Thanks for being my mentors!!!

Today, Grupo Auren has release a book trying to disclosure the future related to Health, Education, Robotics, Blockchain.... AND TOURISM!!!

I have tried to summarize what I have learnt from my mentors during all these years enjoying being a Touristologist!

At the beginning of this OUR blog (almost 10 years ago!!!) I wrote a post saying thanks to MY  Touristologists.

Today, I want to say the same to my mentors in Touristology...

Espuña: First person that said to me “We are Touristologists!”

Almodovar: Master of masters dealing with intermediaries in the Tourism sector.

Urgell: Born to be a Hotelier.

Iglesias: A Marketing lighthouse.

Calabuig: A Geographer that fell in love with Tourism.

Codinas: A Psychologist genius entrepreneur and expert in travel agencies.

Gou: The best incoming travel agent in the entire world.

Martin and Peguero: The dynamic duo! The first ones that enlightened me with the Yield Management philosophy.

Arcarons: An incredible lawyer… 
Rajesh: A programmer Guru that has been my brother in arms mixing Touristology and Web-Engineering.

You were the best mentors in Touristology!

I also want to express my gratitude to all the people that have helped me to develop my career as a Touristologists builder:

Mar Isla, Francesc Uroz, Quim Majó, José Hernandez, Joan Miquel Gomis… from the bottom of my heart...THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!

The fight to build the best Science ever is going on!!!

Enjoy reading the book!

Enjoy Touristology!

Don’t teach Touristologists how to code! Seriously?

Touristologists have to know how to code! 

They are not wishful thinkers like the ones that appear in this video...

Do you believe that you can create a start-up without knowing about code? What about the following mantras?

“You create something basic and based on USERS’ desires you add features”

“If there are not enough USERS, not enough profits... pivot!”

Can you add new features and pivot using automatized task? Keep dreaming! Easy task easy automation! BUT Creativity, innovation... are VERY difficult to automatize!

I realized that it was compulsory to learn to code in 1991. I was working as Product Manager of an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) for the Mac ecosystem. 

Do you want to change something? Do you want to know if this change is possible? Do you want to explain these changes to your customers and developers in the right way? I’m sorry but, if you believe that this is possible without knowing how to code... You are a wishful thinker!

In life, in your professional career you have two options... To do only the easy things, the things that you easy understand OR to have a whatever it takes attitude.

Which one do you believe will bring more job opportunities... a successful career... a happier life... to YOU?

Then, in 1996 I realized that it was compulsory to learn about Internet. Do you think is possible to imagine new business model in a new technological world without any technological knowledge? Keep dreaming wishful thinker!

In 2007 I realized that it was compulsory to learn about mobile apps development.

In 2017 I focused (still focus!!!) on Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality. As always, I learn and practice about these technologies with two hands attitude: How can I develop a profitable Business Model using them? Can you visualize if this business model is possible? Can you explain it to a team of developers?

In 2019, I have added Event Streams Processing to my toolbox

Do you want an example of a Business Model? Yield Management is all about how to seduce the Tourist to make a reservation NOW for THIS DAY. Do you think that technology able to provide customized and syndicated 3 C’s (Content, Commerce and Community) in Real Time could be important? Do you think that you could apply this technological without knowing how it works? Keep dreaming wishful thinker!

Know how to collect Event Streams from different source systems ( service providers, intermediaries/ infomediaries, social networking sites...) using webhooks and streaming APIS.

Know how to store theses Event Streams in a unified log

Know how to process this Event Streams in order to filter or validate them ALSO in order to enrich them (add the Geo-location or proximity, sentiment analysis from SNS...)

Know how to return this knowledge in the right offer to seduce the Tourists Right Here, Right Now!

Know how to design and create a Native Mobile App (OR an Hybrid one with Flutter) able to manage this Business Model!

Event Streams technology AND the knowledge about how to use it will improve and change Yield Management’s processes!

But Jordi... I don’t want to learn how to code! I don’t want to learn mathematics! I don’t want to learn anything that I won’t fully understand in 10 minutes!

Good luck wishful thinker!

Do you believe that Tourism and New Technologies are strongly related? Do you want to help to improve our beloved sector?...

I will be here! Waiting for YOU!!!

Is it important for a Tourism Destination/Enterprise to use Blockchain?

As, usually, happens in OUR seminars, in-company training or start-up meetings in order to define (or redefine!) their business model, the intelligent answer begins with ... It depends on...
What is THE important thing to remain competitive, get profits for local enterprises, good salaries for local Touristologists and happy inhabitants?
To become a solutions provider for any problem that the Tourist has from the beginning to the end of the trip!
To control/manage the chain of value: All the enterprises/organizations that the Tourist has to deal with from the beginning to the end of the trip.
They can do that defining a specialized segment, building their own community and then, offering customized 3C’s (Content, Commerce and Community). What is known in Touristology as My own 1,2,3. Then, they can sell ANYTHING to this community: International routes, services from potential competitors (that won’t be competitors anymore... they will become collaborators!). Then, they can sell access to this community to other enterprises/organizations (Looking for hiring the most adequate human resources, trying to seduce them with interesting and customized offers, willing to practice marketing research...).
So... Can Blockchain technology help Tourism Enterprises/Destination to get these features?
Of course! As all My Touristologists know you can use different technologies to provide these features.
You can use Web Services or Web Scraping as we discuss here 

Of course, you can also use Blockchain! But not because it is the flavor of the month! Blockchain brings TRUST to the game. Trust to know the identity of the Tourist and the members of the chain of value.
Trust to know that you only share the information that you need for “this” specific transaction with “this” specific member of the chain of value.
Trust that the process will be carry out as it was planned thanks to Smart Contracts (or Chaincode).
Trust that payments will be secured...
This is possible because, at the end of the day, all the members of the chain of value use the same or similar “Data Base”
It is important to have a clear vision of the business model that you want to implement!
It is important to know the pros and cons of all the technologies (Web Services, Web Scraping, Blockchain... you-name-it!!!).
It is important to know how to mix together “these” technologies in order to improve the operations and processes of Tourism Enterprises/Destination and help them to become more profitable!
Then you can begin the Third Wave of Internet that I try to summarize with this picture... 

You don’t go to websites/mobile apps... you don’t get everything and put it in a website/mobile app... You live in Internet and see right here right know anything that you need! Fast, Customized, Trustful!!!

But Jordi! This is difficult! Of course, for that reason, you will need to talk to any of my Touristologists! They are the best minds working on the best sector ever!!!

Doing intellectual dancing with My Touristologists!!!

The other day, I was reviewing some articles and study cases in a seminar.

You know my motto! You don’t have to study for the final test... you have to practice the beloved principles of the best science ever... Touristology!

You know my methodology and my obsession on building COMPETENCES!

I shared this interesting article

As you see in this article, in order to seduce Tourists to make a reservation for THIS flight at THIS moment they use the usual trick. I mean, mark down the price.

I challenged my Touristologists!!!

Can you provide some examples about how to seduce Tourists using To Whom, What with, Where and When?

I provide examples to My Touristologists... they provide examples back to me! I love Touristology’s games!

Do you want to seduce a Segment to make a reservation for a specific flight at a specific moment (when the booking pace is at a low level)?

What about to think what is going on at the place where the flight is going? What about (for example) is there a new premiere of a horror movie?

Let’s provide some answers to OUR favorite questions!

To Whom? Tourists fans of horror movies, tourists willing to write a book about it or create a film or a series, producers/enterprises willing to learn about this community, to hire some of its members, to do a marketing research...

What With? What about go there and enjoy the movie? What about some networking activities? What about BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the flight create some customized activities? What about to create an international route linking together this Segment with different activities in different places around the world!

But Jordi... I only want to sell seats!
Ummm... Listen to Your Touristology’s voice!!!

“Let’s clarify this once and for all… Your business is NOT selling seats, rooms or... Your business is to satisfy your customer, providing what they need, when they need it, in the way they need it!”

Ok! Let’s continue with the rest of questions that Yield/Revenue Management provide to us!

When?  Interesting question! The best moment to show this service and send the information about it should be when our Segment is on the mood to buy the service or make the reservation, for example it could be perfect time when the customer is surfing inside a Social Networking Site about this topic. What about to seduce the Tourist to create a group inside this SnS? A perfect example of Pro-Am! A perfect example of a Win2Win situation!

Where? What about to have a widget in the same SnS where the user can make a reservation directly to the Airline company!

Of course, all these examples will be easier with NDC technology. Do you want to learn about it? Let’s see this enlightening video...

In a nutshell...

1) NDC allows the supplier to know who is buying. Then, they can customize the service with up-selling and cross-selling offerings.

2) NDC allows the intermediary to get access to up-selling and cross-selling services and offer them to the Tourist.

Is there somebody willing to provide MORE examples?

Could you provide more examples of seducing new segments?

Could you provide examples of seducing regular Tourists?

I Love to practice intellectual dancing with My Touristologists!!!

Is Tourism always good for a Tourism Destination?

Maybe some Tourism “expert” would say yes but, in this article  some residents disagree.

“Residents here are thoroughly fed up with a recent influx of tourists, who they accuse of turning their idyllic valley into "an open air toilet".

Here, you can see the video that was the origin of getting plenty of Tourists! 

 

Here you can watch something similar

Is it bad to be a copyologist? No, it is just easier. I love to do easy /simple things when it is enough and the results are positive BUT what happens when the easy path increases the DARK SIDE of Tourism (OverTourism) and reduce the beautiful one (More profit for local enterprises, Higher salaries for Local Touristologists, Higher taxes for Local Public services)...

If you only get Tourists when everybody wants to be there… you are NOT a Touristologist

If your local enterprise doesn’t get more profit, your local Touristologist better salaries and your public service more taxes... you are NOT a Touristologist

If you are unable to seduce Tourists proving to them that during a trip, they will satisfy better their necessities... you are NOT a Touristologist

If you are not a proactive manager in a Tourism Destination... if you just react to problems and try to minimize them... you are not a Touristologist.

- Well Jordi... But I just do what other people do!

That’s right! That is my point! You are a copyologist NOT a Touristologist.

Can Tourism be always good for a Tourism Destination? YES! If there is a Touristologist running the show NOT a copyologist.

A Touristologist knowing when to apply reactive policies (limitations, taxes…)

A Touristologist knowing what and how to use technologies to better manage Tourism flows…

A Touristologist knowing when to create/help local enterprises in order to seduce OUR own specialized Tourists

A Touristologists knowing when to create strategic alliances with other Tourism destinations in order to create OUR own international routes focused on OUR own specialized Tourists!!! 

Do you want an example of specialized Tourism related to lake Elsinore and its pop-up OverTourism?

What about create, communicate and commercialized specialized Tourism packages with “the world is my office” philosophy?

What about biologists or landscapers of urban terraces?

What about doing the promotion and distribution in these specialized websites/organizations:

Universities

Enterprises

Waiting-for-your-examples!!!

Then, if you get success, you can build over these specialized Tourism a generic one. NOT the other way around! Just remember, first specialized Tourism then generic!

What about the international route? Do you think it could be interesting to also offer a visit to the Tulip season in Amsterdam? 

Everybody talking about OverTourism? It is time to apply a little bit of OUR beloved science!

Do you want to learn a little bit of Touristology? 

I will be here waiting for you!

Yield? Revenue? Servuction!

Recently, I gave one of OUR seminars about one of my favorite topics in Touristology. Yield Management.
As usual, one of the questions that appeared was… 
 

What is the difference between Yield and Revenue Management? 

Do you want to assist to the class and know my answer? Follow me please!

Some people define Yield or Revenue based on their evolution in practicing it.

- “When I was doing Yield … I did that. So, this is Yield”

- “When I do Revenue… I do that. So, this is Revenue”

The problem (main concern) of this approach is that Touristology is a science and we have to define our tools based on the problem that we have to deal with and the solution that our science provides. In Tourism (as in Health and Education) we have a very important difference with other sectors that Eigler and Langeard described with the word “SERVUCTION”. You can have more information here…!

As Eigler and Langeard highlighting long time ago, the customer is an input in the process of Servuction while that input it doesn’t exist in production.

This is both a boon and a bane to our beloved sector. A bane because if the Tourist is not here, we can’t create the service. But it is also a boon…

As the Tourist have to be here, we can create groups and become a magnet for other Tourists.

As the Tourist have to be here, we can increase the relationship between him/her and our enterprise/Tourism destination.

So, Yield? Revenue? Servuction!

Another usual question that sooner or later appear in OUR seminars is… 

What is the main difference between Marketing and Yield/Revenue Management?

As we need the Tourist to create the service, we have to seduce the Tourist to be right here, right now.

As we need the Tourist to create the service, it is not possible to deposit the service. If it is not sold now it will be lost forever!

To me, Yield / Revenue are strategies and tactics aiming to achieve two objectives:

1) To get the Tourist here when it is important for the business (low occupancy, later cancellations….)

2) To manage the wave of reservation (the booking pace) in order to increase the reservations for a specific day when we are down and to reduce the reservations when we are at the top.

Here we have a representation of that:

Simple Yield/Revenue Managers have simple strategies and tactics. When we are at the top of the wave, they increase the price and cut the sells in OTA, CRS, Metasearch or Search Engines… When we are down do the opposite! WoW!!! If this is the only thing that you are able to do… in less that 5 years some robots will steal your job!

Can Touristology brings some deeper and profitable solutions? Let’s see some examples…

1) Simple Yield/Revenue Managers only think in one wave (booking pace).

The times of a single wave is over! Different segments have different waves. Time to create new waves! Time to compensate current wave with the new ones. As we can see in the next figure…

2) Seduce Tourists already here to stay longer. You can see an interesting example of Shangri-la trying to seduce business people to stay in the hotel during the weekend  in this post...

Shangri-la... they have a problem of low occupancy (better to say a problem of less than desirable profit? YES!!!) during weekends because most of their customers are business people.

“So, you can promote to your customers… use you hard earned points of OUR loyalty program to appear in OUR hotel during weekends and enjoy especial activities for your kids. Not only you are a great professional you are the parent of the month! By the way, good example of Versions Of Me !!! The business people doesn’t appear during the weekends BUT yes, the lovely parent!”

3) Seduce new Segments creating or looking for something able to satisfy their need in the Hotel OR near to the Hotel. Here, we have a possible example of Motel 6, a pet friendly chain of motels, offering the training and how to avoid the red tape necessary to assist to an exhibition

4) Seduce traditional segments using customized 3 C’s (Content, Commerce and Community)

For instance, you know that one of your Tourists enjoyed a movie…now we have a sequel. Do you want to repeat the experience… What about stay in OUR hotel this day and make the reservation in this moment?
 

Differences between Yield and Revenue? I don’t care! I care about providing a solution to the problem of low occupancy, war prices and lack of direct reservations! Can you find new opportunities?

Don’t be a definition-provider! Become a problem-solver. Become an opportunity-finder! Become a Touristologists!!!

The future of Tourism: Touristology’s point of view!

The other day, I got an interview about “The future of Tourism”. You can read it here. Next week, I will have to talk about the same. What better way to practice this interesting topic that sharing it with you, my fellow Touristologists?!?

I always get your feedback that make me both a better Touristologists and a happier person!!!

First of all, we have to be specific about the typology of Tourism that we want to talk about because, it is compulsory to provide different analysis for the Generic or Mass Tourism of for the Specialized one.

Generic Tourism has as a main characteristic a Tourist focused on a low price and as winners of the game the enterprises able to control all the members of the chain of value using economy of scale. You can talk about a big tour-operator, the new search engine, the new Social Networking Site or the new Platform Economy related to Tourism.

Then, we have the Specialized Tourism where the Tourists are focus on value and the winner will be the enterprises able to discover a segment, disclosure to them the necessities, that they have, better satisfied during a trip and controlling all the chain of value giving support to ITS Tourists from the beginning to the end of the trip.

Future of Mass/Generic Tourism? Price will continue being the most important thing. To provide it the winner will need to manage great numbers of Tourists (origin of OverTourism ) and reduce the cost of its packages. Consequences for Tourism Destinations? Less profit for local enterprises, less salaries for local employees and less local taxes.

Is Mass/Generic Tourism a bad think? NO! But if we are unable to compensate it with Specialized Tourism… We won’t provide a solution to the dark side of the most beautiful sector ever! For example, making strategic alliances with other Cities/Tourism Destinations. Creating international routes seducing YOUR Tourists to go to one place or the other based on the situation of each City/Tourism Destination.

Becoming waves Managers of Tourists, embracing the principles of Yield/Revenue Management!   So, the future of Tourism… IT’S UP TO US!!!

At the end of the day, specialized Tourism is strongly related to the origins of travel from the beginning of the humankind. We have to remember that one of the supposed origins of the world Tourism is related with The Grand Tour.

Travel has always been a great provider of international networking for business or for sharing a passion. You can think to Marco Polo for instance! Travel has always been a great provider of new perspectives because you get isolation of your normal environment. For that reason, divorce Hotel or divorce Tourism are good business endeavors. Travel has always been the origin of a bunch of creativity. Was Darwin travelling when He developed one of the main ideas in Biology? A trip has always been an excellent way to create bonds between Tourists travelling together. I’m sure that you know examples of team building for enterprises or for families both classic ones or new ones (PANKS, Single Dads, GrandParents…).

To me, the best Psychologist of the world is the mother of my kids BUT Abraham Maslow is also a genius who always try to use Psychology not only to recover people from emotional damage BUT also to help them to become extraordinary ones! In the same way, Tourism can be the source of motivation and the lighthouse to see how to become a better human being AND to have better economies for Tourism Destinations! We deal with these ideas in this post.

Let me share with you two good examples of becoming a better person enjoying a transformative experience through a trip. As always… waiting for YOUR examples!

What do you think about digital nomads? You can get more information here

What do you think about getting an university degree in your favorite science during a trip? Visiting different Universities in different countries. Doing internships in different enterprises, getting a holistic vision, working with international teams, getting experience, contacts… seeing the big picture. Becoming the best mind in the science that you choose OR discovering connections between different sciences as Consilient Thinkers like to do!

Of course, to manage the communities related to these segments and provide support from the beginning to the end of the trip you can use technologies. They are also an important component of the Future of the Tourism!

What about Blockchain? Providing the information that you decide and for specific scenarios, in order to get credits in different Universities, to share your professional experience…

Blockchain allow us to verify our identity and all the information that it is necessary for the transaction that we want to do. I repeat, NOT all the information, ONLY the information that we need! Remember, customization without privacy it is a nightmare!

Blockchain allow us to create “smart contracts” to link together actions and consequences. For instance, to get access to different places with a single identification…

Blockchain can be very useful for secure micropayments. For instance, to get rewards in a kind of Loyalty Program.

What about Artificial Intelligence? To get customized 3 C’s (Content, Commerce and Community), to avoid scams, to ….

What about AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) to get these 3C’S right here, right now.

All these technologies will also allow you to create and manage teams around the world!

Before, during and after the trip, each student, each professor, each potential employer will see in their Smartphone or in the new, new device that soon will appear (the new version of intelligent glasses, an implant in your brain or eye…) the results of an Artificial Intelligence Model able to recognize people and places relevant to them making real the word Ubiquitous Computing coined by Mark Weiser.

Thanks to Augmented Reality this customized information will appear where necessary making easier networking activities, events, congress… AND thanks to Blockchain the information for each person will be only the authorized one for each specific situation.

YES! I think that Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and Blockchain will improve the transformative experience of doing Tourism!!!

In a nutshell, the future of Tourism? A world of endless opportunities for My Touristologists!!! As I always say… IT IS UP TO YOU!!!

You are the best minds working in the best sector ever!