The Travel Industry News - Editorial Archives

March 1, 2001

WHO KNOWS WHAT ???

Following the recent Mel Gibson movie “What Women Want”, I got to thinking about all the men that have asked themselves that question down through the ages...AND...how did it relate to the travel biz, if at all?

Sigmund Freud once wrote: “The great question that has never been answered and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul is, what does a woman want?”

Here is my letter to Sigmund...where ever he may be.

Dear Sigmund,

As an admirer of your life’s work and achievements, I trust this letter will provide some of the answers to your intriguing question.

Sir, it is my considered opinion that the wants of men and women are a great deal closer than the world has assumed. For the sake of continuity however, I shall hereafter address my reasonings...and possible solutions...to the feminine gender. This may also act as a guide to travel agents everywhere.

My formula is based upon the assumption that there are two categories of women ( further studies may be conducted at a later date), they are 1. Gregarious and 2. Reserved...or if you will, hot and cold. However the one thing they nearly all share is their desire to travel.

Using your 1900 publication “ The Interpretation of Dreams” as my inspiration I began my studies.

One dream that repeats itself, is that of the dashing knight on the white charger galloping to the maiden’s rescue and carrying her off into the perfect sunset. I have interpretated this repetitious dream as a secret desire to travel to a land where the sun shines, which is inhabited by handsome swashbuckling fellows with lots of ‘get up and go’. Do you agree?

The remedy? May I suggest the ladies consider Hawaii, Italy, the Holy Land, the South Pacific..OR..knowing of your own love for antiquities..how about Greece? Ah, but what of those ‘cold’ dreamers? Their persistent fantasy finds them descending down through time, down, down sometimes falling along the way. The answer seems simple enough! Skiing...they dream of a ski vacation to Austria, Colorado or...if tied to romance.. Seventh Heaven.

Then of course, dear Sigmund, there is the most difficult of all women, the one who...as the saying goes...’blows hot and cold’... the one ( or perhaps most! ) who need attention, hot sunshine and entertainment along with ‘cool’ air-conditioning, hot gourmet meals as well as chilled salads and ice carvings...indeed she wants the best of all worlds! Complicated woman yes...but the simple solution to her life long problems is... cruising, yes cruising where she may rest beneath the sun and/or dance beneath a star filled velvet black night.

I trust these interpretations assist you in your quest for an answer to your great problem............................Your Servant Sir........David Bond.

AND IN THE PRESENT... JOB HUNTERS....in the last issue of TIN we ran an ad for Lake Union Travel in Seattle....BUT...we got their email address wrong, would you believe our first mistake in 20 years? Wrong!!! You can read the ad in CAREER OPs section. Correct email is: anne@lakeuniontravel.com
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Have you been to Spokane WA lately? There is a new Concourse ‘C’ west of the main terminal that increases the airports space by 40%. The two-story concourse contains 95,000 square feet and will cater to all 36 flights for Alaska Air, Horizon Air and Big Sky Airlines. The Spokane airport currently handles 80 flights a day.
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Keep an eye on this development! Japan is planning to develop its own marine patrol and transport jets. I remember when they came over to the Isle of Man TT Races to sketch motorcycles and we all laughed at the thought of Japan making motorcycles...woops! Take heed Boeing and AirBus....have you seen any Japanese motorcycles or cars on the road lately?
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If you fly on Swissair in the future...be nice! Passengers next year may see flight attendants wrestle rowdy pax to the floor and tie them up...honest. Plastic ties will be supplied to cabin staff who will be instructed by Swiss police on how to apply them...AND SO...remember, it’s hard to drink a cocktail with your hands tied up!
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ASTORIA, OR. is seeing more boats every year. In 2000 eleven tour boats visited Astoria a total of 132 times bringing 16,492 passengers. D & D will be added to the list at the end of the month when we will take American Steamboat’s “Queen of the West” on a Columbia River Cruise...I’ll tell you about it in the next TIN.

David ( Dream Maker ) Bond

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