My dear Pumpkins, over the years, I’ve witnessed some pant dropping in this biz. Who hasn’t? But with this summer’s beach pricing, it looks like some of you have not only dropped your pants, you lost them along with your gotchies somewhere in Pittsburgh. Reminds me of my recurring dream. I’m running around with my butt naked on a tour bus (I know what you’re thinking -- what is Ivanna doing on a tour bus?). Ok, more of a nightmare. Anyhoo, the industry’s backing themselves into a situation of their own with prices like $297 for a week in Panama.
What kind of message are we sending to vampiritic Canadian sun seekers come winter when the ‘hunger’ sets in? They’ll be sucking the margins right out of our goose bumps before we can say “long johns”! That reminds me of another dream. I was wine tasting in Picton where a gorgeous vintner by the name of Long Dong… no, wait, I wasn’t sleeping, just a bit slobbery. And he’s called Long Dog – or the winery is. Whatever. Point is, he didn’t drop his pants. He knows the value of his product and charges for it. And the wine is very good too.
I’m not an economic genius or anything, but it seems to me that by stocking less product, there’s less pressure to give it away. My momma always said: “Ivannanushka, if you’re going to give it away, make sure there’s no pressure.” Wise words.
Thing is, we’re teaching consumers that travel isn’t worth much.
