Tsunamis, Disasters and Terrorists

Changing travel patterns are the norm once again...

Lately, one only needs to scan for a few minutes through the cable news channels in order to get an update on the latest from Sri Lanka or Thailand regarding how many European, British or American tourists are still unnaccounted for. That is, just before considering how the next conversation with the missus will go when planning the next fun-in-the-sun agenda for you and yours.

"Gee honey, the flights to Phuket are rock-bottom right now... Wanna go have some fun in the sun?"

I think that people will consider in-room, high speed internet connections as a service necessity even moreso now than ever before. Simply because internet access could be the only reliable way to stand well informed as to what is actually happening in the world while we're away. Getting away from it all certainly can be viewed from a different slant now that we all understand that nowhere are we truly safe from trajedy on a massive scale.

Previously, one took a vacation to get away from it all... But when one considers how impossible it will continue to be able to trust local governments' ability to respond to disaster warning systems regardless of their preparedness, I'll take good ol' CNN, instant messaging and a little spam in my email box in order to be able to see "what's up" a few minutes before I go to the beach downstairs. And I'm not one to ever consider such things.

The tsunami early warning system that would have provided at least reasonable notification for the countries bordering the Indian Ocean is estimated to cost only twenty million dollars to put in place. That's hardly a drop in the disaster relief bucket to which we are all now contributing.

A simple suggestion: Before your next trip, check on your favorite resort's ability to provide high speed or WI-FI internet connectivity in your room.

Related news article:
www.newscientist.com/article

Space Tourism Is A Reality

California spawns so many zany ideas and crackpot frontrunners. It's probably because of the balmy weather, high tech profile, loose money and relatively laidback lifestyle it professes to promote. But it also may be due to trace elements in the ever-present smog clouding people's better judgement.

Whatever the case, it should be no surprise that Dennis Tito, a multi-millionaire who calls California home, became the first ever space tourist. Even though it took the cash-strapped Russians and some reasonably unaccommodating individuals in NASA to pull it off, Tito managed to write himself into the history books with an historic flight in April 2001. (see www.space.com/spacetourism/)

Fast forward three years and a bit... Et voila! California's own Spaceship One captures the Ansari X-Prize by shooting some fortunate test pilot a hundred kilometers straight up (and safely down)in a privately built flyer/launch craft combination and here we are, on the brink of a brand new industry.

Richard Branson definitely thinks so. He's put thirty million dollars of his travel-derived funding behind Burt Rutan and company to help underwrite development of a larger craft for "Virgin Galactic" no less. Now Virgin Atlantic offices worldwide have experienced a hoard of starry-eyed "Dennis-Titos-in-waiting" who are plunking down two hundred thousand dollar deposits in anticipation of being set the first flights scheduled to begin sometime in 2007.

Richard, I think you may have been instrumental in making this within reach of the moderately rich, where it needs to be. Now, if I could just get my kids to work on saving up for a ticket for Daddy for Christmas 2010.

Some nifty reference links:

www.spacetourismsociety.org/
www.virgingalactic.com/

Introduction to Tourism Tech

Hello,

The idea for creating this blog came from the experiences I've had over the past decade with every aspect of delivery of technological services to the broader tourism industry and through aiding individuals in implementing tech solutions.

My name is Ken Lahoda and as CEO and founder of Digital Rez International, I felt there was an opportunity to provide some valuable insight and information regarding this subject. Our company deals with over 4000 accommodation and tourism operations worldwide by providing many solutions in the Reservation, CRM, point of sale and membership management areas.

The blog will provide readers with an opportunity to respond to articles related to the provision of innovative products and services for the travel and tourism industry.

Have fun and feel free to provide any feedback you see fit.