How We Can Learn From Crowd Disasters

There will always be some level of risk when it comes to managing crowds at large events. Most of the time, events are held without any major issues. But occasionally we’re faced with large events that end in disaster, with lives lost and everyone asking what we could have done better.

These tragedies force us to examine crowd control policies to determine what can be done better to avoid such large disasters in the future.

The Hillsborough Disaster of 1989

What Happened: During the FA Cup semi-final match 96 people were crushed to death as crowds attempted to enter the stadium. A bottleneck developed at the turnstiles. In response, the police commander opened an exit gate, allowing even more people inside and crushing the people at the front against the perimeter fencing. Many of those who died did so due to compressive asphyxia.

What We Learned: Event organizers and police need to be better trained in handling overcrowding. Within a closed space there must be capacity limits. Staff of events must direct patrons on where to go to prevent overcrowding. In the event of an emergency there must be clear announcements and communication between staff to prevent further issues.

Hajj Tragedies

What Happened: The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca has led to multiple incidents resulting in the loss of life. Most commonly are crowd crushes and progressive crowd collapses. Stampedes have also led to individuals being crushed to death. The most recent incident occurred in 2015, when two groups of pilgrims converged, causing a massive crush that left over 1,000 dead.

What We Learned: For massive events such as Hajj, redesigning the event space can help to prevent such tragic events. By preventing bottlenecks the pressure in different event spaces can be spread out. There also needs to be increased security with staff to direct attendees appropriately.

Love Parade Music Festival 2010

What Happened: 21 people died when too many people became packed into too small of a space without enough exit routes. Miscommunication and a lack of information were two factors in how the tragedy unfolded. The tunnel, used as both the entrance and exit, became overpacked.

What We Learned: Events must hire enough staff to meet event demands to control the flow of traffic. Adequate entrances and exits must exist to prevent this type of crowding.

Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse

What Happened: A severe thunderstorm moved into the area where crowds had gathered to watch a concert. Despite being aware of the incoming storms, officials didn’t initially plan to cancel the show. As an announcer took to the stage to finally announce the show was cancelled, a gust of wind hit the stage, which collapsed.  The stage landed on spectators, killing 7 and injuring 58.

What We Learned: Structures at events must always be inspected to ensure they meet safety standards. Potentially dangerous weather conditions must be closely observed, with adjustments to the event being made far in advanced. Clear communication and a line of authority should be put in place so decisions about unsafe situations can be made swiftly.

These types of crowd disasters can be prevented with the right planning, staffing, and crowd control products. Make sure to keep these lessons in mind when planning your next event.

How Top Tourist Destinations Handle Overcrowding

Tourism is on the rise. Popular destinations are only getting more popular while up-and-coming destinations are getting packed with tourists. While this can be great for the economy it can also, in a way, be a huge hindrance because of overcrowding.

This problem isn’t likely to go away. Travel has always been a big business and it has only gotten bigger. But the huge influx of crowds can bring big issues for local residents. We’ve seen this type of joke when it comes to beach towns, but it’s no joke for locals who can’t get to work in time because of tourist traffic. Large crowds can also cause damage to the environment.

So how are the top tourist destinations dealing with this overcrowding problem? Let’s find out.

Barcelona – Barcelona is one of the top visited cities in the world, and for good reason. But life is becoming hard for the locals. They’re being pushed out of their homes to make space for tourist accommodation. Rents are on the rise. To combat this, the city has stopped licensing the building of new accommodations for tourists. This is temporary, until visitors fall to a more manageable level. In the meantime the city is marketing less famous sites and areas outside the core of the city.

Venice – This is the city you probably think of when you hear the term “overtourism”. The amount of tourists regularly outnumbers the amount of locals, to the point that locals are moving away. Recently Venice announced that it wants cruise ships to take a different route to dock. They’ve launched a campaign that brings hefty fines to those who break rules such as swimming in the canals and dropping litter. Signs are posted around the city reminding tourists of these rules. It also encourages tourists to wander the whole city, not just the famous areas.

Machu Picchu – This beautiful, ancient site is in danger of being destroyed by the many tourists visiting it every year. Luckily a lot of new rules have been introduced to limit the impact of tourism. Tourists now have to choose one of two entry times, and can’t linger beyond a certain amount of time. If a visitor wants to spend the entire day, it costs extra. Tourists must be accompanied by a certified guide who takes them on specific paths. They are also restricted on what they can bring with on the journey. The rules will be adjusted as time goes on.

Amsterdam – While some cities are taking steps to limit visitors, Amsterdam is looking into more creative ways to prevent overcrowding in the city. They use data to analyze the habits of tourists, and use that data to subtly move tourists to less busy attractions. They also provide live feeds that display the wait time at popular tourist stops so visitors can re-arrange their schedules to avoid the crowds. Less popular areas near the city have even been re-branded to draw more people out of the center of town. Amsterdam is relying on technology not to limit tourists, but expand their horizons.

Santorini – This picturesque Greek island has been slammed with tourists. The amount of visitors is putting a huge strain on the infrastructure of the island. In the past visitor caps have been enacted to keep people off the island. The biggest culprit is cruise visitors, who come to the island for the day leaving it completely overrun. For the time being, Santorini is still struggling to get their crowds under better control.

Bhutan – Tourism in this Asian country only began in 1974, and the country has done a lot to keep the tourist impact low. All tourists must travel with a guided package that is pre-planned and pre-paid. The fee is all-inclusive so your expenses when you arrive are minimal to nonexistent. Part of the entry fee is also a sustainable tourism royalty, which goes directly back into the country. Bhutan has done what many destinations cannot…stopped overcrowding before it had a chance to start.