The Travel Industry News - Editorial Archives

MAY 2007

Bond Enmeshed by Web ..

Sorry folks, you didn’t receive a TIN in April, oh yes we did have one on our Website, but the printed version dissapeared with the Oregon, Idaho and Montana labels which were eaten by an ancient Olivetti monster.

Eventually I found a 2003 hard copy of our subscribers in those states, waded thru all the change of address cards etc. received during the last three years .. and then entered 250 names and addresses by hand ( slow typing actually!) in the hope that the list relates somewhat to reality .. we shall see after this mailing!

Certainly we Know ’that the pen is mightier than the sword’, but now the question TIN has to ask itself - ’is the printed word mightier than the web?’

When the web first began to make waves in the small business arena I asked you .. the readers .. if we should switch from the mail delivered TIN to the webbed TIN. I received many cards, calls .. and of course .. emails in favor of keeping it the way my friend ‘William Shakespeare’ meant it to be .. written on paper.

I am now at the ‘Technology Crossroads’ one more time and I would like your imput again. To be truthful it is far less expensive to send you TIN via our website, which we have available as well as the printed version anyway .. AH BUT .. do travel agents that sit in front of computers all day long anyway, really want to spend time at home .. or work .. like creatures caught in a web?

I personally love to read, I would rather read of Knights on chargers rescuing a Princess from bondage, slaying dragons, giving to the poor .. and .. challenging the mighty MicroClops and evil Sexpedia.

However ... printing costs are up, mailing costs are up and David’s advertising revenues are down. Yes, we have faithful advertisers who still believe that there is a place for the retail travel agent in the travel industry and we have as loyal a following as any small travel publication in the USA, but do we move with the tide or play the role of King Canute?

We will continue to publish TIN as we always have (25 years anyway!) ‘till the end of the year and then re-evaluate. Please let me hear your thoughts before that. If we follow the Bards way, we will find a Bond way to keep publishing. If the majority think you could .. and would .. live with a website, would you agree to us sending it to the computer of your choice each month by supplying TIN with your email addresses. I promise that if this does come about, I will not use or sell your website addresses for any other purpose. Maybe .. we send some printed versions & some via email?

Time moves on, things change .. ask the airlines. Never- the- less the truth is that after 25 years .. and for a few other personal reasons I am loath to abandon the ’old ship TIN’, when it (and me) are no longer sea worthy we will drop anchor in some quiet cove .. in the mean time I still like to make a few waves when possible

PLEASE SEND YOUR THOUGHTS ON FORM BELOW.

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