Perfect Storm is an expression referring to the time when a number of phenomena which individually would have a disruptive effect limited, occur simultaneously - and unexpected - thus creating a situation of extreme gravity and a very complicated solution.
Over recent years there have been a number of factors that gradually have been negatively affecting the sector in Spain and they have had a significant impact on our target model.
Some of them have been:
* Progressive increase of operating costs and loss of competitiveness in the more commoditized holiday product. * Weakening of
model charter and tour operator.
* Absence of c marketing and distribution gentle able to adapt quickly to new global tourism scenarios.
* Difficulty in breaking the temporary . Fragmentation
* promotional efforts that have resulted in ineffective campaigns and progressive confusion about our key proposals and major brands.
* accelerated change consumption habits of tourists .
To all this we must add now, a decline in demand for economic downturn in our major markets, leading to a further drop in prices and occupations Throughout 2009, a difficulty in financing business, and increasingly of the institutions - especially in tourist municipalities have for years funded budgets lush thanks to the scourge of brick, and a greater focus by streamlining tour operators, charter and low cost airlines, which implies r ecortes capacity and routes.
It makes us think that over the coming months, destinations and local suppliers - hotels, cars, buses, recreation - will face a more complex situation history . And possibly with very few tools at your fingertips.
A perfect storm situation is not manageable. The general feeling is, first of paralysis, followed by the panic in which all activity is concentrated in the "every man for himself."
An employer, owner and manager of one of the largest business groups in the Canary Islands, told me several months ago while trying to put names to the clouds that were approaching the business. "It's not how you would define it exactly, but it is obviously very serious, and we can no longer avoid being hit."
I remembered this conversation when I heard Javier Gómez Navarro, former Minister of Trade and Tourism and current President of the Council of Chambers of Commerce, commenting on the situation of uncertainty and confusion that had found the tourism business on their last trip to the islands.
This discussion is not intended as a scientific diagnosis. In any case, an approach from a visual perspective to establish a starting point for action.
much less I would suggest recipes, although two or three lines of action more than ever become essential, and that should be beyond discussion or debate:
* Developing a national strategy, institutional and private , development of products, brands and PROMOTION that cascade mark points in those who engage in the regional and local master plans. This would allow us to define how we want to compete in the next 50 years and what steps would have to start giving away.
* The search for f ormulate concentration of efforts by destinations and key players , primarily in the areas of marketing and technology, enabling dramatic improvements in marketing and loyalty of our visitors.
* The obsession INNOVATION as the basis for the reinvention of our proposals. Innovation I would have to act on strategies, business models, operational processes and products or services.
* l The emergence of political and sectoral Ider able to unite wills, interests and resources, with a clear transformational, and not the usual and aided use of hot cloths.
I know some initiatives, from Turespaña / Segittur, Chambers of Commerce, CEHAT / ITH, etc ... All the best of luck - we're going to need it! And the request to its initial orientation has two clear objectives and non-negotiable - The most comprehensive diagnostic and raw as possible, and the generation of leaders necessary for successful captain plans arising. Only by achieving these two objectives, we would have 50% of the problem track.
