Thanks so much for your input here. It is hard for me to imagine how companies can act so apparently irrational - having information "from the other side" is really helpful in moving the discussion (and problem-solving) forward.

I really am more interested in solving the problem than having a bit**fest. You'll notice I didn't ask for money compensation either (why bother? The airlines don't have it.

Some of the items you mentioned can now be done by technology; others can be done by other vendors wanting to access the business traveler - instead of buying the comfort kits other companies would offer them free, as a marketing expense to the provider.

Your contribution to "crowd sourcing" can get a handle on this for the airlines if anyone out there is listening. Are any airlines listening?

I posted this link on my UAL Survey response. I'd love to hear from UAL - what it's like from your point of view.

Stations were set up for complimentary beverages (for everyone, not only those delayed because how would you really know). Amenity kits (for both male and female) were available at all gates, customer service and check-in counters. All agents were briefed on the amount of vouchers for meals, transportation and lodging - and were then authorized to write 'em out. Passengers were directed to the Customer Service Center that doubled with agents under these circumstances, but any gate or check in counter could provide the same service.

Canceled or overbooked flights? Passengers were probably given a voucher equivalent to there purchase price.

And, unaccompanied minors whom experienced any sort of delay in separation from their families had an agent assigned to them from the minute they got off of their flight until boarding their next even if it meant that agent had to sleep in the hotel room too!

Sure, it didn't work out as planned and the human element is always the most unpredictable, but as a company there was a plan to make sure things were seamless.

I don't know how it is today, but I agree, especially for the airline industry it's time to evaluate the total situation.

And, that's my two rolls of pennies! :0)

Did you have a timeline for wordcamphawaii.com?

I'll shoot you an email to catch up with your plans.

Aloha

You paint a very clear and graphic picture of the dark side of unbridled tourism, and IMO it is useful for people to hear this.

While I do not agree with your conclusion, I do understand the experiences that have inspired it. I am an optimist though and believe that open discussions such as these are part of the process of positive change.

The more people become aware of the true nature of something, the more they are influenced to change themselves.

One of my favorite aspects of the social web is being able to see all the many personalities. As often as not, those with a crude delivery style can also have very good points! I am reading Rohit Bhargava's new book, "Personality Not Included" by the way. For a company of any size to not fear the different styes within their ranks is part of the muscle-building process IMO.

Well, brands, like all economic offerings, are inherently inauthentic, so we are really talking about brands becoming ‘more authentic’, or brand trying to ‘cue authenticity’.

I have been digging into the philosophy of authenticity of late, and I have realized how difficult it is to be authentic, for both people and for brands.

Like you, I love the promise of social media, because social media is one of the few places where brand can participate in authentic conversations with consumers and citizens. It's messy, and it isn't easy, and not many brands 'get it', but I'm teaching myself to be tolerant of brands who at least try.

i have lived for more than twelve years in a small town in south india, one with a spiritual and cultural tradition going back thousands of years. what western tourism has done to this town is so sad that i almost don't want to detail it. it has become nearly unlivable for those who once lived there, the values corrupted, economy corrupted, all the worst human tendencies given free rein. about like the effects of smallpox in the caribbean. i see idiots sticking their cameras in the face of my friends and want to beat them.

it is like bali, now, compared to 30 years ago. you cannot find bali anymore, only a replica. or luang prabang,more tourists taking photos of the monks, than monks.

i know this cannot be stopped. but i pray for a slowing. western recession and jet fuel cost increase would be very good for the world. consumption is a disease, and that is what tourism is.

in short, what the brown people of the world have known for hundreds of years, i now understand .... white people ruin everything they touch

I have visions of "tourism 2.0" that uses virtual tools as much as possible and brings people together for authentic and sustainable experiences.

Do let me know if you write the essay; there are many good points to be made, and I think they are important ones for the tourism industry to hear. One good thing about the high oil & flight cutbacks - the planes are definitely flying full.

one of my hopes for "web 2.0" and for oil at 300 bucks a barrel, tourism dies down. it destroys more value than it returns in cash value

i should develop this into a coherent essay

the short reply from me on that is that the definition of "value" is changing, and moving into an area where metrics are less valuable than philosophy or intention.

edge economy principles, open beats closed, good beats evil, are newer realities that we all get to live with. it might be hard for any company, or person, or institution, or country still using old thinking.

maybe those who talked about 2012 in 1980 were onto something afterall!

I think we are getting increasingly savvy as consumers in being able to detect intention. The democritization of information and connections that is a direct result of the internet, means we can see through the veil.

I think it is really hard for a really large company to have a meaningful conversation with a consumer, in part because there are so many people and departments "in charge of the brand" and many of them are not even inside the company! They are outsourced to the folks at the agency. One department wants to talk one way or one message, while three others veto it.

Combine that with the transiency of many people's jobs, and you have less and less loyalty inside a company -- that also translates to less and less with the customers.

What used to be thought of as a one to many conversation - the brand to the marketplace - has become a many to many conversation, and it includes all sorts of people on the sidelines.