Happy New Year 2019!

Happy New Year 2019!

I hope it bring a light to guide OUR beloved sector towards a more prosperous destination.
My kids enjoy writing a letter to the Three Wizard Kings AND … so do I! I only ask for three things (one for each Wizard!).
For a 2019 where managers of the Cities / Destinations / Tourism Accommodations will learn to…
1) Manage OUR Tourists from the beginning to the end of the trip AND NOT ONLY at the "Factory" where other companies send their tourists.
2) Create, communicate and commercialize for OUR Tourists, international routes together with other competitors / collaborators.
3) Create YOUR own digital networks / communities focused on satisfying the needs of YOUR Tourists better satisfied during a trip: Transformation, international contacts, creativity recovery, creation / strengthening of family or business ties ...
Maybe, the Three Wizard kings prefer the letter in Spanish?

Por un 2019 donde los gestores de las Ciudades / Destinos / Alojamientos Turísticos aprendan a…
1) Gestionar a SUS Turistas desde el principio al final del viaje Y NO SOLO en la “Fabrica” donde otras empresas envían a SUS Turistas.
2) Crear, comunicar y comercializar, para SUS Turistas, rutas internacionales juntamente con otros competidores/colaboradores.
3) Crear SUS propias redes/comunidades digitales enfocadas a satisfacer las necesidades de SUS Turistas mejor satisfechas durante un viaje: Transformación, contactos internacionales, recuperación de la creatividad, creación/reforzamiento de vínculos familiares o empresariales…

Maybe, the Three Wizard kings prefer the letter in Catalan (my mother tongue)? 

Per un 2019 on els gestors de les Ciutats / Destinacions / Allotjaments Turístics aprenguin a ...
1) Gestionar els SEUS Turistes des del principi fins el final del viatge I NO NOMÉS a la "Fabrica" on altres empreses envien els SEUS Turistes.
2) Crear, comunicar i comercialitzar, pels SEUS Turistes, rutes internacionals juntament amb altres competidors / col·laboradors.
3) Crear les SEVES pròpies xarxes / comunitats digitals enfocades a satisfer les necessitats dels SEUS Turistes millor satisfetes durant un viatge: Transformació, contactes internacionals, recuperació de la creativitat, creació / reforçament de vincles familiars o empresarials...

WoW! Management of the TRIP not the City, Territory or Tourism Accommodation; International routes; Our own Social Networking sites… Those are real Touristologists gifts!!!
I still want to teach Touristology’s principles! What about you?
I still want to do consultancy following Touristology’s principles! What about you?
I still want to create Tourism enterprises following Touristology’s principles! What about you?
The future belongs to Touristologists! Be ready to catch new year’s opportunities!!!
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!!

Touristology: A solution to Overtourism!

Overtourism has become an important/interesting word. Some people describe it as a problem…. I prefer to describe as an opportunity to improve the way we try to manage our beloved sector.

The other day, I enjoyed reading this article about the topic “How cities can fix Tourism hell”. After reading it I share with my Touristologists this Tweet

Can reactive policies like limitations and taxes be effective? Of course!

Can technology help us to manage better Tourism? Of course!

Here you can see this interesting video

Here  you can remember the actions of Amsterdam…

BUT the important idea is to manage tourism giving support to the Tourist from the beginning to the end of the trip! Let’s embrace XXI century Tourism Management!

XX century Tourism Management:

1) I want that someone bring THEIR Tourists to my Tourism Destination/Enterprise. I will be successful if I get a high number of Tourists!...even if they appear at the same time at the same place.

2) “Tourism is travel for pleasure” 

We have to update old-fashioned definitions of Tourism and get back to our origins… the Grand Tour (travel to learn) Marco Polo (travel to make business) Charles Darwin (travel to get a bunch on creativity)… Otherwise, it will be impossible to avoid the bad impacts of our beloved sector and maximize all its opportunities.

XXI century Tourism Management: 

My enterprises will seduce Tourists (in a broad sense) from around the world AND We will send them around the world! I will be successful if my enterprises get most of the revenues of the trip AND a decent profit. If my people get a fair salary. If I avoid massification, gentrification!

Can you combine XX century Tourism management with XXI one? Of course! As a matter of fact, I strongly believe/recommend that you do so in order, to maximize the PROS of Tourism (Profits for your enterprises, Good salaries and great careers for your people, international contact and new perspectives for your inhabitants, a way to get revenues to take care of your cultural heritage…) and minimize the CONS (OverTourism, Massificaction, Local inhabitants unhappy with the Tourists, Gentrification…).

BUT the important question is… Can you combine the two typologies of Tourism Management if you don’t know how to apply one of them???

When you have a clear goal… begin to climb!!!

I want to give support to the Tourist from the beginning to the end of the trip! That means that I will need to use different software from different companies.
But this could be a problem - said the usual copyologists always looking for excuses for not paying attention. Always nervous to check out unnecessary comments in social media…
Problem? Never say “there is a problem” without presenting a solution. Not to your boss, not to yourself… if you want to have a successful career and a happy life!!!
You can use Docker! BUT how to orchestrate the different dockers container in different hybrid clouds of different enterprises members of the chain of value? You can use Docker Swarm or Kubernetes!
BUT Jordi! How can we TRUST the authentication of the docker container? Does Blockchain ring a bell to you? You know this technology that people unable to understand say that is not useful anymore!!!
But Jordi! How can we customize the 3C’s (Content, Commerce, Community) to each single Tourists? Does Artificial Intelligence ring a bell to you? You know this technology that people unable to understand say that is something small to them!
But Jordi! How can we provide this customized 3C’s to the Tourists in an easy way during the trip? Does Augmented Reality ring a bell to you? Forget chatbots, forget talking to a machine… I know that you are here and for that reason I send the customized 3 C’s. Then, if it is necessary talk or write to the system. So, Chatbots, talk to the machine interesting but…. SECONDARY!!!
But… this is very expensive! It is impossible to provide a profitable service to a generic Tourism focus on low price or for individual Tourists - Said an Intelligent Touristologists always listening, always thinking, always bringing news, videos… related with our beloved sector.
YES! For that reason, we need to use Deeper Segmentation and be sure that we will create GROUPS inside an international community!!! 
The other day, I saw this interesting tweet from Alexis Ohanian cofounder of Reddit “Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian issued an ominous warning for Facebook: 'We've hit peak social”
You can learn more about it here…
In this article He predicted
“…users will move away from the big social networks toward new, more community-focused platforms.”
I wrote down this comment I, strongly, agree! It will happen as well in Tourism! Platforms of International communities will help Tourists to satisfy better their needs though a trip. From Generic to Specialized… are you ready???
Can you connect the dots Touristologists? International community-focused platforms… technology allowing to provide support from the beginning to the end of the trip… Time to start climbing!!!
Do you like the mountain that I have just described? Do you want to enjoy the view at the top of it? Are you NOT afraid of the effort? I will be there climbing this mountain... to the end!!

WHY???

- Jordi, Why do I have to learn Deeper Segmentation? Why Simple Segmentation, based on demographics (age, country of origin…) is not enough?
This is the question that some of my students, participants in a seminar, members of a team of a future disruptive StartUp… ask to me. Maybe YOU, reader of this OUR blog focused on Touristology, have the same question!
I will try to provide an answer. We can represent Deeper Segmentation with this slide...

We know that we are dealing with a deeper segment when it can be linked with three profit generators:
A) High level in the Maslow Pyramid (customized for business uses by Chip Conley). When you have your Tourists in the second and third level you can keep your price and you can find more ancillaries products to sell to them because you know what is really important to them. Usually, in simple segmentation leisure, business, Tourist low price orientated, millennials, generation Z… the main factor of differentiation is a low price. In deeper segmentation you only have a segment if they love to define themselves as… if they love to meet other customers similar or complementary to them… if they love to get a customized service!
B) You can create GROUPS both of Tourists and professionals (and future professionals) willing to sell, hire, to know more about them. Do you agree that is better to sell a product/service to a group that a single person? Do you agree that if you are able to seduce an international group to your place (Tourism destination enterprise) your place become a magnet for this segment? In simple segmentation a group (MICE) is a segment. In deeper segmentation you can create a group inside this segment!
C) You can use Long Tail. You can use specialized social networking sites, where you have to pay less or not pay at all, in order to promote or distribute your services. You also can create YOUR OWN Platform! In simple segmentation you have to use generic channels of promotion and distribution, always asking you for a higher commission and for a lower price for THEIR Tourists. In deeper segmentation you can use/create specialized channels!
-Jordi Why is this so important NOW?
Because… have you been seen an increase of competitors and substitute products/service lately (AirBnB, Uber, OYO Rooms…)? Do you think that this trend will increase or decrease? What will you do to remain competitive???
Because… do you believe that the number of people asking for lower prices will decrease or increase. Are you able to provide this price PROFITABLY? If the answer is yes, perfect. Otherwise…
Do you believe that new luxury is to get a customized service, enjoy something tailor made to you?
Do you believe that a trip has transformation power, that during a trip you can become a better person, outcome personal problems, increase your creativity…  increase your networking, get contacts around the world,  increase the bounds inside your family, your business, your StartUp…
In order to remain competitive, you have to add Deeper Segmentation in your toolbox. You need to build international communities based on specialized segments in your own Platforms!
Forget about offer “More for less”; “To provide a Quality/Good service”… Good, More, Quality are SUBJECTIVE terms! Be sure, that you provide a service able to better satisfy their specialized needs!
For that reason, you have to learn Deeper Segmentation, future of Touristology! Because (as a Teacher) I’m only good if you are good! If you will have a promising career in our beloved sector! If you are able to create the new, new disruptive StartUp! If you are the best minds working in the best sector ever!
I love to build Touristology minds!!!!

Digital Nomads: A good example of Deeper Segmentation!

The other day, I shared with my fellow Touristologists this video about Digital Nomads claiming that they were a good example of Deeper Segmentation. 

Do you agree?  

Today, I will try to bring more information about this segment… Here you can see how Tourism Destinations are trying to seduce these Digital Nomads. We can find plenty of information about Thailand, Budapest, Costa Rica…. but let’s enjoy this video from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: 
  

Not only Tourism Destinations… Here we have an interesting example of Cruises from Nomad Cruise 

Apartments offering workspace like nomadx. We can also find sub-segments inside, like this one on this video for  families 

Can we study/analyze/try to improve/detect threats and scams… using OUR favorite frameworks?  

Deeper Segmentation: 

1) Identity Refreshment 2) Groups creation 3) Long Tail Distribution. 

PEST/Strategic Triangle /4P 

Strategic Triangle 

I Love Touristology’s games! What about you?!?!?

Building the best minds in Tourism!

In OUR classes, seminars, in-company training or start-up meetings in order to define (or redefine!) the Business Model and the Technology Scheme, we have to use the right methodology. I mean…
Simple/repetitive/ copy-the-way-Tourism-enterprises-work-today
VERSUS
Complex/creative/ let’s-define/visualize-the-way-Tourism-enterprises-will-work-in-the-future
I could make OUR life easier providing summaries and funny videos that you can memorize and then pass a simple test, BUT my job/passion/mission is to build the best minds in the best sector ever!
I want to be sure that I build on you the following competences:

Competence: To listen to someone, get his/her message, extract the knowledge and then read/look at/talk to… and get your OWN conclusions.

Competence: To convey your own ideas in front of an audience and argue/improve your position even if others disagree and/or they give new visions/examples right on the spot.

Competence: To seduce local Tourists BUT also INTERNATIONAL ones. To wait for other people to bring their Tourists BUT also to know how to seduce your OWN ones!

Competence: To adapt to any Tourism enterprise and follow their processes BUT also to be able to improve them AND visualize a new disruptive idea and be able to implement it!

Competence: To practice simple segmentation (Leisure, Business, Groups, the-ones-who-make-the-reservation-in-this-channel…) BUT also deeper one, in order to get better RevPar, TRevPar and GopPar!

I’m a Touristologists builder. I help to create the best minds in the best sector ever! Minds able to visualize, imagine, improve how to manage new scenarios. Competences that machines/robots will start to develop in no less than 10 years! By the way, I’m building these machines too!

Can you feel the power of Touristology’s principles?

The other day, I was reading an excellent article about ICELANDAIR. This article  explains that “Iceland should be a good air market right now. But increased competitive capacity is putting major pressure on Icelandair. The carrier's new CEO is going to have to find a way to get the airline back on track. ”

What about... YOU are the NEW CEO of ICELANDAIR!!

Can you read the article and using your Touristology’s frameworks explain your set of strategies? Are you willing to practice a little bit of your favorite subject??? Here you have a kind of blueprint…

So far, the former CEO has tried to do the following…

1) Appear a low cost competitor lowering the price? His answer? Mark down the price!

2) A Tourist want to travel from USA to London. His idea is that He/She spends time and money in the middle!

3) Thinking about opening new routes (India…)

Good ideas? Bad ones? What do YOU think?

Let’s see what Touristology can bring to the table (remember in disruption table if you don’t have a seat… YOU are the meal!!!)

Is it a good strategy for an airline company to sell other components of a trip? Well, EasyJet, Ryanair  and now Virgin are doing so…

Wouldn’t be, even better, if they practice deeper segmentation and develop special packages for specialized Tourists?

Do you want an example of deeper segmentation providing 1) Loyal Tourists with a high Identity Refreshment 2) The possibility to create groups and sell to them new and more customized services, getting a higher profitability 3) The advantages of Long Tail distribution and communication allowing to distribute and communicate your services with zero o no cost….? What about the one that I shared with you in this Tweet? Can you connect the dots? Are you able to provide an example where an airline company try to seduce this segment?

Can you see the BIG difference if you organize a meeting in any place (before, during or after the trip) for these “Digital Nomads? Meetings with possible investors, future customers, employers, trainers… Do you see the potential growth of revenues sources from these meetings. Do you see a higher relationship between the airline company and this segment? Do you see the advantages of Long Tail Distribution and communication?

Can you feel the power of Touristology’s principles?

I can provide thousands of examples of specialized segments BUT… I am NOT the important one… YOU ARE!!!

BUT… Jordi! I work in an airline company… I have/want to sell seats!

I want to keep my business simple! At the end of the day, as Steve Jobs say…

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”

OK! Let me convey this fundamental Touristology idea in a very simple way!

Your business is NOT selling rooms, seats or F&B… Your business is to satisfy your Tourists, providing what they need, when they need it, in the way they need it!

But… Jordi! this idea is simple, BUT its management is complex!

Exactly, for that reason you will need to become or hired a Touristologists!!!

I love Touristology’s games! What about you?