In this digital age, the tourism industry cannot ignore the increasingly important role that social media plays in crisis communication. However, it is important to consider that while social media is being used during crises, it is not the only source that tourists may turn to (Carey 2002; Sutton, Palen, and Shklovski 2008; Taylor et al. 2005). Thus, tourism organizations need to provide crisis information through a variety of communication channels (e.g., traditional media,
social media, website, press releases). Further, different individuals use communication channels for different purposes. Attention should be given to the differences and similarities between the channels and their respective users in order for tourism organizations to effectively communicate with tour- ists at the affected destination. Targeted messages can then be developed for each channel to reach different subpopulations of tourists. As crises continue to intensify (Drabek 2009) and the role of social media becomes clearer, it is criti- cal that additional research focuses on better understanding the specific roles that social media plays in tourism crisis management and communication for the tourism industry, as well as tourists. Such understanding will aid management in safeguarding tourists and stakeholders through more targeted communications.