Problem
I've just read that Europe is the world's top travel destination. But how are they counting that? By flights, hotel rooms booked, people employed, numbers of hotels and restaurants, money generated, restaurant meals, museum and attractions entrance fees?
Who says? A European.
These statistics are being collected all the time. We are being counted. Advertisers want to know how many people will see an advertisement on a railway station, by a bus stop, overlooking a motorway junction or the city center.
London, England
AMERICA
When we lived in America we travelled constantly, every weekend. We drove in a car. Our car's numberplate identified where we were from. When we spoke, our accent identified us as English.
You can also be identified by your clothes.
Story
Year's ago I was with my parents, who lived in London, on holiday in Marbella, Spain. As we walked around the shops, my father would say of a nearby or passing couple, "They're British!"
I asked, "How do you know? Did you hear them speak?"
"No," replied my father. "They were wearing national health spectacles." (My father was an opthalmic optician.)
The inter-city railways need to know how many return tickets they have sold to calculate the numbers of trains and coaches in each direction, the numbers of replacement buses when there is an accident or breakdown, the numbers of train drivers, ticket inspectors, cleaners, snack sellers with trolleys, dining cars, the demand for overnight couchettes (sleeping bunks).
Analysing Statistics
When numbers don't tally, they look for a reason. How many people going through turnstiles went the wrong way because they were lost, jumped over the barrier, used a free staff pass?
Some were employees on their way to their job. Did any use a stolen card or re-use a card? How many expected travellers were missing because they missed the last train?
Safety
Did somebody jump off the platform? Only one - but maybe several each year), and that caused hundreds of commuters to abort their journeys. missed their connection, fell off a train or cruise ship, went into hospital, came down with seasonal flu, got drunk?
Maybe some overslept, or stayed the night in the city with family or at a hotel?
Successful Marketing
Reduced prices attract travellers and tourists. Those in the travel trade are watching us travelling. We, in turn, are watching them, watching us.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I've just read that Europe is the world's top travel destination. But how are they counting that? By flights, hotel rooms booked, people employed, numbers of hotels and restaurants, money generated, restaurant meals, museum and attractions entrance fees?
Who says? A European.
These statistics are being collected all the time. We are being counted. Advertisers want to know how many people will see an advertisement on a railway station, by a bus stop, overlooking a motorway junction or the city center.
London, England
AMERICA
When we lived in America we travelled constantly, every weekend. We drove in a car. Our car's numberplate identified where we were from. When we spoke, our accent identified us as English.
You can also be identified by your clothes.
Story
Year's ago I was with my parents, who lived in London, on holiday in Marbella, Spain. As we walked around the shops, my father would say of a nearby or passing couple, "They're British!"
I asked, "How do you know? Did you hear them speak?"
"No," replied my father. "They were wearing national health spectacles." (My father was an opthalmic optician.)
The inter-city railways need to know how many return tickets they have sold to calculate the numbers of trains and coaches in each direction, the numbers of replacement buses when there is an accident or breakdown, the numbers of train drivers, ticket inspectors, cleaners, snack sellers with trolleys, dining cars, the demand for overnight couchettes (sleeping bunks).
Analysing Statistics
When numbers don't tally, they look for a reason. How many people going through turnstiles went the wrong way because they were lost, jumped over the barrier, used a free staff pass?
Some were employees on their way to their job. Did any use a stolen card or re-use a card? How many expected travellers were missing because they missed the last train?
Safety
Did somebody jump off the platform? Only one - but maybe several each year), and that caused hundreds of commuters to abort their journeys. missed their connection, fell off a train or cruise ship, went into hospital, came down with seasonal flu, got drunk?
Maybe some overslept, or stayed the night in the city with family or at a hotel?
Successful Marketing
Reduced prices attract travellers and tourists. Those in the travel trade are watching us travelling. We, in turn, are watching them, watching us.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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