One of the great things about the internet is the amount of information that is freely available about the travel and tourism industry. While destinations may be unique and languages and cultures a point of differentiation, travel businesses and tourism organisations around the world share similar challenges, highs and lows. Here are a few quotes this month from the industry.

India - Rajeev Nangia from Trac
“…tourism is about testing out new and unconventional trends and, in the process, leaving no stone unturned to promote the country.” 

Israel - The Jerusalem Post
“We were forecasting 2.4 million tourists for the year but now we feel we will be lucky to see 1.6 million,” said one tourism industry official.

Australia - Don Richter, Tourism Victoria
“The internet is a dream machine for niche marketing.”

New Zealand (TIA) Chief Executive - Fiona Luhrs
“The tourism industry is in good heart and there is widespread support for the approach laid out by the New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2010, that New Zealand should position itself as a niche destination for high-end travellers who have the time and money to appreciate what we have to offer. We do not want to become a mass-market, low-cost destination.”

United States - Jan Freitag, TN based Smith Travel Research
“It is interesting to see despite increased Department of Homeland Security Measures and passport controls it has not deterred travelers. The weak dollar is making the U.S. a strong travel destination.”
 

In Australia, the best travel show on television is Lonely Planet Six Degrees on SBS. Covering the coolest cities in the world the one hour programme is informative, interesting, and very entertaining. The two presenters for the series are Asha Gill and Toby Amies. Their individual styles and natural rapport with the people they meet in each city makes the show thoroughly addictive. And talk about a strong call to action! As soon as the show ends you just want to jump on a plane and get on over there - quick smart.

The good news? Western Australia is going to be featured on the show - Friday August 25th 2006. If you’re in Australia, I recommend you don’t miss it.