I was at the Los Angeles Times Travel Show this weekend. I speak there every year. It’s my favorite…probably the best in the country. I found this year’s show particularly enjoyable.
Speaking in front of a thousand travelers, trying to project my voice above the Tahitian drums and the hula shows, I had the fun of making the point that the vast hall around us was filled not with information, but with advertising. At least, smart consumers should assume as much.
The show, packed with travelers who paid $10 each to get in, was a shrill festival of brochures and catalogs with mariachi happiness bouncing off the walls and expertly eye-catching women promoting their booths by prancing around like peacocks in heat.
One thing I complimented the show staff on was how the editors of the LA Times travel section rather than the paper’s advertising department put on the event, distinguishing it from many other big travel shows. Still, I was interviewed by a film crew after one of my talks and found they were not talking about travel…but making an ad to promote next year’s show.
The show reminded me how anyone sorting through information to help make travel decisions needs to understand how just about everything you encounter is promotional — pushing someone’s business interests.
I spend 120 days a year in Europe researching my guidebooks, and last year I kept thinking how a major part of my work is simply picking up promotional fliers and talking to people paid to promote. As a consumer advocate, I need to sift through everything and come up with what is truly worth the vacation time and money of my traveling readers. The pickings are often very slim.
In Europe — where tourism is a leading employer and source of foreign revenue — local tourist boards are pushing whatever has seen the big investment in the previous year. Whether I’m researching my guidebooks or making TV shows, local promoters of tourism are eager to slip on a dirndl, meet me at the airport, and steer me to what they want promoted. I get the feeling that most “travel journalists” are easy prey in this regard. Arriving in a new city, I often find a gift from the tourist board waiting on my hotel bed — a binder filled with advertisements. Sorting through it, there’s almost nothing worth keeping.
In Switzerland, the tourist board is particularly aggressive and strong. They support our TV production work generously with guides and hotels when we ask. It’s tricky to explain that rather than the new casino and the new chic restaurants, I find other slices of the culture more interesting to film: the riverside hike, the subsidized bike-rental program (that gives work to “hard-to-employ” locals), and the heroin-maintenance clinic (to show Americans a creative and pragmatic Swiss approach to drug policy).
Typical bus tour companies also struggle with their economic needs corrupting the product they offer. For instance, the standard whirlwind itinerary makes time in Amsterdam for diamond polishing, but not for Van Gogh. Why? It’s money. The awesome Van Gogh Museum costs $15 per person ($750 for a busload of 50 tourists), while the diamond-polishing exhibition is free for the tour company and offers 20 percent kickbacks on diamonds purchased. No wonder tour guides promote the notion, “If you haven’t bought a diamond in Amsterdam, you haven’t really experienced the city.”
One of my least favorite writing gigs is when the European Tourism Commission hires me to write an article about what’s new in Europe, and they require that each country in their group is worked into the article. That’s understandable, as Malta and Iceland pay just like France and Germany to be a part of this promotional agency. But it’s hard to write a good article when the driving force is treating all member nations equally rather than what’s new and of value to traveling readers.
The Web has become a primary source of information for many travelers. I love the Web as a tool, but it’s tough for consumers to know what’s real information and what’s slick promotional material. When assessing hotels, for instance, what looks like information is often a carefully crafted sales pitch. This is a major pitfall for naive travelers.
That’s why I believe, even in this Internet age, an ethically written guidebook remains the best source of information for the independent traveler. A good guidebook gives you hard opinions rather than paid ads. Actually, the contract my publisher and I have comes with a little clause (nicknamed for an author of a B&B guidebook who made lots of money charging for listings, and then showcasing them as guidebook entries rather than ads) prohibiting me from accepting any payment for any listing in my books…something I wouldn’t do anyway.
To sum up: Travelers — like any consumers — need to understand who paid for the information that’s trying to shape their decision-making, and why. Twelve million Americans travel in Europe every year. The bestselling guidebook to any European destination published in the USA (which, last year, was my Italy guidebook) didn’t even sell 100,000. There’s a lot of fish left to catch…and even this blog has a promotional agenda: to get every traveler to bite.
Let the traveler beware. (And happy travels!)
Hey, Rick. Great presentation this weekend. I was able to get up to the LA Times Travel Show, and although I have seen you do a seminar previously and although I use your guidebooks and website as valuable resources for my trips, I took diligent notes and learned quite a bit of new info from you this weekend. Thanks. p.s. It’s kind of weird to see the hordes of people swarming you for autographs and pictures and advice. Kind of surreal. Interesting, but surreal.
Rick, Thanks for working so hard to be someone we can trust when it comes to spending our precious, hard-earned travel dollars. And glad to hear of the success of your Italy guidebook. Well deserved! Stayed in one of your charming lodging recommendations last year in Venice and loved it.
Interesting piece. I agree that much of the travel info out there, especially in newspapers and magazines, needs to be regarded with a very jaundiced eye. I also think that the web is a great source of info from other travelers. I use multiple guidebooks when researching a place to visit, but for hotels and restaurants I also rely on the web – partly on trip reports on sites like this and fodors.com, and also on reviews on tripadvisor.com and venere.com. Would you say that “When assessing hotels for instance, what looks like information is often actually carefully crafted sales promotion” applies to tripadvisor? I more often find myself discounting the reports of people who expect 4-star space and comfort from 2-star hotels!
I’ve often wondered what went on behind the scenes with regards to European tourism boards trying to influence you and if you ever get the royal treatment.(Your books and videos are for “everyman” and downplay this). And as down to earth as you are and knowing you’ve never paid for a first class airline ticket in your life, I’d like to hear some stories of a rare stay at the Ritz, or sitting next to someone of interest on a plane, or a celebrity, by chance, at a table next to you. Even reading about the bizarre would do nicely. Just some ideas.
Ads definitely are a starting point, sometimes helpfully. They’re similar to many of the sponsored programming on The Travel Channel–pointers, but not deciders. When we see a promising ad (or a commercial TV show plug), it gives us a point for deeper research, such as in travel guides. Newspaper stories in larger newspapers still are subject to ethical standards that filter out all but the most clever payola. SATW members, largely, seem to be pretty passionate about honesty. We consider newspapers and guidebooks the best source for this information. Ads provide sizzle. Serious travel writers serve us steak.
Rick, I love your books and have turned many of my friends on to them. You’re a uniquely gifted travel writer in providing recommendations of how to travel and not just a phone book of what to see. I wanted to pass along a few recommendations that I have from using your guide book: 1. Sporting events: One of my highlights in the UK was seeing a football (soccer) match between Fulham and West-Ham. While not difficult, it would be nice to point out such opportunities in your guide books and how to see the games. It was very, very fun. 2. Seasonal attractions: I was in Munich and had a few days in the winter and the recommendations for beer gardens/etc. simply weren’t open. Instead, there was wonderful winter activities such as x-country skiing and downhill in Austria, just across the border. 3. On-the way places: Often, knowing the good freeway rest area on the way between two places is wonderful. Keep up the good work! Noah
Rick, ads are good to let you know what is there. But it isn’t good for really making your trip worhtwhile. I was actually discussing this same topic on Sunday with some friends. You see so many people travel to other countries and bring their American standards with them. They need a hotel win an elevator, and nice rooms, and a concierge service, and nice restaurants where people speak english. Then they go see the Eiffel Tower, or the Prado, o the Colosseum and felt like they experienced Europe. And I fell safe to say this here but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth when I see American tourists, well, being American. Try something different even if you don’t like it. Talk to others. Find PEOPLE to make your experience and trip worth it. I will close with this. My wife and I went on a 3 week trip to Spain and Portugal in September and October and I journaled every day. I just want to share one of my reflections from my trip: “I realized this trip didn’t live up to my expectations and that I had a lot to do with that. Unlike past trips, I spent most of my time just seeing things. I need to stretch myself beyond my comfort zone to have experiences. Experiences like our time with Anahid and Max and Ana, our time with Leah in La Coruna, and a soccer game in Barcelona. I can’t blame things that happened or a lack of enthusiasm for Spain as the reason I didn’t enjoy this trip as much. If I compare this to previous experiences (moments on a RS tour), the best moments are those you make and create with other people. That’s probably true in my life here back in California as well, even for an introvert.” Thank you Rick for emphasizing the best moments are not what you see but those you meet and experiences you have! No ads or promotions can give you that as they tend to take you away from those experiences.
Noah K, I am right there with you man!!!! One of the highlights of my trip to Spain was the futbol (soccer) match I saw between Barcelona and Zaragoza. There is nothing that can prepare you for that experience of seeing passionate locals cheering for their team. You just cheer with them and smile at what you see. It is definitely an experience! And you are also correct that is takes effort to try and buy tickets and how to get to these stadiums.
Hi Rick, This is the kind of info I read your blog for. I like knowing there is at least one place I can get honest, reliable information.
Rick Your books, maps, website have saved me countless thousands of dollars over 10 years of Europe trips………….and increased the enjoyment and learning immeasurably…………including great places to stay at budget prices, often meeting people from your PBS shows……….such as Fatima in Bacharach…..Esther in Gimmelwald, and many more……..
Your DVDs and books point out places for me to see. Besides that, after my first euro trip, I tend to have planned my trips around friends that I have made abroad. I.e. – visit them, or go backpacking with them. Other trips involve where the company I work for have international offices, or have involved where my extended family is. No, I don’t decide to go to a country after seeing an ad. But I will research a bit more if the ad showed something that I did not imagine to be in said country.
speaking of shapes – i don’t suppose your coming out with a swimsuit edition guidebook sometime. no? quite right – better stay with your current successful format.
I love the Web as a tool, but it’s tough for consumers to know what’s real information and what’s slick promotional material. Rick: The medical equivalent of this statement is “Doc, I found this article on the web about “. (The drug companies are only slightly more ethical than the supplement companies). I think every profession must be rife with these kind of infor-tizements. Thanks for being the “UptoDate” of travel resources (ask your doctor about UptoDate)…
For Noah K. there is so much information available on the web about just the sort of thing you are looking for. I show dogs as a hobby so I decided to plan a trip to Italy around dog shows there. Talk about a back door! If you have a hobby, chances are there are counterparts in Europe with the same hobby. It is astonishing what you can find on the web with a little effort. I have Swiss cousins who belong to Jodelklubs in their hometowns. I met them for the first time when I was in Meiringen in 2001 and it happened to be the weekend for the Bern Canton Jodlerfest which was held in Meiringen. Consequently, I have done web searches for Jodlerfests in subsequent years. If anyone would be interested, the biggest one is being held in Luzern this June (the last weekend). Every 4 years or so, they have a National Jodlerfest. Information on this year’s can be found here: http://www.jodlerfestluzern.ch/index.php Rather than expecting Rick to cram EVERYTHING in his books, use them as inspiration to seek out experiences on your own. Consider how rewarding it will be to be able to say you figured it out for yourself.
Ads help get the customer’s attention. Info is the deciding factor. To travel, or not to travel. That is the question. :) Happy travels! I love your stuff, Rick. Take care. I think I’m going to take my trip to Ireland this year. Yay! I’ve been info gathering all this time.
I don’t remember one Ad that directed us towards a specific site. I was always well read on History and Geography. My First Grade Geography book showed a picture of our 1927 Buick, loaded with 8 members of our family, with boxes tied on the bumper, and running board, driving on Route 30, in Ohio, on our way from Penna. to Indiana. Our European travel in the RV meant that when we got up in the morning we often didn’t know the country where we would sleep that night. Since we have spent 968 nights in about 385 different towns and cities in 27 countries in Europe alone, it is impossible to count the ones we drove through, or visited for a few minutes or a few hours. Our vacation is not a destination, it’s the Journey. Turn here, explore there, relax and enjoy. There are thousands of stories on my web site, each with nouns galore, and I have yet to search for even one place name that was not found on Google. A tiny town, Sucuraj, Yugoslavia, has as many hits on Google, as residents in the town.
Oh my, as I re-read my last post, I find I must make a clarification. We discovered hundreds of wonderful places to visit, as we neared the site, and received brochures from the Travel Office. For example, the Virgin Mary’s last home on Mount Solmissos, above Ephesus; the Metéoro monasteries in Greece; the Last Supper carved on the wall in a salt mine at Wieliczka, Poland; Cinque Terre, Italy; and an unbelievable number of beautiful hilltop towns all over Europe, especially in France and Italy. All are places we had never heard of until we neared that location. So keep alert, some of the greatest sites we have seen, appeared in no brochure. I had read and studied a lot, but not enough. Our friends in various countries asked what we had seen lately, as we knew their country better then they did. I could not begin to list the fascinating places we found, accidentally as we drove, just turning here and there.
Great post Rick. I am one that is not swayed by slick advertising. I care more about the journey and “user reviews”. I do make a decision some of the time on a place or hotel based on reviews it has gotten. If 99 out of 100 people hated an attraction. I won’t go. Now your advertisements seem real and time tested and for the most part get great press. I would be more likely to use a service like yours if I had to. Oh ,and Jim Humberd– I find myself scrolling down to read your posts. You have had a heck of an adventure.
Another great back door entry into Europe is to research your European roots. I found the tiny village in Germany where my ancestors lived before they emigrated. I had just assumed that it would have been bombed to smithereens and redone in a modern, bland, history-free town. Instead, I found the church where my ancestors had married and been baptized, ancient half-timbered homes, a castle and a lovely riverbank scene. I also met the town’s historical society who were very interested in the story of my ancestor’s emigration. And my family were the only tourists there. That’s a back door.
Kath, Please give the name of the town, so the rest of us can enjoy the actual location of your story. I have often conducted meetings at Senior Centers, about Travel in Europe. It was not to be a filibuster, but a discussion, and often the most interesting part was in answer to my question, “Where were you or your ancestors born in Europe?” I remember the lady who said, “It was a small town in Denmark, you have never heard of, Horsens.” I said, “That sounds familiar.” I checked my records and said, “We spent the night of Sep 9, 1985 in Horsens.” That capped the story!!
It was Kettwig, near Essen. It’s on the Ruhr, near the heavily industrialized part of Germany, which is why I’d assumed it had been bombed out of existence in WWII. After that I followed their route to Bremen from where they departed for the U. S., which took me through northwestern Germany, an area so ‘back door’ that I don’t think Rick Steves’ guidebooks even discuss it.
Kathy, this is what makes talking and writing about travel almost as much fun as the trip. We have been to Essen a half dozen times, our good friend there, got tired of paying rent, so married the landlord. That’s my story anyway. We have parked our RV in that back yard several different years. When Margit and family traveled through the Western US in 1999, in order to get “even,†their two boys insisted on sleeping in their rented RV in our driveway. In Germany, several little towns are combined for government purposes, so the district of Werden/Kettwig/Bredeney has a population of 17,760 inhabitants, and the place name Kettwig gets 34,700 hits on Google. When I traveled in Europe with a lap top in the mid ‘80s, there was no Internet to check, we had to find everything our selves, by just turning here and turning there.
Kathy ==== You can never tell what Google is going to do. Today the word Kettwig gets 317,000 Google hits. I know that on my site, the number of Google hits on any day, ranges here and there. ==== WOW, I am honored. My verify word is SEXUAL. Now if I could only remember what that means, in spite of eightyitis.
This was my comment from our Nov. 2 Sicily tour. It seems to fall into your blog message. and of course I didn’t have the pleasure of receiving feedback. Yes,I had no inkling that a stop for antipasto to accompany our picnic of orangini would turn into a classic sales pitch for jewelry with high pressure sales girls et al. The operation was not a local crafts or artists gallery, but a full blown commercial venture in a house built specifically for that purpose. This is the first time I’ve seen RS Tours do this except for Venice with the glass blowing, but at least that was a glassblowing demo plus chance to see a Venetian specialty, fine glass. Ellis in Virginia Beach, VA South Italy in 13 Days, Nov 2, 2007
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