Tourism & More

Travel Ethical Review

February 2002

The year 2002 may be a very challenging year for lots of people in the tourism industry. The security and safety issue will continue to play a major role in the new travel paradigm. To add to the challenge, many nations around the world are facing difficult economic hurdles, and when, figuratively, the economy gets a cold, travel and tourism often catch pneumonia. With the exception of business travel, tourism and vacations are often some of the early items that are cut from a budget. Tourism and Travel also must face additional hurdles. For example, the graying of much of the world’s travel public means new and innovative types of products will need to be marketed. Another issue is that despite the fear of terrorism, international tourism will continue to grow, bring with it special needs in the areas of customer service, security and health risks.

Faced with all of these challenges, 2002 is a good time to do an ethical business review. To help you deal with some of the ethical issues in the travel and tourism world here is a partial list of suggestions;

1. When in doubt, the right thing to do is the best thing to do. Don’t cut corners because times are hard. This is the time to build a reputation for integrity by doing the right thing. Make sure to give customer’s their money’s worth rather than appearing to be selfish and greedy. The hospitality business is about doing for others, and nothing advertises a place better than giving that something extra in a period of economic constriction. In a like manner, managers should never cut their underlings salaries before they cut their own. If reduction in forces are necessary, a manager should personally handle the situation, present a good-bye token and never be absent on the day of a lay-off.
2. When the going gets rough, be calm. People come to us for tranquility and to forget their problems, not to learn about our problems. Our guests should never be burdened with our economic difficulties. Remember they are our guests and not our counselors. Tourism ethics requires that your personal life stay in your home. If you are too agitated to work, then stay home. Once one is at the workplace, however, we have a moral responsibility to concentrate on the needs of our guests and not on our own needs. The best way to be calm in a crisis is to be prepared. For example, in the post-September 11th world, every community needs to have a tourism security plan. In a like manner, your community or attraction needs to train employees on how to handle health risks, travel changes, and personal security issues.
3. Develop a good esprit de corps. These are the days that tell employees how much you care. Never ask an employee to do what you would not do, in fact, good managers at least twice a year, do more than walk through a hotel or attraction. A good manager should get out of his/her office and do what his/her employees actually do. There is only one way to understand the problems that employees have when at work and that is by participating actively in their jobs and experiencing their frustrations. Never have unreasonable expectations for your employees. If the expectations are too low they will result in boredom and ennui, if the expectations are too high, they result in frustration and cover-ups. Both sets of expectations are unreasonable and lead to moral dilemmas.
4. Develop tourism-partnerships. Visitors come to a location and not to a specific place. The tourism experience is a composite of multiple industries including: the transportation industry, the lodging industry, the competing attractions, the restaurant industry, the entertainment industry, the security industry etc. Each one of these sub-components represents a potential alliance. In the twenty-first century no one component can survive on its own. Instead it is essential that you define your common goals with each of these tourism sub-industries and know where flash-points between you may exist. Address these flash-points openly and develop the areas of commonality.
5. Move beyond employee evaluations. Rather than be seen as a disciplinarian, work on performance goals for the next period. If employees assume that you are out to get them, then a certain level of dishonesty begins to creep into the relationship. Instead concentrate on what the employee and you can do to partner toward a common goal. In a like manner, never silence an employee. Often problems can be solves by listening fairly. Bulling others only shows insecurity to a workforce.
6. Honesty is the best policy. Nothing destroys a tourism business as much as lack of credibility. Most guests/customers understand that things do go wrong from time to time. In those cases, admit there is a problem, own it, and deal with the problem. Most people are able to see through double-talk and in the future will not believe your company even when you are telling the truth. Remember that credibility means believably but not necessary honesty. Don’t just be credible, be honest!
7. Never stifle innovation. It is all to easy to put someone down or dismiss an idea out of hand. When people share ideas, they are taking a risk. Travel is in its essence about taking risks and so travel professionals who are afraid of risks usually do no more than an adequate job. Encourage travel and tourism employees to take innovative risks, many of their ideas may fail, but one good idea is worth many failed ideas.