Why Is Whitewater Rafting The Ultimate Water Adventure
Talking Travel: The Magazine Vol 1
1. Destination Knowledge that impacts Revenue Generation
Volume One, Number One
Spring, 2013
In this Issue...
·Talking Travel
·The Half Truth about Adventure Travel
·Fam Trip ROI
·If you wish to write travel…
·Maximum Lima
·Travel Scams
2. Greetings from the Editor-in-Chief
Welcome to the 1st
issue of Talking Travel, The Magazine… Page 2
Talking About Travel Lifestyles
The Half Truth about Adventure Travel… Page 3
Picture This
We just happen to have been in Bali when… Page 6
Enhancing Industry Skills
Eight Ways to Enhance your Agencies ROI on Fam Trips… Page 7
Professional Development
If you Wish to be a Travel Writer, then Write... Page 9
Travel Safety
Travel Scams we know and love… Page 13
Destination Discovery
Maximum Lima Page 17
Picture This Too
We just happen to have been in Tokyo when… Page 19
Cover Photo: Strolling down Santa Ana Volcano, El Salvador
Talking Travel’s mandate is to transform travel professionals into destination masters through
skill development that translates into revenue generation.
Specializing in Conference Keynotes, Destination Master Classes, Destination Presentations
and Training, Niche Markets and Lifestyle Programs, Agency and Company Coaching, Program
Development and Travel Writing, and all in the service of revenue generation
Contact info@talkingtravel.ca to discuss your training needs.
4. The oft-repeated advice when it comes to
Adventure Travel is:
Take nothing but photographs…
leave nothing but footprints
Whether the journey is to Kathmandu or
Kitimat, Montreal or Machu Picchu, Truro or
Tibet, there is so much more you can get out of
travel.
It is a truism that in general, in life, you get ‘out’
what you put ‘in’. The eco-sustainable-nature-
tourism mantra about taking nothing and
leaving nothing sounds so deliciously
motherhoody, and as a primer for litterbugs,
exotic souvenir seekers, and people who tend
like to bring their inconsiderate attitude toward
nature wherever they go, this is good, sound
advice.
The other half of the truth that is missing relates
to all the other things you can leave behind and
take with you when you travel. The list of
ideas—that follows—are ways to add value to
your travel experience in a world that yearns for
the cooperation and understanding of travellers
in order to sustain it for future generations. As
well, these ideas will enhance your own travel
experiences and convert them from being ‘just
a memory of an excursion’, to being a truly
meaningful partnership with people and the
environment.
Part of the ecotourism montra cautions you
to ‘leave nothing behind’--but you can still…
1) Take a photo—and when your local subject
asks for a copy in the mail, actually do it! This
may be the only photo they have of themselves.
2) Enjoy a conversation—share stories and
ideas, thoughts, and laughs about mutual
struggles with the language. Learn how people
think in another country, and what is important
to them. When asking a young porter on a trip
to Nepal years ago, what his dream in life would
be, he said, “To eat dahl bat (lentil beans and
rice), everyday and to lead tours in the
mountains.” A headman in a village in northern
Thailand related that his dream was to be able
to cultivate all three fields every year, instead of
having to leave one bare to regenerate the soil.
Take an interest in the people you meet.
3) Smile. In the song Wooden Ships, Crosby,
Stills, Nash and Young sang, “You smile at me
and I will understand…cuz that is something
everybody everywhere does in the same
language”. Remember this when you are
Celebrations at a Monastery Festival in Tibet
5. promoting your travel-ability. Your smile will
inevitably be returned
4) Leave a T-shirt or postcard of your home
town, province or country
5) Give a toy to a child. I give out finger
puppets. A friend gives out Zorro masks—
another, bubbles. Don't give toys with small
pieces that can, if swallowed, cause a child to
choke. Don’t give out coins or candy as it
encourages begging and contributes to dental
problems. Treat a kid, like a kid and it's ok to be
a kid yourself, no matter what your age or
status in life.
6) Exchange a song. When in Mongolia,
sometimes you are only allowed to enter a Yurt
until after you have sung a song. Row, Row,
Row Your Boat, sung in rounds, is a popular
selection, as is Frère Jacques, the Inky-Dinky
Spider, Do Wah Diddy and even O Canada!
7) Be polite—wait your turn—be patient-have
realistic expectations—leave a good impression
of your culture, of your country and of you.
8) Find out how you can benefit the local
culture—adopt a foster child when you return
home…plant a tree…contribute to an
educational foundation.
9) Leave a donation when visiting cultural
heritage sites: temples, artist studios,
musicians. Help the locals to maintain the
attraction that you have just enjoyed.
10) Bargain in good faith. The 50 cents you
save may give you pride because you “beat
down” the salesperson, but you may have also
robbed that person of extra food or prevented
his or her children from purchasing school
books or a mandatory school uniform..
The local taxi service: Outside of Kuching, Borneo
6. The view from the Castle, Cesky Krumlov, The Czech Republic
The other part of the eco-montra is to "take
nothing with you", but you can still take…
1) Excitement, enthusiasm and a sense of
wonderment by visiting a new destination.
2) Understanding and tolerance of different
traditions, customs and ways of thinking.
3) Knowledge of culture, history and local
dress, plus festivals, music and food.
4) Memorable smiles and photographs
5) The flavour of the country—smells and
tastes, indigenous to that society
6) A new friend. All of a sudden the country is
not a place-name somewhere on the other side
of the globe—it is a friend you once visited. This
is what makes the world 'smaller' and creates
the vision of a global community
7) A unique experience: Ponder that when
you see something, whether it is sunrise on a
mountain top, or a butterfly in a jungle or forest,
or a child’s smile, or the profound thought that
out of the 6 billion people on the earth—only
YOU were there to experience this one event in
your own unique way.
8) Another country. For those country-
counters out there, you know that every country
has its own unique characteristics. It is not just
another number… or another country on a
particular continent. It is not a faceless
destination but it is actually someone’s home.
Travel is a declaration against generalizing and
stereotyping and should always be a
celebration of the diversity of the planet.
9) What you take with you is a feeling that even
if it is your first-ever country visited, you have
made a positive advance toward being a global
citizen.
10) What you take with you? A sense that
while our planet may be lonely in the context of
being the only one that supports life (that we
know of) in our galaxy, the planet is anything
but, a sad, disconsolate place. It is a thriving,
boisterous cacophony of life—and it is there for
you to fulfill your dreams of discovery.
8. This article first appeared in www.travelmarketreport.com
For the host of a fam trip, the return on investment
is measured in increased sales from the travel
agents who participate. For agents themselves, the
ROI of fam participation may be as simple as
personal enjoyment and fulfillment.
For the travel agency who sends its advisors on
fams, the returns can and should be considerable –
including increased revenues and improved client
retention and referrals, thanks to the your agents’
insider knowledge and the excellent service they
deliver as a result.
Here are eight ways to get the best return on
investment when your travel sellers go on a fam.
1. Set clear expectations. Provide both first-time
and experienced fam trippers with what I call a
“fam trip purpose and conduct manual.” This
explains what the agency expects when an agent
returns from a fam. For instance: educating other
sellers about the destination; writing a report for the
agency newsletter, social media sites, blog and/or
host agency’s list-serve, and outlining a marketing
plan and sales projections for the destination or
product.
2. Choose sensible destinations. Not every
destination is fam-worthy. We once received an
application from an Antarctica specialist for a fam
to Sri Lanka, a destination she admitted she would
never sell. The destinations you want your staff to
master are the current and future mainstay and
trend-setting destinations that will accrue revenue
to your bottom line
3. Ensure that agents are prepared. Begin by
educating agents about the many details involved
in putting together a fam, particularly when it
involves a preferred supplier. Then, emphasize that
the agent’s own pre-trip preparation should include,
at a minimum, researching the basics of the
destination, including preparatory map work, and
understanding the itinerary.
4. Customize as you familiarize. If an agent is
visiting a resort that fits one of your specialties,
such as weddings (or sports or bird watching), she
should meet with the appropriate resort specialist.
An agent’s expertise includes their “little black
book” of important contacts at a destination — the
movers and shakers who can deliver the trip
enhancements that exceed clients’ expectations
y
School’s out for the day in Kandy, Sri Lanka
9. and make the difference between mastery and
merely being an agent.
5. Record the details. Once I saw an agent
record every aspect of a fam trip on video. She
videoed hotel room numbers and the rooms’
interior details, narrating the video with her
impressions, including details such as room
location and view, plus interviews with the hotel
sales manager to get his take on the uniqueness of
the room. This gave her a record of the features
that differentiated each hotel room. These nuances
may constitute the critical details that make or
break a client’s trip.
6. Bring business cards. In most of the world,
the business card is a critical relationship builder
and contact management tool, so make sure your
agents bring plenty of cards with them on fams. On
the receiving end, those cards communicate a
strong message: “I am with XYZ Travel, and we
plan to sell this destination, so we want to know it
inside and out. We want your support and referrals,
and we want to work with you for years to come.”
7. Use your people skills. For many travelers,
the most memorable times in a destination are
exchanges with locals and shared laughs. Agents
on fams should go out of their way to engage with
the locals, as this is key to understanding the
ambience, feel and culture of a place. Then agents
can share their impressions –– and their stories ––
with clients. Sometimes these alone will sell a trip.
8. Familiarize, then incentivize. While many
agencies use the promise of a fam trip to reward
agents who reach a certain sales threshold, not
many incentivize agents after they return from a
fam. Why not reward fam trip returnees for
increased sales of the destination or product they
experienced firsthand? This sends staff the
message that fam trips are an important business
tool –– not just a travel perk.
Fam trips have been undervalued for too many
years. For agencies, fam trip participation should
lead to improved sales and revenues, an enhanced
reputation, better client retention and referrals.
For individual agents, the ROI of fam trips goes
beyond increased sales and includes improved
confidence, client appreciation, career growth and
even job security.
Those travel agencies that look at fams as part
of their business strategy will reap the rewards
in both agent and client satisfaction.
Travel Skills, Trends, Destinations, Niche Markets, Lifestyles and
Revenue Generation
Steve Gillick’s travel articles have appeared in the following travel industry publications over the past
year. Check them out to remain on the cutting edge of industry knowledge.
www.travelmarketreport.com
www.travelindustrytoday.com
www.sellingtravel.net
10. Epictetus, the Greek philosopher, determined
that “If you wish to be a writer, write”. This was
a reflection of his firm belief that people were
responsible for their own actions, and therefore
‘wanting’ or ‘dreaming’ to do something could
only happen if you actually did it!
This does not imply that you have to be born into
the role of ‘writer’. There are many avenues that
lead writers to success and in every
circumstance, that old adage that ‘practice
makes perfect’, comes into play.
When I was 14 years old, I took a five week
student trip to Europe. We travelled by ship to
various coastal cities and part of our assignment
was to keep a daily diary. I still have that diary
today and can see snippets of a budding travel
writer as I attempted to describe the incredibly
luxurious Hermitage Museum in Leningrad (now
St. Petersburg), or the amazing souk, or
marketplace, that we visited in Gibraltar.
And my writing got a bit of a boost when Mr.
Sperling, our teacher, asked if I would like to
contribute an article to the ship’s newsletter on
any topic I chose. I wrote about what was before
me: A huge ship that grew smaller every day as
we became more familiar with where everything
was located, and as we discovered short cuts to
get to the classroom or the theatre or the dining
hall. And then I used this as an analogy to talk
about the cities and countries that we were visiting
on the trip. I wrote about Copenhagen and how on
the first day it seemed so confusing and difficult to
get around on the bus tour, but when we had
some free time on the second day, we found that
it was easy to walk from one place to another and
in fact, the city had shrunk in size.
My article was published and I read it 40-50 times,
thinking that me—Steve Gillick—was a published
writer! And perhaps this was the
feeling of travel-writing-euphoria that lay the
groundwork for my love of writing. So when I
worked at summer camps, I wrote for the
newsletter; when I worked for a tour company, I
started a newsletter, and later when I worked for a
travel association, I revamped their newsletters
and became the writer, editor and publisher. No
matter how busy I was, I would always find time to
write—usually on weekends, and many times on
my home computer after a long day at the office
and into the wee hours of the night. It became my
way of relaxing and it still is a pleasant means of
escape from reality and routine.
But for me, writing is also an intellectual
challenge, based on my personal credo that every
word in the English language has a very specific
connotation and it is the travel writer’s task to use
the most meaningful words in each sentence to
express thoughts, emotions, vistas and people,
and try to capture the ambiance of a destination;
the exuberance of an event, the titillation of one’s
taste buds when partaking of unique foods, the
exhilaration of seeing a global landmark that has
always been on your ‘must-see’ list, and the
euphoria of discovering something that you never
knew existed.
Travel writing topics are sometimes directly in our
sight lines: If you visit Prague, then you may
choose to write about Prague. Or you can look at
specific aspects of the city which may be more
meaningful to readers with different interests.
Culinary. Our favourite lunch included grilled
sausage, served with horseradish and mustard,
fresh rye bread and dark beer (usually at U
Glaubicu in Lesser Town); while our favourite
dinner was at U Medvidku (In Old Town near the
Narodni Bridge) which consisted of grilled duck,
potato dumplings, sweet red cabbage and
different varieties of dark beer.
Steve Gillick…writing away
11. Marionettes. There is a puppet culture in the
Czech Republic dating back to the Middle Ages.
You can find Marionette shops in many towns and
cities with varying degrees of quality but they are
all fascinating to see. As a mask collector visiting
a country with no masks per se, I was entranced
by the faces of the Marionettes and spent lots of
time just appreciating the quality.
Scenery. There are some amazing vistas in
Prague. You can climb a number of towers,
depending on the strength in your legs and your
ability to negotiate winding staircases (Check
out the Astronomical Clock Tower or one of the
Charles Bridge Towers)
And there are many other angles for writing about
the city: history, architecture, music, art, tourists,
shopping, the subway system, the bridges,
museums, gardens, wine, street life, the Jewish
Quarter, hidden attractions (eg. the grotto and the
albino peacocks), and just about any other area or
‘niche’ that interests you.
And that is one of the keys to writing: write about
your own interests. Once I decide on a topic, I will
spend time filling in my knowledge gaps with
research, mostly online, but also from guide books
or contacting someone who knows more than I
about the topic. (which is a good reason to
exchange emails with the tour guides and locals
you may meet along the way). Accuracy is very
important. If you are into historical dates, then
ensure the dates are correct. If you are not a big
history buff, then give a general time frame (eg in
the early 20th
century, as opposed to “1911”)
And then there are other forms of writing
inspiration (from the Latin ‘in spirare’ meaning ‘to
breathe’, as in ‘to breathe life into something’).
Many writers have what they call “eureka
moments”. The word “Eureka’ has an ancient
Greek origin and means “I have found it”, and
goes along with the legend that the scholar
Archimedes yelled out “Eureka” when he
immersed himself into his bath water and realized
that the water level rose at the same time. A
Eureka moment may be listening to a song on
your itunes and something about that song relates
to an incident or a thought that profoundly inspires
you. I have two favourite Eureka moments.
My first “Eureka” involves the song Wooden
Ships, by Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, wherein
one of the lines is “You smile at me and I will
understand/cuz that is something everybody
everywhere does in the same language”. Well
when I first heard that, I realized that as an
inveterate traveller who only speaks English, there
is a masterful way of communicating with the
whole planet—and that is in the simple act of
Marionette Artistry can be found throughout Prague
12. smiling. I have written about travel to non-English
speaking countries and communication on many
occasions.
My second Eureka moment came when I was
stuck in traffic on Highway 401. We were in a
construction area and it was unbelievably noisy
and then drivers started to honk the car horns and
it became really annoying. But through all this,
with my ipod set to randomly shuffle songs, came
the mesmerizing tune “Sounds of Silence” by
Simon and Garfunkle. It was like a breathe of
fresh air and, after a bit of research, I wrote an
article on “Silence’ as a niche market that many
travellers want, appreciate and in some cases,
yearn while they are stuck on a crowded beach on
a package tour during the holidays.
And other forms of inspiration may include the
‘serendipitous” (something that occurs by
happenstance and is rewarding, or fortuitous).
When our group arrived in the town of Pisac in
Peru, the festival of the Virgin of Carmen was
taking place. We had no knowledge of this until
we arrived and found the town in a festive mood
with costumes, masks, decorations and dancing.
What an opportunity for writing and photographs!
Likewise, when we arrived in Douz, Tunisia, we
were not aware that the annual International
Sahara Festival was opening on the same day.
Groups from all across northern Africa were
present for the camel races and the cultural
competitions with costumes, singing, dancing,
music and food. I was in seventh heaven—and I
wrote about it!
When our friend Epictetus wrote that “If you want
to be a writer, write”, he was speaking a truism
that some may say is not necessarily profound,
but when you think about it, it makes perfect
sense and is in itself, inspirational. Write, re-write,
show your friends what you have written and have
them provide suggestions. Proof-read your writing
and then post it on your blog or add it to a site
such as www.brouwaha.com, or send it as an
addendum or comment to a newsletter article or
as the article itself.
Travel writing breathes fire into your experiences
and allows readers to share in the spirit of your
adventures. It’s an extremely satisfying activity to
pursue.
If you want to be a travel writer…
start write now!
Getting caught up in the music at the International Sahara Festival in Douz, Tunisia
13. LET ME MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF
I've been involved in the travel industry for 30 + years.
And when I say "involved" I mean that aside from my 'day job’ I was volunteering at
conferences, giving keynotes, presenting workshops and writing articles on many different
topics. I wrote my own speeches and researched my own presentations. Hey, I even
composed a few humorous poems on occasion! Now I'm bringing my skills for you to use!
Let me make a name for yourself!
Now there is no reason for you NOT to be involved. I'll write that speech to the club or
social group. I'll write the article for the local newspaper or agency newsletter. And
because I’m ghost writing it for you...the article is YOURS to publish; the speech is written
for YOU to deliver, sign your name and take all the compliments for doing such a great job.
And the best thing is that no one will ever know...unless YOU tell them.
Steve@talkingtravel.ca
14. TRAVEL SCAMS CAN FOLLOW YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO
The trick is to be aware and recognize ‘the symptoms’ when they appear
Recently I finally got around to cleaning out my
file cabinet and in the process, found all sorts of
hidden treasures. There was the report of my
‘arrest’ for vagrancy in 1969 when the Town of
Midland Police Department agreed to let my
friends and I sleep overnight in the jail so we
wouldn’t have to spend money on a hotel. The
next morning, the officer signed our ‘warrant;
with the title “Occifer” as a souvenir of our stay’.
Then there was my Air Canada “Flight to the
Moon” certificate issued after the Moon landing
in 1969. The airline perhaps jumped the gun a
bit with enthusiasm by starting a wait-list for
Moon flights. I’m still curious about the number
of Aeroplan miles that will add to my total.
But what brought a sentimental tear to my eye
was the discovery of the file I created in 1993
regarding my very first credit card scam.
While I was flying back to Toronto from a trip to
Thailand, the travel agency in the lobby of my
hotel in Bangkok, decided to fax my credit card
information to Chiang Mai—361 miles to the
north —where an associate proceeded to
charge 46,750 Baht (roughly $2500.00 at the
time) to my VISA card. I only used that card
once during my entire trip. My alibi was that I
was 40,000 feet above the Pacific on a Korean
Airlines flight when my shopping spree
supposedly took place. The evidence that I
uncovered now, twenty years later, was a
photocopy of the signed ‘charge’ that VISA sent
to me as part of the fraud investigation. Ahhh,
one more travel scam to add to my collection
which now tips the scales at about 150 different
scams.
hotel in Bangkok apparently faxed my credit
card information to Chiang Mai—361 miles to
the north —where an associate proceeded to
charge 46,750 Baht (roughly $2500.00 at the
time) to my VISA card. I only used that card
once during my entire trip—at that travel
agency. My alibi was tight. I was 40,000 feet
above the Pacific on a Korean Airlines flight
when the shopping spree took place. And what
I discovered twenty years later in my file
drawer, was a photocopy of the signed ‘charge’
that VISA sent to me as part of the fraud
investigation. Ahhh… one more travel scam to
add to my collection, which now tips the scales
at about 150 different travel-related scams.
A travel scam is any form of trickery, deceit,
misrepresentation, or the taking advantage of
someone that ends up separating that person
from their possessions (e.g. a camera, laptop,
briefcase, wallet etc.). And while the travel
industry may enjoy a high season generally
from December through March, travel scams
flourish, thrive and prosper throughout the year.
The most common scams are labelled as
‘distraction scams’. Simple enough to execute,
they usually involve two scam artists. One
creates the distraction while the other runs off
with your possessions. A typical distraction
would be the classic scenario of someone
enjoying a cappuccino in one of the piazzas in
Rome. The tour guide instructs everyone to
Figure 1 Would you like a free 'good-luck' bracelet? How about two?
15. head back to the bus and just at that moment, a
stranger pretends to trip in your direction and
spills his coffee all over you. You are shocked,
upset at the dark liquid on your clean clothes
and you are definitely not paying attention to
the digital camera on the table or your jacket
(containing your wallet), draped over your chair.
The stranger is extremely apologetic and offers
to get napkins to clean up your outfit. In the
meantime, scam artist #2 has already
disappeared with your camera and jacket. And
as soon as soon as you discover this, the
stranger has disappeared into the crowd too.
Other forms of this scam include tripping and
dumping the contents of a hotdog (mustard,
relish, ketchup) on the victim. And then there is
the ‘baby-bundle’ routine. In this scenario a
woman has a bundle of rags that resemble a
baby. She cradles the rags, rocks them and
makes cooing sounds to convince everyone
that there is a real baby in her arms. Then at
the appropriate moment, for example, when a
street car or a subway or a bus approaches, or
even when the crowd is ogling at Niagara Falls,
she drops the ‘baby’ over the falls or in front of
the oncoming vehicle. Everyone is shocked
beyond belief at what they just saw and while in
their state of distractedness, scam artist #2
goes to work picking pockets, stealing wallets
and even grabbing some laptops that may be
abandoned for only a few seconds.
But aside from distractions, travel scams can
include simple but ingenious methods. There is
trick that takes place on a bus, usually in a
Third World country. The victim-to-be is holding
their bag or backpack on their lap when the
friendly stranger in the next seat suggests that
the victim place the bag under the seat in order
to be more comfortable. The stranger reassures
the traveller by engaging them in a
conversation. The victim feels at ease and
finally decides to put their bag under the seat.
Little do they know that the barefoot person in
the seat behind has immediately begun to use
their very dextrous toes to undo the clasps on
the bag and is now removing some of the
contents (clothing, shoes, passport, wallet etc).
By the time the traveller gets off the bus, the
bag is closed again and nothing is suspected.
Then there is the lucky bracelet scenario. You
are taking photos of the grand churches in an
historic public square in South America
(or temples in Asia) when a cheery looking child
comes up to you and asks if you would like a
‘good luck’ bracelet at no charge. The bracelet
is really just a colourful piece of wool string. As
there is no charge and you want to bring back a
story of a nice experience, you agree. The child
says s/he will give you one around each wrist
for double the luck, and gives you a pair of
scissors to hold (so you don’t question why both
of your wrists are being tied together). After the
string is tied the child grabs the scissors—along
with your wallet or camera—and runs off into
the crowd. You are left standing there, foolishly,
and bewildered, with both wrists tied together.
And remember those comical scenes from the
movies where the photographer keeps asking
the subject to move back in order to fit into the
camera frame and eventually the subject falls
off a cliff or into a fountain? Well,
this happens in real life, but
the photographer is usually a
scam artist. The typical
scenario is that you are at a
tourist attraction when
someone asks you to take
their photo. Then the
stranger suggests that s/he
reciprocate by taking your
photo. A trust scenario has
been developed because you
have already held the stranger’s
camera, so you agree. The stranger asks you to
back up—sometimes in the direction of a low
archway or doorway (where you will hit your
head) or into the fountain, or down a small hill.
As soon as you are off balance or hurt or a
reasonable distance away, the stranger
disappears with your camera (and sometimes
enough information on your photos to visit your
hotel room while you are touring the area).
The ‘trust’ scenario is also very effective in
airports where people generally feel safe. A
stranger asks you to watch their luggage while
they run to the washroom. When the person
returns, s/he offers to watch your bags if you
would also like to visit the washroom. With the
trust scenario in place, you agree. The second
16. Durbar Square, Kathmandu. One of the places you
can encounter the milk scam
you walk away in one direction, your luggage
disappears in the opposite direction.
Taxi scams are high on the vigilance list. It
could be a simple matter of rushing to the
airport, giving the driver money for the fare,
receiving your change
in a wad of bills, all
clumped together, and
then when the taxi
takes speeds away,
you realize that s/he
has shortchanged you.
Another popular scam
is the taxi meter that is
pre-set from when the
last passenger was in
the taxi. You don’t
notice this and all of a
sudden the inexpensive
ride to the hotel or
restaurant is double what
you expected. Or there is
the phony night time charge
scenario where the taxi, instead of taking you to
the front door of the restaurant or hotel, parks
several meters away and then demands a
special night time surcharge on the amount that
the taxi meter is displaying. The aggressive
driver may keep the doors locked and try to
intimidate you into paying. (In this case, the
best strategy is to insist that the driver pull up to
the front door of the resort so you can check
with the concierge about the night time charge.
The driver will usually accept the metered Fare
and leave quickly).
And we have all been subject to internet and
email scams, where someone has ‘found’ $20
million dollars and is willing to share it with
YOU. All you have to do is provide them with
your name, address, phone, and bank account
number. As soon as you open an email
attachment or even respond to the scammer,
you have basically accomplished what they set
out to do—which is to cast their net large
(by sending out thousands of these emails) and
then wait for a few responses. Even if you ask
to be removed from future email transmissions,
the scammers now know that your email is ‘live’
and they can pester you and try various
methods to extract your cash or personal
information in the years ahead.
Travel scams work because they are for the
most part, simple scenarios that take advantage
of your fears or your
gullibility or your
sense of good will.
One of the more
innocent scams I
encountered was the
powdered milk scam
in Kathmandu where
a young boy
attaches himself to a
tourist and provides
information on the
historic temples, for
free. After a while,
impressed with the
boy’s knowledge of the
area, the tourist offers
some money. The boy
refuses and suggests that the tourist can buy a
box of powdered milk for the boy’s family. In the
spirit of being magnanimous and worldly, the
tourist agrees and sometimes will even buy 2-3
boxes of the milk, which can sell for $8.00-
$10.00 a box. With tears of gratitude, the boy
thanks the tourist and departs. But as soon as
the tourist is out of site, the boy returns the
boxes to the store where he gets $2.00 per box
commission. The storekeeper puts the boxes
back on the shelf for a repeat performance later
in the day. Everyone walks away feeling good.
Being aware of travel scams and how they work
is part of the preparation that any traveller
should undergo before they set out to explore,
whether it’s a package tour, a luxury cruise or
independent travel. Always be vigilant, use
hotel safes to store your valuables, take
minimal cash with you when you are out and
about, and retain a healthy scepticism when
meeting new people. There are just too many
scenarios where a traveller who has known a
friendly local for less than 5 minutes, decides to
put their total trust in the person and the results
are sometimes disastrous.
17. THE HIGHER GROUND
Strategies to enhance the credentials of your
staff to re-energize revenue generation
Contact Steve Gillick ~ steve@talkingtravel.ca
Conference Keynotes, Agency training, company retreats
A Community and Global involvement strategy
for your travel company or organization
18. It is often said that quantity is not quality, but if
you can mesh the two terms together, the result
can be memorable. Our first day in Lima was one
of those “fill in every minute with experiences”-
type days, and allowed us to totally immerse
ourselves in the destination, which is exactly
what we wanted to do.
Technically, aside from landing at Jorge Chavez
International Airport at 6:30 am, we spent the
day in the Lima suburbs of San Isidro, Miraflores
and Barranco. After an all night flight from New
York with little sleep, we landed on schedule,
passed through passport control quickly, and
despite our priority tagged luggage being the
very last to be taken off the plane, we still left the
terminal before 7:30 am. My colleague and I
were attending the ASTA International
Destination Expo and had arrived a few days
early to get acclimatized. For me it was a
welcome return to a city I had explored in 2003,
but for my colleague it was a new adventure in
South America. ASTA had arranged for a driver
to pick us up and take us to the Westin Hotel, so
even with the Sunday morning traffic, we were at
the hotel and checked in by 8:30 am
I will say that not all Westin hotels are created
alike and that this is one of the best hotels I have
every stayed at. The customer service is
amazing, the concierge service is outstanding,
the rooms –and even the decorations in the
hallways–are warm, comfortable and inviting.
Really the only negative of the day was when I
went to open my suitcase—the lock was still
on—but the slider—on the zipper had been
chopped off. Inside my suitcase was a note from
U.S. Homeland Security explaining that they had
randomly selected my suitcase for inspection
and had every right to chop off the lock. Well, in
in
19. effect my suitcase was totally ruined, but I would
resolve that another day. Time was fleeting!
We made friend with the hotel concierge who
gave us a few orientation tips, and then put us in
a car to take us to Miraflores. While only 15
minutes away, the hotel car costs $11.00 US. A
street taxi costs 6 Peruvian soles (about $2.50
US). Everyone says to be very careful when
hailing a street taxi as there are some ‘bad
apples’ out there, but from this point on, we
always hailed our own taxi and never
encountered any problems.
Spotting a café by Kennedy Park in Miraflores,
we had breakfast with delicious coffee (in fact the
coffee is great just about everywhere in Peru)
and then walked the 30 minutes toward
Larcomar, the seaside shopping complex that
graces the cliffs of Miraflores. Below we could
see surfers, kids playing football, and even some
brave souls playing in the cold Pacific waters.
Larcomar has many stores that you would see at
a typical mall in Canada, with a few unique craft
stores and restaurants, a video arcade and some
fast food. After a quick look around, we
wandered back downtown.
Sunday in Miraflores is quite relaxed (and very
safe). There are art exhibits on the street and in
the park. People are exercising in groups or
doing tai-chi; walking their dogs, enjoying the
flowers, attending the nearby church or chatting
in the outdoor cafes. We headed over to the craft
markets to browse the Inca-inspired textiles,
chatchkas, masks, alpaca sweaters, ceramics, T-
shirts, musical instruments and paintings. And
then it was time to grab a taxi back to our hotel in
San Isidro.
Once there we decided to break two of our own
travel rules. 1) Try not to eat at the hotel (local
food at a local restaurant is preferred) and 2)
Only order room service in a hunger emergency.
As we had only one hour before we would leave
again, we ordered ceviche (raw fish marinated in
citrus juices) and a club sandwich. The ceviche
was fresh and delicious, the club sandwich was
one of the best I have eaten anywhere (and I’ve
had a lot of clubs!).
While still in Canada, we had contacted Ronald
Elward of Lima Walks regarding an afternoon
tour of Barranco, and the message left in our
room was that he would meet us in the lobby at
3:00 pm, So off we went again. We got a taxi to
Barranco, which is a wonderful suburb just south
of Miraflores known for its upscale, safe
environment, colonial architecture, bars and
nightlife in general. For two hours we wandered
the streets, taking in the style and stories about
the various houses and buildings. We learned
that all the houses were built after the city
recuperated from the great Lima earthquake of
1746. We wandered across the Bridge of Sighs
(Puente de los Suspiros) where according to
legend, anyone crossing the bridge for the first
time while holding his/her breath will have their
wish fulfilled, and then we ended the afternoon
with cold beers at a café overlooking the ocean.
Ronald had recommended the restaurant at
Huaca Pucllana in Miraflores for dinner. A Huaca
is a ‘sacred place’ and this particular pyramid
dates back about 1000 years. The restaurant
next door allows you to experience fine dining
while enjoying beautiful views of the historic site.
We were seated at an outdoor table. With
excellent service, amazing food. (I had the grilled
tuna, my colleague had the duck), and a relaxed,
almost mystical atmosphere. This is now entered
into my list of top restaurants around the world.
Finally at 9:00 pm we headed back to the
Westin. Quite an active day but if anything it
emphasizes all the things you can do to fully
immerse yourself into a city, taking in the culture,
the food and the spirit of adventure on the very
first day of any trip. It was our intention to
maximize our time in Lima and we were now off
and running!
The grilled tuna at Huaca Pucllana
20. The Hagoita-Ichi (Battledore Fair) is held each December at the Asakusa Temple in Tokyo. The Battledores
resemble wooden badminton racquets and are for sale, along with kites and other New Year’s decorations.
Popular themes include Kabuki actors, celebrities, popular athletes and anime characters.
21. Well priced workshops, keynotes and webinars for your
agency team, group, chain, conference, executive and board.
WHEN YOU NEED IDEAS ON HOW
TO GENERATE NEW BUSINESS
CONTACT SELLING TRAVEL’s
Steve Crowhurst
The Original Idea Generator
www.sellingtravel.net
22. i
What you see is what you sell…but
what about all the rest?
Talking Travel’s
Destination
Master Class
Program
The world will never look the same again
to you or your clients
