Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Air Law 15

I'm simply shocked. It has been a year since I last posted an Air Law.

Since then, I've referenced them...but haven't added more laws to the original 14 (which can be accessed here). I tell myself that is because I nailed them all the first time around. On the other hand, maybe I just got lazy.

But a new study from Skyscanner has reminded me of a situation that always frosts me...and apparently 27% of the poor souls with which I share the sky: the dishonest announcement about delayed flights.

As noted in Travel Daily News, “Telling you a flight will be 30 minutes late, then another 30 minutes late, then another – when they know full well that the plane hasn’t even left its departure airport – is extremely annoying and downright dishonest,” said Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and director.

And we couldn't agree more. So...

AIR LAW 15: Any ticketed passenger that confirms that a gate agent is fibbing on the status of any flight (inbound or outbound) is hereby authorized to a) announce to everyone else in the gate area that an Air Law has been violated and b) encourage everyone to get in line to change their seat assignment, ask about what snacks will be served and question whether the pilots assigned to the flight wear boxers, briefs or thongs.

I've never quite understood why gate agents think they can get away with lying...because the plane is not coming and they know it. It's one thing when a President or Sports Figure lies, 'cause there's a chance they can pull it off (yeah, good luck with that). But when you know the flight hasn't left Reagan and you're saying it'll be a 30 minute wait in Denver? You're busted before you start.

So, it's only fair that, since they are annoying us, we return the favor.

TravelMuse Shows Troubled Tourists the Way

It's one of those concepts that takes a while for many of us to grasp...that it's the small mindless purchases that stack up in the end and put us in a position to not be able to acquire something of substance. Like the conversations a few years ago with one of my daughters that had developed a serious Starbucks jones.

"You know, honey, just two less Starbucks a week and you could buy 30 more songs a month from iTunes...songs that you'll be able to enjoy forever." Yeah...whatev.

Well, TravelMuse has taken that same concept and applied it to travel with Yaycations. An online calculator shows how much a traveler could save by cutting back on coffee, DVD rentals, fast food and 17 other discretionary purchases.

In my test-drive...I saved over $750. Which could be just enough to make the numbers work for that next vaca.

Very Cool.

And thanks to Iconoculture for the catch.

Best Damn Snowball Fight

With roughly 15 inches of snow falling in Madison over the past 24 hours...why wouldn't students at the University of Wisconsin set out to break the world record for biggest snowball fight in history.

While these types of attempts are de rigueur at UW, video and YouTube now chronicle the attempts like never before.

I love the first video here, where fate, luck and whimsy come together to nail the videographer...who said, just moments before, "I am the target."

Tightrope Walking Over Texas Stadium

Well, not exactly over the top of Texas Stadium...but I'm sure it feels that way for our friend Maura Gast of the Irving CVB.

As explained in a fascinating story in this weekend's Dallas Morning News, Maura is leading the efforts to land a corporate sponsor and a national contest for the upcoming implosion of the former home to the Dallas Cowboys. To make the deal work, she must sell the City and the 'boys on the concept...without spilling the beans on who covets the sponsorship. Divulge the name...the deal's off.

Which means the City and the Cowboys must trust Maura. To not do so costs everybody great visibility on the international stage.

But, for control freaks (like cities and football teams tend to be)...this has got to be killing them.

3 Key Questions

Fred Reichheld penned a great book called, "The Ultimate Question." Forbes recently offered the 10 Questions you should never stop asking.

Three of them are key:

• What is our purpose for existing?

• Who is our target audience?

• Why does anyone need what we're selling?

Questions that we all need to ask more often than we do....

The Next Step in Quantifying Impact

The Destination & Travel Foundation has developed a case study demonstrating how tourism in Phoenix impacts city, county and state government. And, unlike most impact studies...this one factors in a new impact.

Property Tax. At last.

A number of us have talked about this for a while...but it's now quantified. Over a quarter of all taxes generated by visitor expenditures come in the form of property taxes. In Phoenix, every hotel room generates just over $1700 in property taxes each year. Which is more per square foot than comparable property tax on homes.

This changes the conversation. A lot.

The Luxurious Voice of Cow

That would be John Cowan...

I've been a huge fan since hearing him on internet radio in a hotel room in Roanoke VA years ago (funny that I remember exactly where I was...but his voice'll do that to you). I've collected several of his CDs, from his days with the New Grass Revival to his stint as a soul singer to where he is today...a fascinating mix of bluegrass, jazz, blues, country and gospel.

And one of the most beautiful voices on the planet. As I finally got to witness last night in West Bend WI.

He's on a tour supporting his holiday season release "Comfort and Joy." If you're anywhere near Cleveland, Buffalo, Vienna VA, Petersborough NH, West Newton MA, Lexington MA, Piermont NY, Asheville NC or Aberdeen NC over the next two weeks...treat yourself. Tour schedule and samples of the new CD are on John's MySpace page.

Thanks for a wonderful evening, John. And please come back to Wisconsin soon.

How Hard Can This Be?

In a hotel room, looking for the ice bucket. Grab the obligatory baggie because we can't trust that housekeeping actually washed the bucket.

That's been going on for....what? 3 years? More?

So, forgive me, but...shouldn't hotels have figured out by now what size baggie works with their ice buckets? I'd bet a third of the hotels in which I stay haven't...and usually provide baggies that are too small.

But then there's this one. Which reminds me of that great line in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where, after blowing the shit out of of a train car, Redford looks at Newman and says, "Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?"

Nashville Trains Taxi Drivers

A year ago, Nashville Tourism officials blasted local cabbies for their rudeness. The cabbies retorted that they didn't make enough money and threatened to strike.

What a difference a year makes. Armed with a grant from the Nissan Foundation, the Nashville CVB, the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute and Metro Transportation and Licensing Commission are offering 3-day training programs to taxi drivers, many of whom weren't actually trying to being rude to visitors. They just didn't understand American culture (there's a switch).

The program helps them with English idioms, the area's colloquialisms and how to greet passengers warmly and make eye contact. The goal: 200 of the city's cabbies through the groundbreaking program over the next year. Very Cool.

No word whether they are teaching them to say, "You talking to me?'

My Mom Just Poked Me

No...not MY Mom. She's not on Facebook (I don't think). But Outside Joke's is.

Hilarious video on how parents are screwing up the online world for their kids.

A Different Kind of Luxury Travel

Great article in this month's issue of Wired (and online here) on Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which plans to launch its space-tourism play in 2012.

300 people have already plunked down $200,000 each (and at least one guy has cashed in his Virgin Atlantic miles) to reserve their spot on one of the 12 weekly flights planned. According to Virgin Galactic, several hundred more are "in the pipeline" and 82,000 have signed up for updates on the company's website.

Who said luxury travel was dead? 'Cause it's not about travel...it's about the experience.

After the Long Weekend...Nothing Has Changed

Last week, the Cincinnati City Council narrowly passed an $100,000 addition to its 2010 budget to bring the World Choir Games to the city in 2012. Dissenters wailed that such a subsidy sends the wrong message.

And, just what message would that be? That a city shouldn't invest $100,000 (that will be matched by $3 million in private sector sponsorship and in-kind services) to land an international event that will generate $14 million in spending on the streets of Cincinnati? That will save jobs on the edge? Not to mention expose the city to thousands of potential future residents and investors?

That it passed 5-4 is great news (way to go Mr. Lincoln). That the vote was as close as it was makes me just shake my head in wonder at how unsophisticated some elected officials can be.

Photo by Derek Jensen

The Shat is da Bomb

Taking a few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday (though, I'm sure I'll show up on other platforms from time to time)...so, I'm shifting my "Funny Friday" post to today.

Jetpacks bemoans that he was late to the party on this one, as over 500,000 people have already viewed this great video mash-up of William Shatner (aka "the Shat"). Well, I was too...but laughed my ass off when I saw it last week.

And, dig those rad shoes he's wearing as he proclaims his lust.

Have a great weekend!

Broadway in the Heartland = Tourism

While not every touring Broadway show draws visitors into a town (as if "Oklahoma" ever needed reviving), there are those like "Lion King," "Wicked" and "Moving Out" that are not only great for the home crowd to experience...but draw visitors like fruit flies to a half-consumed glass of wine.

The latest success story? Wichita's three week run of "Wicked" that was a virtual sell-out. A three-week run? A lot of those seats were obviously sold to visitors from out of town. Some restaurant and bar owners reported business up 20-30%. With visitors.

The last success story I saw was Des Moines' hosting of a four week run of "Wicked." Estimated $17 million impact. A lot of that was...yes, visitors.

Many dismiss the impact of Performing Arts Centers as a Tourism draw. But, if your center can bring Broadway home? Yeah....

International Travel to the U.S. Continues to Decline

I had the opportunity to talk with a reporter from USA Today last week regarding the US Travel Promotion Act and why it was necessary now, after decades of this country's laissez faire attitude about tourism.

One of the reasons? Gadling shares the Department of Commerce's new numbers...and they aren't good news. Again.

It's a shame that our government isn't smart enough to just write the check to create a National DMO, rather than tax inbound visitors. But, whatever way it has to be, the need for a National DMO has never been clearer.

Alcohol-Fueled Overconfidance

The trailers for the movie Ninja Assassin portray the high-flying, high-skying acrobatic moves that have become de rigueur for the genre.

And, I'm sure, will inspire kids to try the moves much like the exploits of Spiderman has caused countless kids to think they can jump off roofs.

But adults? Ummm, yeah. News out of Seattle has it that a man who thought he was a ninja impaled himself on a fence after failing to clear said obstacle.

Best line of the story: A police spokesperson said that the man was "overconfident in his abilities," and that alcohol likely played a role.

It always does.

Thanks to Rob McNealy for the catch.

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

Earlier this week, a Senate subcommittee blasted three online companies for scamming consumers into buying something they didn't want.

Isn't that what so many politicians do?

Just a thought.

That Worked Well...Now Let's Stop

The Dickinson ND CVB has been kicking butt. Visitation is way up and so, too, are room and drink tax collections. By the distribution formula currently in place, the Bureau should be getting a nice budget increase next year to produce even more magic for the Dickinson economy.

Or not. The Mayor apparently has other ideas for the money, essentially saying that visitation levels are fine where they are. That Dickinson doesn't need to promote itself at a higher level.

By this logic, a town that was successful in curbing crime wouldn't add more police through a tax especially designed to fund police in order to keep the townspeople safe. Even when everyone can see the new gang (in this case, the recession) that has just moved into town?

As I said yesterday, we don't elect politicians because they're smart.

The Cluelessness of Some

We expect our elected leaders to bail us out of incredibly complex situations. But why? Did we elect them because of their past experience in bailing us out of incredibly complex situations? No...we elected them because they made us feel good.

Same with editorial writers. Do we believe the tripe they write because they are superbly educated and experienced in the topics on which they write? Or do we believe them because they are the only voice in print and, thus, they must know what they are talking about?

Case in point, the editorial writer for the Colorado Springs Gazette, who recently supported the gutting of Experience Colorado Spring's marketing budget by writing, "we do not need a dedicated non-profit with nearly 20 employees...to do what could just as well be farmed out for bids from an assortment of private marketing firms with diversified income streams."

The writer goes on to say that the DMO has little impact on attracting people to the top three attractions in the region...because everybody already knows about them. Like that writer KNOWS that for a fact.

Hey Sparky...I'd never heard of two of your three top attractions until I arrived in Colorado Springs for a convention last month. A convention that the professionals at Experience Colorado Springs landed on your community's behalf. A three day event in which hundreds of us enjoyed your sensational downtown, ate in your restaurants, partied in your nightspots...and wouldn't have, if not for the efforts of Experience Colorado Springs.

I'm guessing that the businesses and hotels in Colorado Springs were pretty happy to see us (and take our money)...as they are with all the other conventions and events that Experience Colorado Springs brings to town.

But now may not be able to because you think their services aren't needed.

You really need to get a clue. Your town's economy depends on it.

The ROI of Business Travel

It fascinates me to no end to watch otherwise smart people do stupid things in tough times. Like cutting marketing, slashing prices and letting customer service slide...when all the research proves such tactics are a recipe for failure.

New research out last week from Oxford Economics adds another study to the pile that smart people will likely ignore: For every dollar spent on business travel, companies experience $3.60 in new profits. And, that the average company that eliminates business travel stands to forfeit 17% of its profits in the first year.

With numbers like that, I know I wouldn't be cutting back.