Perhaps I’m being simplistic here, but wouldn’t it be technically possible for someone who paid full rates and booked months in advance to get the same ratty carpet? =)

Travel is a difficult industry, as much of the success of the product is in the eye of the beholder, and travel companies should know that. Take the heat or get out of the kitchen…

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Darren

I think what Tim was getting at was customers with a 2 start budget and 4 star requirements. In lates market this has got very common.

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I Think the report is aimed at those that usually find fault even before they have travelled..
I Think Darren as a consumer you are reading this in a slightly different way to an Industry Insider. If You asked every Travel Agency up and down the Country, each and every one will have seen the type of Person Mr Williamson is talking about. The Saying you get what you pay for springs to mind, and hopefully by choosing good Independent Tour Operators such as Aito tour Operators, you need not pay the earth, but are unlikely to have the situation Mr Williamson talks about.
Unfortunatly Darren, there are a lot of professional Whingers who do exactly as Mr Williamson has suggested

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I don’t love tour groups and whinging tourists – and that’s why I’m not a tour operator or work in the tourism industry. Sounds like baby needs a little holiday time of his own. He shouldn’t be a spokesman for anyone with that attitude.

That being said, on a personal level I agree with him. Don’t tell me you haven’t seen this type of tourist – the one who could squeeze blood from a penny, but expects royal treatment. Or, worse – they complain only to try to get something for free. I’m sure someone whose job it is to read complaints from customers can tell the difference in a second.

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He didn’t say the carpet/room/hotel was bad or of poor quality. How I interpreted this comment was it might have been nice carpet nothing to complain about. The question is, do late bookers expect too much thinking they have made a massive saving booking at the last minute, expecting 5 star when they are paying for 3 star. It was a trade publication, a place where the trade can rant about this business. I am a consumer too and I am not offended either way.

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Who’s Tarnishing all consumers with the same brush? I’m not sure what that means. Nobody said all consumers were like that, did they?

Travel is one of the few intangible things we buy, you can’t take it back and get a replacement. It is very much down to customers expectaitions and sometimes, as Julia says, they expect to much.

I agree that if you don’t egt what you paid for or the hotel is dirty and badly run you should complain but that’s not an excuse to get rowdy or behave in a manner that is generally unacceptable.

Let’s face it, many people don’t behave in the same way on holiday as they would at home.

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The statement was meant to be read that there was nothing wrong with the carpet, but like an earlier poster, there expectations are beyond anything we can ever meet.

I believe I have fair expectations. I read up and research a place/hotel before I travel, but take everything with pinch of salt. I then report back, am honest about what I have seen, what I liked or disliked. For instance I may say the carpet was flowery and a little chintzy for my taste, however I prefer a very modern look, and the carpet was clean and fine.

I think its when the professional whingers get a bargain holiday, then do everything they can to pick fault in something that is perfectly adequate!! Unfortunately ouor culture has bred too many people on the compensation band wagon. Now that does not apply to all complaints. With everything there are genuine. But like I read recently, that there were 2 children playing in a school playground, 1 got hurt. The parent is now sueing the school. We live in ridiculous times!!

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It’s about time.

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