Read an Excerpt
This book provides a different perspective on travel, based on the more than 35 years that I served virtually all aspects of the industry as a consultant and researcher. Major airlines, hotel chains, cruise lines, tour operators, rental car companies, resorts and destinations, travel media, and large travel agency conglomerates have been clients. These experiences provide an overview of the industry that I could not get if I had worked only in one segment, such as the airlines, hotels, or as a director of a tourism bureau. The range of experiences has allowed me to see similarities and differences across the field that otherwise would not have been possible. It has been a wonderful life experience and, to use the term of the psychologist Carl Rogers, I have felt selffulfilled. I count as personal friends many people I met over the years, including clients, academicians, people in the press, executives in advertising agencies, and others. They have taught me much while giving freely of their time and their ideas as we worked jointly to solve problems or work through issues.
My views may be different or unique, but they grow out of trying to understand how to attack each situation in the hundreds of studies that I have personally conducted. The focus has been on trying to learn why people travel, why they don't, and how to understand the psychology and subtleties of the travel experience. To handle the new challenges that clients provided almost weekly, flexibility and open-mindedness have been qualities that are essential to achieve success. You can't approach any situation assuming that you already know the answers. After the long period that I have been associated with the industry,I am still amazed at how much there is to learn. I cover a lot of topics in the pages that follow, but the subject matter could easily have filled a volume three to four times its current size.
Although this is a marketing book, it focuses primarily on the psychology of travel—why people travel and why they don't, and how to reach and motivate them more effectively. Anyone who wants to capture greater market share must have good knowledge about the motivations, thoughts, and lifestyles of important market segments. Otherwise, advertising and promotional dollars for programs supporting these efforts miss their intended targets. The media-intensive culture of today exposes consumers to thousands of advertising messages daily through television, radio, and print publications. Weak, unfocused messages easily get lost in the clutter.
Special thanks belong to a number of persons who have helped by reviewing certain sections of the book about events with which they had intimate knowledge and by offering suggestions. These include Tony Antin, Joe Buhler, Barbara Colwell, Bob Cozzi, Kim Greenspan, Al Keahi, Don Lum, Murray Markin, Renee Monforton, Allan Muten, John Pelletier, Lily Shum, and David Swierenga. Their names are referenced in the text in the sections referring to specific events or help provided. Appreciation is also due to former colleagues and still friends at Plog Research who have helped with various materials, including John Antonello (President), Ruth Sharp (Vice President), and Loretta Valdez (Manager of Production Services). Finally, Vernon Anthony of Prentice Hall has been great to work with. He is a gem in the world of book publishing.
Stanley C. Plog
