Resumo: When the management and long-term care for those involved in sustainable tourism development goes into a state of emergency we are in a crisis situation. In these situations, specific knowledge acquired in the field of crisis management in tourism can help to take advantage of the opportunities that they present to organizations and tourist businesses. The state of emergency caused by a crisis that impacts a tourist destination is an opportunity to meet the challenges of competitiveness and sustainability currently calling tourist destinations. To make better use of these opportunities a previous preparation and certain anticipation is necessary, is in the reduction phase of the crisis when there must be established a series of warning signs or indicators to act efficiently. There are analyzed three cases of good practices in tourist destinations affected by a negative event that can help to illustrate this idea and to show specific actions to carry out.