The TWO Golden Rules of Touristology

Everything has a beginning. You must fall in love with your profession. You are a Touristologist because you are a global expert of segments willing to travel or getting what a travel can bring to them. It was an honor and a privilege to play intellectual tennis with you.

Not long time ago I introduced a study case about a tourist destination (Taiwan to be precise), in one of my sessions and one of my students (nowadays one of the best Touristologist in Touristology’s land!)  said “This tourist destination s***s!” and followed with “I don’t know anything about this destination” This was the beginning of the two golden rules of Touristology. The bedrock of the best practices in this new science.

Golden Rule number 1:

In order to make consultancy / sell a tourism destination (hotel, tourism packages…) you MUST

…fall in love with the tourist destination /Tourism Enterprise

Otherwise, it’s impossible to find something unique /competitive, attractive for a segment.

Other destination can have better…. Whatever BUT this destination/enterprise is so special!

Golden Rule number 2:

In order to make consultancy / sell a tourism destination (hotel, tourism packages…) you MUST

…know the destination BUT ALSO the segments in a global world.

If you don’t know…

First: Learn…. MORE! Second: You are a touristologist NOT an expert in one destination. Your job is to know the world tendencies in travel, know different segments, know where they meet and what provoke them to travel. Then you listen to people in the destination / hotel / travel agency and create the magic of linking Demand with Supply trough a chain of value!

Even though myself for time to time I have to review these golden rules of Touristology. It is what I call bifocal Touristology.

You have to deal with the day by day activities BUT you also have to look for new opportunities. Nowadays you only have local tourism? That’s perfect BUT don’t lose the track of international tourism.

You are tired and you see your destination or enterprise as a boring place… Umm it’s very difficult that you communicate and commercialize this place properly. Time to fall in love AGAIN with your destination. It’s just a matter of will!!!!

In order to become a Touristologist it isn’t enough with a degree or a business card. It’s a matter of brain, heart and guts!

How do I know if you will be one follower of these rules? Easy, when you were at my classes I play tennis or Basque pelota with you? I mean, I try to define a concept in Touristology Do you just take notes or you try to improve it? When I put an example Do you bring another (Usually better than mine!!!) or you just copy my example to put it in the final test?

Thank you very much to play intellectual tennis with me!!!!!!