Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

You Can Check in Anytime You Like

Alas, the Night Man in the Eagles' classic "Hotel California" said that to a guest over 40 years ago...and it's just becoming a thing.

We've all been there, especially those of us that red-eye or fly internationally. But, even those of us that hit town at Noon have had to wait until the obligatory 3pm check-in time at most hotels. And, of course, short-staffed hotels are increasingly missing that mark.

But a movement has begun in the smaller, upscale, independent hotel groups around the world to allow customers, upon room availability, to check-in at any time of the day or night. While it could become an additional revenue stream, several of the hotels interviewed for a recent Skift article maintain the move is an opportunity to build loyalty among clients that have many choices in where they lay their head.

And, implementation is deceptively simple. Rather than having a morning and an afternoon crew to clean and prep rooms, these ingenious hotels are scheduling housekeepers on an hourly-rotating schedule.

Brilliant...and it only took 40 years.

A Virtual Destination Marketing Summit

Excited to be presenting at The Destination on the Left Virtual Summit, a new kind of conference for the travel industry - one without registration costs or travel time. My friend and podcaster Nicole Mahoney has gathered 17 industry experts (and past guests on her show) that are ready to share their knowledge with you December 9th through the 11th.

The best part? You don't have to hop on a plane or book a hotel because you'll absorb hours of content, all from the comfort of your office or home. The second best part is it's free. Check out the lineup of speakers at the link above and reserve your free ticket.

And, you can get a sneak peek at some of the topics I'll be covering by checking out Nicole's interview with me earlier this year.

Broadening Our Sensitivity

Air Travel is a pain in the ass. One of the moments that lifts my spirits is the subterranean passage between concourses at DTW.  Especially when the light show is pumping Motown.

Recently, I noticed an option that has been added at the entrances to the passage (click image to enlarge). It had never dawned on me that the light show I so love could be so uncomfortable to those with sensory issues. The ability to shut down the cacophony for a few minutes is a wonderful add to making the DTW experience work for everyone.

And, for more on designing a sensory sensitive destination, check out our DMOU conversation with Julie Pingston from the Greater Lansing CVB.

 

It All Starts with a Visit

It was ten years ago this month that Irving's Maura Gast unleashed the phrase "It All Starts with a Visit" during her closing address as Chair of Destinations International. If she had a Franklin for every time that phrase has been uttered over the past decade...well, let's just agree she wouldn't need to purchase a lottery ticket ever again.

It surfaced in the media again last week as Southern Delaware Tourism announced a collaborative Visitors Guide with Sussex County Economic Development. As CEO Scott Thomas said, “All the time, we see first visits turning into summer vacations that become beloved traditions families share for generations. For entrepreneurs and business executives, first visits often lead to serious, detailed inquiries about our local business climate and, from there, to new local businesses. It just makes sense to offer information of interest to both visitors and entrepreneurs in the same resource guide because the two groups often overlap."

As Tourism is the first date for Economic Development, this is an interesting partnership...and I can't wait to see how this plays out.

And, for more thought leadership from Maura, don't miss the chance to listen to her recent interview on the recently resurrected DMOU.

Saying You're Sorry

I seriously don't know where most people learned (or, more appropriately, didn't learn) to drive. The times I'm almost sideswiped when a self-absorbed asshole merges into my lane on an interstate has increased tenfold. And, those drivers that juke in front of me to get into a different lane? It happens daily.

Not unlike Air Laws, there should be Road Laws. And, the Number One Road Law should be, if your move into another driver's lane causes that driver to touch their breaks, you shouldn't have made that move. Period.

Now, far be it for me to say I haven't, on occasion, been absent-mindedly guilty of this as well (it happens). And, because I feel so strongly about this "Road Law," I've wished I could say, "sorry, my bad." But, you just can't.

But, now you can. And, not through hand gestures.

A new KickStarter project called RoadWayve offers an LED message board to communicate with other drivers on the road. Sample messages include short phrases such as “I’m sorry,” “Thank you,” “Turn off high beams,” “Let me merge,” “Go around me” and more. There is also a custom message option that is safely activated via voice control in the mobile app.

They've already tripled their KickStarter goal...so the concept seems to be resonating. If you want to get in on the ground-floor, click HERE.

Disclaimer: I have no experience with the company or the product. I just think it's a way cool idea.

 

A Sharing Economy that Shares?

Home sharing plays, such as Airbnb, have not only disrupted the taxi industry...but, according to many, neighborhoods that report increasingly unaffordable housing, lack of sufficient parking for residents and the "evisceration" of the character locals love. And, as tourism must work first for residents, that's not a good thing.

Enter Fairbnb, a Dutch start-up that is about to launch a sharing play that gives back to the community to fund projects in the neighborhood, selected by the residents being impacted. It's not a perfect solution, but this story from City Lab offers hope to neighborhoods what welcome Fairbnb into their homes.

The Impossible Slider

I outgrew my affection for White Castle sliders in my early 30s (somewhat simultaneous to my not still being on the streets at bar time, I believe). But, I must admit, when I'm in a destination that boasts the home of the slider (my home State of Wisconsin only features one, two hours away), I'll swing through the drive-thru for a trip down my culinary memory lane.

That White Castle was the first burger chain to embrace the Impossible Burger nationwide, it was just a matter of time before I'd have the chance to taste test the new with the classic, side by side. And, that opportunity finally presented itself.

The results? Pretty damn close to the original, if not slightly better. It's definitely thicker. They are cooked to order, so they are always hot off the grill and not reheated (just know that, if you're in a hurry, you should choose the original).

White Castle is a guilty pleasure no more. And, good on them for making the first move.

Changing the World with Ugly Food

Chalk it up to a great idea that I saw, photographed...but never connected the dots.

We were on a destination assessment assignment in Iowa a couple summers ago when I spotted a farmer selling carrots in a totally different way (click picture to enlarge). One sign read, "Carrots: $2/bunch." The other read, "Ugly Carrots: $1/bunch."

I chuckled and asked the farmer how his strategy was working. He grinned back and said, "I always sell out of the ugly ones first." When I asked what percentage of his crop was "ugly," he replied, "about a third...and I used to throw them away."

A thousand miles away, Abhi Ramesh was learning the same thing. According to the website for his Philadelphia based firm, "Misfits Market," over $1 trillion of food is wasted each year, either getting tossed at the farm, rotting in warehouses or going unsold in stores until it's inedible. Much of this is due to "modern-day beauty standards for food." Ugly fruits, misshapen vegetables, and delicious but imperfectly-sized produce are squandered at every level. Just a quarter of this wasted food could be used to feed the entire starving population of the world.

And that was the inspiration behind Misfits...and, like my Iowa farmer, they sell at up to half off. For $19, they'll ship 10-12 pounds of imperfect fruits and vegetables to your door, enough to feed a couple for a week. A larger box for bigger families is also available for $35. They're starting slowly, rolling out the organic service geographically in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Abhi hopes New York is next.

As their slogan goes, "Healthy. Affordable. Ugly."

And, brilliant.

Windows on a Plane

I've noted an interesting phenomenon on commercial airliners. As they have asked deplaning passengers to close window shades to keep the cabin cool for the next flight, an increasing number of next flight travelers opt not to open said windows.

For someone, like me, that enjoys watching take-off, the landscape and landing, this is a little unnerving. Yet, there I was a few weeks ago, in a section of the plane where not a single window shade was open.

Is it laziness...or do a majority of fliers actually not want to see outside the fusillade?

Enter Emirates Airlines, which has just announced plans to fly jets with no windows (more structurally sound and more cost efficient). Instead, they plan to install video panels, fed by cameras on the exterior of the plane, to show folks like me what's out there.

Interesting concept that still has a few questions, as outlined in this article from Fast Company.

Your thoughts? Boxers or Briefs? Panties or Thongs? Windows or Video Panels?

 

Ego-Tourism

Catching up over the weekend, I discovered this sensational article by Travel Weekly's Arnie Weissmann.

As cool as Eco-Tourism is, he says...it's Ego-Tourism upon which we should focus.

According to new research, over half of young professional travel is chosen as a way to make their friends envious. And, it's not just the young, as 15% of boomers take the possibility of envy-inducing posts into consideration when booking.

Narcissism aside...as Arnie says: "Being sensitive to the range of how an ego manifests itself can be crucial in qualifying clients and making sure their ego needs will be met during a trip. But understanding the role ego plays during the actual sales process can be equally important to your business."