Which is why I am now sitting in front of my computer, blogging. I do love it though, this new habit of mine and perhaps it can be like my 'morning pages'... getting it all out of the head, and onto the 'paper' we call the web. Hopefully I make some sense. Part of me wonders whether to publish things like this and then I think, 'well I am in tourism, I do have my own business and therefore these are the thoughts that I am thinking however the times... well, they could be slightly more ideal...'
I am about to fly out to Christchurch this morning for what I feel is best termed 'potential damage control' or PDC for short (note it's a subset of DC but I do prefer the P to be at the start so the result is no DC at the end)...
I am seeing an operator we have used a lot in the past, as well as meeting with a lodge that is currently undergoing renovations. They are both extremely professional outfits however the nature of this tourism beast is just that - change. I am not an expert in the corporate fields and I am very aware that change is everywhere, however am I right in thinking that in tourism, due to the fickle and fluctuating world markets and perceptions of travel, the concept of change is very rapid?
The reason I ask is this... I am constantly coming across lodges that we use, operators we deal with, airlines we book through, restaurants we dine at and all these sorts of establishments that are forever pulling the rug out from under us inbound agents. Not only does the nature of tourism mean transience to a large degree but this results in staffing issues at these places and constant upheaval and inconsistencies. It can get quite frustrating, but then again, what can't?
There is nothing worse than having a clan of travelers in tow, arriving at a lodge and not realising that they have only 3 rooms available due to 'upgrading.' Alternatively, organising a day out in the mountains with no wet-weather options while that rare, screaming southerly has just jumped across from Antarctica is not that pleasant either...
Excuse the pun, but these examples are merely the tip of the travel iceberg when it comes to PDC, which is why THE most crucial aspect of any travel organisation is to physically do the trip prior to the travelers. You can make sure you know each lodge owner personally, have dined at the suggested restaurant, have soaked in those particular hot pools, have ridden those rides, walked those walks, taken that water taxi and ultimately, created that all amazing feeling of client satisfaction. That's when word of mouth works wonders.
Leave nothing to chance, leave no stone unturned, do not cut corners and stamp your mark on how you wish things to be done. This is my reputation, my brand and my philosophy. This is also my insomnia.
Christchurch here I come (in about 4 hours...)
