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Dr Jeff Wilks. Tourists and Water Safety. Surf Life Saving Australia. Country Brand Index. Important Selection Considerations. from: FutureBrand. Best Country Brand for Beach 2006. Pristine beaches, from remote to mainstream. Bahamas (1) Maldives (2) Fiji + (4)
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Dr Jeff Wilks Tourists and Water Safety Surf Life Saving Australia
Country Brand Index Important Selection Considerations from: FutureBrand
Best Country Brand for Beach 2006 Pristine beaches, from remote to mainstream • Bahamas (1) • Maldives (2) • Fiji + (4) • Brazil • Greece + (8) • Australia - (3) • Jamaica - (5) • Dominican Republic • Thailand - (7) • Cuba
TouristWater Safety • Drowning is a leading cause of tourist deaths • Tourists recognised as an ‘at risk’ group requiring assistance (Australian Water Safety Council) • Poor swimming ability • Unfamiliar environment/activities • Language barriers • Holiday behaviour • International review of travellers and water safety (2006) recommended lifeguard services
Seven-year comparison of Drowning Deaths in QLD Years Total Males Females O/s tourists
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling Deaths – QLD • 35 diving and 23 snorkelling deaths 1998-2005 • Majority of deaths involved international visitors – most from English speaking countries • USA (25), GB (10), Australian (9), Germany (3), Netherlands (3), France (2), Japan (2), Canada (1), China (1), Singapore (1), Columbia (1) • Snorkel deaths – cardiac events (15), hypoxic blackout (4), drowning (9), Irukandji envenomation (2) • Dive deaths – cardiac (8), Cerebral arterial gas embolism (6), drowning (4) • Poor dive skills; buddy separation
AsiaPacific findings • No standardised databases or consistent sources of information • Web and newspapers provide ‘snapshot’ Third tourist drowning in Phuket in two days – Sunday 15 July 2007 – • 32 year old Saudi (swimming, large wave engulfed him) • Singaporian tourist drowned while swimming on the same beach the day before • A Russian national died while swimming at another beach on Saturday
Legal Considerations • It is well established that those in charge of beaches owe a duty of care to swimmers using beaches under their control • The extent to which local authorities and resorts will be held liable for inadequate supervision and warnings is in a state of refinement - Beach Safety and the Law Summit • Enright v Coolum Resort Pty Ltd (2002) • EU Directive on Package Travel • Jones v Sunworld – resorts may have duty of care responsibilities for lagoons • General duties under Workplace Health and Safety www.beachsafety.qut.edu.au 500 m
Lives Saved (Rescues) 2,218 Resuscitations 35 First Aid Treatments 4,406 Stings 6,706 Preventative Actions 255,732 ALS performance SLSA Lifeguard Actions during the 2006-2007 season The chance of drowning at a beach protected by lifeguards is estimated to be less than one in 18 million (USLA)
Best practice • Lifeguards in both public and private settings • Staff education and training (first aid, CPR, defibrillators) • Regular water safety audits and inspections, including signage • Annual accreditations under WHS legislation • A managed ‘serious injury’ database for the Asia Pacific region