Travel Thinking | Marketing & SEO
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
United Pilots Rip Into Boss
The pilots at United Airlines have found a new way of ripping into the perceived failings of the airline's boss Glenn Tilton. They've launched a website called naturally enough GlennTilton.com. Click on the post title to see the website.
Tilton is blamed by the pilots for a $519 million quarterly loss on fuel hedging. This is particularly ironic as Tilton was hired from one of the world's largest oil companies Chevron Texaco. The pilots are calling for Tilton to be sacked and have gone as far as sky advertising "Glenns gotta go" above United's Chicago head quarters. Not content with attacking Tilton, the pilots also attack the $525k salary of the airline's new finance director Kathryn Mikells.
The moral of the story is, if you want to be CEO of a business make sure you don't screw up in an area of supposed expertise.
Stumble It!4:19 PM
The pilots at United Airlines have found a new way of ripping into the perceived failings of the airline's boss Glenn Tilton. They've launched a website called naturally enough GlennTilton.com. Click on the post title to see the website.
Tilton is blamed by the pilots for a $519 million quarterly loss on fuel hedging. This is particularly ironic as Tilton was hired from one of the world's largest oil companies Chevron Texaco. The pilots are calling for Tilton to be sacked and have gone as far as sky advertising "Glenns gotta go" above United's Chicago head quarters. Not content with attacking Tilton, the pilots also attack the $525k salary of the airline's new finance director Kathryn Mikells.
The moral of the story is, if you want to be CEO of a business make sure you don't screw up in an area of supposed expertise.
Labels: Glenn Tilton, United Airlines
¶ Stumble It!4:19 PM
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Cha-am Villas, Hua Hin, Thailand
The Cha-am Villas project is now well under way. The basic website is now up and running and contains a number of photographs. These show internal and external shots of the villas, gardens and pool.
The travel SEO for the website will commence shortly. The site is already generating traffic for specific destinational terms. The key will be generating traffic from broader villa and and Thailand terms.
Cha-am Villas opens for bookings in January 2009. Stumble It!7:40 PM
The Cha-am Villas project is now well under way. The basic website is now up and running and contains a number of photographs. These show internal and external shots of the villas, gardens and pool.
The travel SEO for the website will commence shortly. The site is already generating traffic for specific destinational terms. The key will be generating traffic from broader villa and and Thailand terms.
Cha-am Villas opens for bookings in January 2009.
Labels: Cha-am Villas, Hua Hin, Villa Marketing
¶ Stumble It!7:40 PM
Eurotunnel Fire Damage - Worse than reported
It is now three weeks since the Eurotunnel fire. The third since 1996. Circumstances appear worse than first reported as we are still suffering the occasional imposition of "Operation Stack". Stack is the name given to closures of the M20.
The last time the tunnel suffered similar damage was back in 1996. Now, however, volumes of freight, car and train traffic making the short sea crossing to Calais and vice versa are much greater. This means even small increases in traffic, or small hold-ups on either the tunnel or ferry services brings Kent to a halt.
Local - unofficial - reports are that the tunnel is much worse than reported. That the repair process may well take several months. Stumble It!12:01 PM
The last time the tunnel suffered similar damage was back in 1996. Now, however, volumes of freight, car and train traffic making the short sea crossing to Calais and vice versa are much greater. This means even small increases in traffic, or small hold-ups on either the tunnel or ferry services brings Kent to a halt.
Local - unofficial - reports are that the tunnel is much worse than reported. That the repair process may well take several months.
Labels: Eurotunnel
¶ Stumble It!12:01 PM
Options for Recessionary Marketing
With the financial market turbulence of the last few days beginning to make an impact in the real economy, it is more important than ever to focus on two key elements of the travel marketing mix. Those two elements are "reason for travel" and "reason for choice".
The relatively benign economic circumstance since 2003 have mean it has been easy to grow a travel business. With the market under pressure and with consumers being force to reduced discretionary spending so, so marketing will no longer suffice.
One area to be exploited is activity holidays. Particularly those involving sports such as skiing, horse riding, cycling or diving. This view appears to be borne out by reports coming from the travel industry. City breaks and hotels appear to struggling. But activity holidays appear to be doing ok. Stumble It!11:52 AM
The relatively benign economic circumstance since 2003 have mean it has been easy to grow a travel business. With the market under pressure and with consumers being force to reduced discretionary spending so, so marketing will no longer suffice.
One area to be exploited is activity holidays. Particularly those involving sports such as skiing, horse riding, cycling or diving. This view appears to be borne out by reports coming from the travel industry. City breaks and hotels appear to struggling. But activity holidays appear to be doing ok.
Labels: activity holidays, diving, horse riding, skiing
¶ Stumble It!11:52 AM
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Galway Hotels UK Site
The Glenlo Abbey hotel in Galway now has a fully functioning home page targeted at the UK mainland. The website has been created to ensue the hotel has full exposure in the UK market place. Stumble It!11:31 PM
Labels: Galway Hotels, Glenlo Abbey, hotel marketing
¶ Stumble It!11:31 PM
Friday, September 12, 2008
Channel Tunnel Fire Causes Chaos
A fire at the Channel Tunnel is causing chaos for travellers. The fire started yesterday afternoon. The alarm was raised when a freight vehicle caught alight 7 miles into the French side of the tunnel. As at 8am this morning there is no indication when Eurostar passenger services between London and Paris and Brussels will resume. Meanwhile the roads at both ends of the tunnel blocked as freight and passenger vehicles attempt to divert to ferry services. Stumble It!8:40 AM
Labels: Eurostar, Eurotunnel, Ferries
¶ Stumble It!8:40 AM
XL Leisure Goes Bust
At 3am this morning Britain's third largest tour operator, XL Leisure, ceased trading. Some planes were even halted as they taxied on runways ready to take off.
The group trades under a number of names and operates a combination of scheduled flights, packaged tours and accommodation only packages. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which operates the ATOL protection scheme, approximately 85,000 passengers abroad will have their flights disrupted. Another 200,000 passengers have advanced reservations for either flights or packed holidays.
XL Leisure brands include XL Airways, Freedom Flights, Kosmar Holidays and Travel City Direct. Stumble It!8:31 AM
At 3am this morning Britain's third largest tour operator, XL Leisure, ceased trading. Some planes were even halted as they taxied on runways ready to take off.
The group trades under a number of names and operates a combination of scheduled flights, packaged tours and accommodation only packages. According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which operates the ATOL protection scheme, approximately 85,000 passengers abroad will have their flights disrupted. Another 200,000 passengers have advanced reservations for either flights or packed holidays.
XL Leisure brands include XL Airways, Freedom Flights, Kosmar Holidays and Travel City Direct.
Labels: Tour operating, XL Leisure Group
¶ Stumble It!8:31 AM
Friday, August 29, 2008
Zoom Goes Bust
The problems for low cost airlines appeared to intensify as long haul operator Zoom collapsed. Unlike most low cost airlines, which focus on targeting European routes, Zoom targeted the transatlantic market. The problem with this segment of the market is that the successful players, such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, are masters of this category. Unlike short haul, the direct operating costs leave little room for error. Only this morning I heard the company's managing director on Radio 4 fail to explain why his company had got things so wrong when it was obvious that increased fuel costs could not be passed on to passengers. Stumble It!10:19 AM
The problems for low cost airlines appeared to intensify as long haul operator Zoom collapsed. Unlike most low cost airlines, which focus on targeting European routes, Zoom targeted the transatlantic market. The problem with this segment of the market is that the successful players, such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, are masters of this category. Unlike short haul, the direct operating costs leave little room for error. Only this morning I heard the company's managing director on Radio 4 fail to explain why his company had got things so wrong when it was obvious that increased fuel costs could not be passed on to passengers.
Labels: Low Cost Carriers, Zoom
¶ Stumble It!10:19 AM
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Ryanair Air Scare
Over the bank holiday weekend a Ryanair plane was involved in an emergency landing at Limoges in France. The plane was flying from Girona to Bristol. At some point cabin pressure was lost and the plane rapidly descended 22,000 feet. The story, coming less than a week after the Spanish disaster at Barajas is receiving extensive coverage.
There have been reports that the onboard oxygen system failed. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary copes with the negative coverage. Stumble It!11:07 AM
There have been reports that the onboard oxygen system failed. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary copes with the negative coverage.
Labels: Ryanair
¶ Stumble It!11:07 AM
Messanges
I've been neglecting the travel blog for some weeks. Apologies, but I've just spent the last three weeks in Messanges in the Les Landes department of south west France. Les Landes and the Cote Basque is big rugby country. So I've been slightly distracted.
There's been going on in the world of travel. Not least the news regarding the Spanair plane crash in Madrid. We are not far the Spanish border and the crash has been big news in nearby San Sebastian.
I am shortly heading back and due to arrive in Dover on Thursday. Stumble It!10:51 AM
I've been neglecting the travel blog for some weeks. Apologies, but I've just spent the last three weeks in Messanges in the Les Landes department of south west France. Les Landes and the Cote Basque is big rugby country. So I've been slightly distracted.
There's been going on in the world of travel. Not least the news regarding the Spanair plane crash in Madrid. We are not far the Spanish border and the crash has been big news in nearby San Sebastian.
I am shortly heading back and due to arrive in Dover on Thursday.
Labels: Les Landes
¶ Stumble It!10:51 AM
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tour Operators in Trouble
According to a report by Plimsoll Publishing, UK tour operators need to shed 8,300 jobs. This may sound dramatic but it represents just 6% of the industries workforce. The report is covered on The Telegraph website - click title link above.
The tour operators are pressured on three sides.
The real problem for tour operators is adapting to the changing needs of the market. The combined forces of Internet driven technology and the consumer desire to tailor make their holiday and leisure plans makes the traditional vertically integrated business model redundant. Vertical integration aligns the distribution, transportation and accommodation functions under one ownership. Allowing a single company such as Thomas Cook to completely manage the holiday process.
For more information on the Plimsoll tour operating report try here. Stumble It!9:28 AM
The tour operators are pressured on three sides.
- The credit crunch and attendant "precession" whereby consumers cut back spending in anticipation of an economic downturn.
- The price of oil, which is forcing up the cost of flying.
- The strength of the Euro which at 1.25 to the £, is 15 to 20% stronger than 12 months ago.
The real problem for tour operators is adapting to the changing needs of the market. The combined forces of Internet driven technology and the consumer desire to tailor make their holiday and leisure plans makes the traditional vertically integrated business model redundant. Vertical integration aligns the distribution, transportation and accommodation functions under one ownership. Allowing a single company such as Thomas Cook to completely manage the holiday process.
For more information on the Plimsoll tour operating report try here.
Labels: Tour operating, vertical integration
¶ Stumble It!9:28 AM
