Inertia is a choice but not an option
Ruth was a teacher working in Sierra Leone, on the west coast of Africa. One day she was admitted to hospital suffering from a bout of malaria. As she lay in bed, bathed in sweat, staring at the ceiling, her eyes began to move from side to side. A passing doctor thought she was having a fit, and went over for a closer look. It was lucky he did.
The patient seemed paralysed; she couldn't speak or move - her eyes just kept flicking backwards and forwards. Within seconds, the doctor realised why. Above the bed, hanging from the mosquito net, was a two-metre-long black mamba snake, weaving from side to side as it prepared to strike its victim below. And all Ruth could do was follow it with her eyes, watching helplessly, waiting for the inevitable.
Sometimes, faced by danger, that's what we do. We remain paralysed, transfixed, unable to move.
Looking at the state of tourism and hospitality in some parts of the UK (particularly London) and the rest of the world today, one might be forgiven for being mesmerised by catastrophe. Everything is down (except, of course, the minimum wage). Airline passenger figures are down, airline fleets are down, visitor numbers are down, hotel occupancies are down and restaurant covers are down.
It's a pretty rum state of affairs.
The main reason for all this "down-ness" is that US travellers have grounded themselves. The most expansive spenders in the world have decided, for the most part, to stay at home. They have a real fear of flying at the moment, because they take the threat of further terrorist attacks very seriously and are staying away from potential targets, such as airports and aircraft.
Corporations have banned their staffs from travelling, and private individuals have stopped flying almost as a mark of respect for those killed in the World Trade Center. The result is that tourist hot spots such as London and the Middle East are suffering.
Many hotel operators in these areas are taking the obvious first steps to cut costs and save cash. They are rebudgeting, delaying refurbishments and laying off staff. There is a suspicion, however, that they were preparing to do that before the war and, in terms of reacting to the post-New York situation, they are as paralysed as the hotels that are doing nothing.
Their reaction is very "knee-jerk". What they should be doing is looking immediately at new markets, and those hotels that already have alternatives to the US milch cow will be the ones that pull out of this downturn first.
It is too early yet to spot all the trends, but there is a real likelihood that the UK and European publics are beginning to think about taking their holidays and short breaks, and holding their conferences and seminars, closer to home. Why risk long haul when there are safer alternatives on your own doorstep? It is the hotels that have already been creating and capturing this market that will survive best.
Finding the resolve to shift markets may be difficult, but there's no point in waiting. Percy Barnevik, the one-time head of Swedish engineering conglomerate ABB, once stated: "The best thing you can do in my organisation is to make the right decision. The next best thing is to make the wrong decision. What gets you fired is to make no decision." Enough said.
Forbes Mutch, Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper
