The other day I, Touristologistly, tweeted this post
Jordi, exactly what do you mean with “DEU N’HI DORET” is this English? No, it is Catalan my beautiful mother tongue! It has a lot of translations but on this occasion it can be something similar to… what a surprise!!!
I also attached a video about one ad of the buyer, Get Your Guide.
I find this add interesting because it is an example of “how to increase the relationship with your customers” that we talked about here. At the end of the day, to introduce the members/workers of the company is a way to convey the idea that we are more a family than a company and, usually, you get more attached to people than companies!
I love the idea of Gidsy as I said here it was an excellent example of, at least three really important concepts for any Touristologist: Servuction, Pro-Am and Super3.
Furthermore, Gidsy was more focused on providing experiences for specialized segments than products for anyone… and you know my bias for specialized tourism.
I checked out the new website and it seems very similar. I will keep an eye on it. It still seems like a very good example for my classes and seminars!
Anyway, this acquisition (more information here) is a wake-up call for all startups. If your business is very original BUT generic, sooner or later a bigger competitor or a member of the chain of value will try to buy you. It’s the next logical step. Generic tourism is based on economy of scales. So, the bigger fish eats the smaller one. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you have to be aware. I talked about this here remembering the cases of room 77 and worldmate and foreseeing something similar to WeHostels.
On the other hand, if you aim at specialized tourism with an international scope, the possibilities to start and endure is multiplied by 1000. Of course, you will have a small number of potential customers, BUT you have a greater potential of growth and chain of value control, as we explained here. In specialized Tourism the winner is the one which gets the trust of the customer by adding value NOT by lowering the price. This value can come from:
1) Synergies between people that like the activity, pro-am and professionals. Touristologists represent this fact with the following matrix.
2) International routes. You will have customers from around the world and you must offer products with the same scope
3) The possibility of becoming a Super 3. Take the case in point of Wyndham for instance. They developed a customized service for Business Women (a good example of My Own 1,2,3). Then, they create a central reservation system for any hotel desiring to serve this segment. This is the power from getting the trust of the segment!
I repeat, you can choose generic or specialized. It’s up to you! Just remember, they are a different kind of business with both pros and cons that you have to be aware of …. Of course, only if you want to become… A TOURISTOLOGIST!!!
