hurt and angry and perhaps frustrated that they cannot stop the unstoppable.  Our first responders need to know that we care about them and that their well being is important to all of us. 

- During the last years the number of tourism security conferences held around the world has increased. These conferences are designed to provide tourism security professionals with the opportunity to learn and to exchange ideas. But the major challenge consists in giving security departments and law enforcement officers the opportunity to meet, lean about and to discuss tourism security issues.