Once upon a Time, there was a medium-size village dreaming about employment and wealth creation through tourism. They had neighboring villages dealing with generic tourism and they were concerned about threats to their culture and way of life…
In a restaurant, in the middle of this city, a group of entrepreneurs, established enterprises and public sector were having an impassioned debate about these issues.
“We have to offer sea products, scuba diving activities, sightseeing activities, culture, gastronomy…All this sounds attractive to a tourist, doesn’t it?”
A Touristologist happens to pass by and hearing the words Tourism and seeing excitement on the faces… He/She can help and asks to join the conversation.
Are you thinking about International and specialized Tourism, of course? - Asked the Touristologist with joy…
Of course, the international tourism that we already have! They are around us, so the only thing that we have to do is to provide something interesting and specialized to them - replied the crew as a single voice.
Ah… sorry - said the Touristologist beginning to yawn- I thought that you really want to be Touristologists.
Wait a moment! What do you mean by that? A tourist is a tourist, right?
No - reply the Touristologists thinking that someday people will take OUR science seriously!
I’m already selling my service to tourist, so I get experience, contacts…
Yes- reply the Touristologist- and you can be very proud of it! But, if you want to create, communicate and commercialize tourism services to international and specialized tourists you will need…
The Touristologist took a napkin and began to write what seem to be timeless rules….
1) To create a meta-enterprise (a kind of travel agency if you want to put a specific name!) able to deal with all the Touristology’s tasks : Finding segments with specific needs around the world, creating customized packages (both with tourism services and motivational ones) for them in order to meet their necessities, building and managing the related chains of value…
Do you think that we can do that? - asked one of them
Are you able to carry out an operation? No, because you are not a surgeon…
Are you able to build a building? No, because you are not an architect…
Are you able to create the next Internet killer-app? No, because you are not a programmer…
Why do you think you can do all the tasks a Touristologists do without the training, the experience, the contacts…?
2) To build the specialized and international chain of value.
Ah… we can use Specialized Touroperators! I have contacts with them - Said one of the attendants with excitement!
A specialized Tour-operator is another good example of oxymoron - replied the Touristologist - As it is a solo entrepreneur or a low price orientated customer that you try to catch using flash sales websites, thinking that after the first visit they will return paying the usual price!
You can still dream about somebody (you can call it tour-operators, the biggest search engine /Social Networking Site or the new group buying and flash sales site….) that brings the tourists to you ... But, the fact of the matter is that they are USUALLY focused on generic tourism and ALWAYS focus on gaining the trust of the customer, willing to transform your product /service into a commodity and keeping the leadership of the chain of value.
3) To define the technological scheme able to make the previous chains of value work as a single entity, a complex system, indeed… Able to provide support for the tourist from the beginning to the end of the trip!
After write the three rules the Touristologists handed it out to them, smiled and followed her/his path whistling his/her favorite song…
Touristologist!!! What if we need more advice?
Don’t worry, there are plenty of Touristologists around the world, they’re spreading like a plague into the tourism sector, changing the way we enjoy, manage and define Tourism…
Just find the right one!
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