I hope all is well with everyone at ITMI.  I’m only recently returned home from 3-months in Hawaii (pure bliss) and am just starting to look for work.

I plan to attend the annual symposium in January, 2010, and would be most interested to hear discussion on:

Changes in the industry due to economic slowdowns, projections for the future.

Networking:  Methods and ideas for casual networking, when there is no specific reason to initiate contact.

Depending on my own schedule (and the availability of cheap airfare) I hope to attend one of the overnight field trips coming up over the next few months. Following that, I’m really excited about the symposium and look forward to seeing the ITMI staff and grads again!

Bye for now,

Marci

Hi All,

As a career path where can Tour Directing take you?

Thank you for including me.

Deborah

I would love to have some very experienced tour guides talk about how to keep coach drivers in line and happy…..without making enemies of them.

Sandi Wursten

Sustainable tourism, Green tourism……Volunteer tourism……..Intentional tourism……….Post Conflict tourism…….and why important….we want to Evolve, not DEvolve and make touring/travelling more meaningful…..and not just a ‘drive by’ experience.

This is a no brainer……..the big picture needs to be addressed……what direction is the world going, what new areas are opening up to world view? And how do we observe and not interfere………..how do emerging democracies, countries in transition from one form of government to a modern democracy make the change….tourism, contact w/ the ‘outside world’…and what kind? who should they attract, what should they promote……and how do we, as travellers help and not hinder/hurt their evolution?

I’ve monitored elections (voluntarily) internationally 9 TIMES in countries/regions emerging from totalitarian rule (Slovakia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Russia, Azerbaijan, East Timor) and war……..and what is needed in their development is an injection of foreign currency, easily attainable through tourism, but what KIND of tourism…….walk softly, travel w/ intention to help, not gawk.

I also developed tourism in Armenia, again as a volunteer, one summer…………all my experience as an international Tour Manager, Domestic TM, local guide, etc., made me uber aware of what needed to be seen, how their systems for tourism were set up, or not, and what they needed to do to improve their systems, if any.  I , in fact, looked for tour guides to be interpreters for visiting dignitaries from the EU & Parliament because they already had the language (English, French,German, etc.) needed. They were a logical resource.

There’s my 2 cents…………….Jean Feilmoser

I’d like to hear from the people who hire TDs -
I’d like to hear what some TDs have done after TDing (I could speak volumes on this)
I’d like to hear from ‘visionaries’ in the travel industry – what do they see…(this would be #1)
I’d like to hear a buncha war stories from current TDs (again I could speak volumes)
I’d like to hear from TD’s who work for some of the larger well established companies ie Travcoa, Grand Circle, EF Cultural -
I’d like to hear from some newbies – is it what you thought it would be, what surprized you and how did ITMI help?

This is off the top of my head, may have more later….

Best regards,

Tracey Jacobsen

My question:

Hi All:    What a dreadful year for work!  Still, I would like to see a lecture on humor included.  I have learned a lot from watching TD who are virtual stand-up comedians, but sadly, this isn’t me.  So I have to work at it, but when I include it, the guests relax and have fun and in the end, that’s where it’s at.  So my coach is equipped with a blue Jacuzzi…etc.

I would like to see someone work that into an introductory day one speech, and other examples.  We could all use a little humor, especially now!  So help us “lighten up”

On another note – I have 2 $50 certificates for sending students to you that I haven’t used.  Can I use them towards symposium?  I lost one, but it was for Donna Knoy.  The other I still have.

BTW – do you or do you know of anyone who has route notes/historical comments for Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell,  Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas Mammoth Lakes (Visalia) Santa Maria,  Los Angeles? And any knowledge of the company American Ring Travel…

Gracias, Lee