Tourism's Biggest Lies: Weasel Words At Play

[alanmorison]

The travel industry has spawned new phrases and words that are as confusing as 'friendly fire' is to warfare or 'leader' is to politics. We'd like to expose a couple of popular lies in tourism.

That prefix eco-, first attached by well-meaning people, has now been misused so constantly to the point where it has no real value any more.

It's the eco that isn't worth hearing.

These days, an ecotour can be a ride on the back of an elephant, a whip around Patong Bay on a jetski, or a trip on a speedboat with no life jackets to a wrecked reef.

Geo- is just as bad, and yet its time is coming as the chosen replacement prefix for the meaningless eco-.

Some brochures still have the audacity to describe Phuket's beaches as ''pristine.'' You're kidding.

''Sustainable tourism'' now has so many meanings that it is of no further practical use.

If you asked six people what was meant by ''sustainable Phuket,'' you would get six different answers - perhaps seven if someone is in two minds, the way many people tend to be these days.

These new words and phrases are tourism's biggest lies. Anyone know a bigger one?

-- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

[Royale]

The travel industry has spawned new phrases and words that are as confusing as 'friendly fire' is to warfare or 'leader' is to politics. We'd like to expose a couple of popular lies in tourism.

That prefix eco-, first attached by well-meaning people, has now been misused so constantly to the point where it has no real value any more.

It's the eco that isn't worth hearing.

These days, an ecotour can be a ride on the back of an elephant, a whip around Patong Bay on a jetski, or a trip on a speedboat with no life jackets to a wrecked reef.

Geo- is just as bad, and yet its time is coming as the chosen replacement prefix for the meaningless eco-.

Some brochures still have the audacity to describe Phuket's beaches as ''pristine.'' You're kidding.

''Sustainable tourism'' now has so many meanings that it is of no further practical use.

If you asked six people what was meant by ''sustainable Phuket,'' you would get six different answers - perhaps seven if someone is in two minds, the way many people tend to be these days.

These new words and phrases are tourism's biggest lies. Anyone know a bigger one?

-- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

"Land of smiles"

[ovenman]

Boutique is overused and seems to indicate small but expensive.

[hanno]

The first hotel here in Vietnam that received an "Eco-award" is a 500-room behemoth with what is supposedly the largest swimming pool in South-East Asia. Oh, and the hotel sits on an island that has no water

[donna]

i agree with the eco thing. the problem is that in asia, or many parts of the world for that matter, there are not enough controls for this kind of thing. when a hotel can call itself 5 star without any qualifications from any 'hotel body' or whatever, then the road is wide open to call themselves 'eco', 'geo', 'boutique' or any other trendy term that is valid at the time.

i used to work for a company whose big catch phrase was 'responsible travel' but the reality was that the bigger the company got, the less they seemed to care about employees, about the people who were providing them with accommodation and tours, and the environment in general.

there are way too many lies in the tourism industry and eco is certainly one of them.

[billythehat]

..mmmm…yep, I’ve got a few:

“WELCOME TO THAILAND”

Hi, Suckers!

“HOTEL LOCATED CLOSE TO ALL AMENITIES”

Ensure you are very fit indeed. A black belt in karate and some knowledge of the correct use of firearms would be a distinct advantage for that long walk home after a good night on the lash.

“FREE WELCOME DRINK SERVED BY OUR FRIENDLY STAFF”

Out-of-date fruit juice with too much ice – definitely not the booze you were expecting – served by a glowering harpy who will shoot you her best ‘free’ Chairman Mao facial expression and still expect a tip.

“EXPERIENCE THAILAND’S FANTASTIC FOOD”

Pack more underpants than shirts. If you are a little over-weight, you’re guaranteed that there is no surer weight-loss program available. Ensure that your ‘Will’ is up to date.

“TAKE A RIDE ON A TUK-TUK”

See ‘Hotel Located…’ above paragraph

“VISITORS ARE TO RESPECT THE LAWS OF THAILAND”

Example:

Policeman Somchai CorruptPornTitti says;

‘Hey, Farang, yoo no wear helmet on moto sai. Yoo mutt bribe, I mean pay, me 500 Baht fine’

&

(6 Thais riding on an old Honda 50, with no helmets, no lights and bald tires)

‘No popem….’

And many, many more..oh, ya gotta laff..

[BusyBee123]

'Boutique is overused and seems to indicate small but expensive'

classic example being Bangkok Air

[poshthai]

very funny billy,but you can get banned for all that race hatred lol lol lol.

even my thai gf is laughing to much.

[flamingtodd]

...6 Thais riding on an old Honda 50, with no helmets, no lights and bald tires)

'No popem….'

I actually had the grits to ask this cop, with the most brass, "why you no satop thai peepo same same?"

Him say "thai peepo can-no pay same same falang, KRAP!!!"

I would go with the SMILE, everybody smiles. Flat out. That is the worst... If you are going to F?ck me, look mean while your doing it. Don't smile!

todd

[donna]

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

[huggybear]

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

The topic starts out so negative, how else is the thread suppose to go?

"Tourisms biggest lies, do you have a bigger lie to expound".............come on, of course it's going to turn into Thailand bashing.

Do us a favor and close it.

[donna]

remember it was TOURISMS biggest lies, not THAILANDS.

[hanno]

Centrally located: right next to a 4-lane highway.

Up-and-coming location: construction all over the place and lousy infrastructure.

Quiet, idyllic location: nothing to do after 18:00

Hotel borders the sea: but there is either a fishing harbor or a 90-foot cliff (bordering the sea does NOT mean beach)

Hotel with international flair: full of groups and clubs, i.e. noisy

Child-friendly: full of screaming kids.

Close to the airport: right in the airport approach with a few hundred starts and landings every day

Natural beach: beach is never cleaned and there is wastewater pipe nearby.

Recently opened hotel: hotel smells of fresh paint, there is on-going construction and some of the facilities are not yet ready.

[huggybear]

remember it was TOURISMS biggest lies, not THAILANDS.

on a Thailand Forum...........

[donna]

come on huggybear. please stop nit picking.

read the post above yours which is directly related to the topic, and makes some excellent points.

[Cuban]

International Buffet: No country would admit to originating this luke warm crap.

Issan Sausage: Rice mixed with miscellaneous animal fat and unwanted connective tissue.

Coffee: Dried brown stuff from an old Nescafe jar.

American Fried Rice: Fried rice with the plate scrapings from table 7.

BBQ Whole Fish: Burnt over coals to disguse 3 day old fish.

Deep Fried: Burnt in oil.

Private Limo Transfer: Somchai's Second Hand Bangkok Taxi (With hole where the roof light used to be).

Investigative Journalism: Pictures of the dead body and their ID card or Passport.

Suicide: Dead farang.

[huggybear]

come on huggybear. please stop nit picking.

read the post above yours which is directly related to the topic, and makes some excellent points.

if you don't understand the logic Donna, don't accuse me of nit picking.

Post above this one, below yours, is poster refering to Thailand or does he find that all of those things are overall tourism related?

Edited August 4, 2008 by huggybear

[Chaimai]

...6 Thais riding on an old Honda 50, with no helmets, no lights and bald tires)

'No popem….'

I actually had the grits to ask this cop, with the most brass, "why you no satop thai peepo same same?"

Him say "thai peepo can-no pay same same falang, KRAP!!!"

I would go with the SMILE, everybody smiles. Flat out. That is the worst... If you are going to F?ck me, look mean while your doing it. Don't smile!

todd

it's not SO bad paying but when the b*stard then waves you on saying "chok dee", that is taking the p1ss !

[billythehat]

Private Limo Transfer: Somchai's Second Hand Bangkok Taxi (With hole where the roof light used to be)

You’re one lucky guy – at least you got the convertible option.

The hole in my taxi was in the floor – a la Flintstones.

…gulp…was that racist? ...I get so confused these days with the definition of what I know to be real racism. There was nothing in these posts which was racist. A topic was opened about Tourists biggest lies on a Thai Forum – Waddya think the peeps were gonna post about? The rainy days in Aberdeen? Sheesh, lighten up a bit.

Praise the Lord that the Missus didn’t succumb to the no-laughter PC brigade and kept the topic open.

[alanmorison]

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

The topic starts out so negative, how else is the thread suppose to go?

"Tourisms biggest lies, do you have a bigger lie to expound".............come on, of course it's going to turn into Thailand bashing.

Do us a favor and close it.

Having started the post, I'm with Donna. There's no need for it to turn into Thai bashing. That certainly wasn't the intention. The words and phrases I've mentioned are misused everywhere. And why does putting the post on a Thai site imply that petty, racist comments automatically need to follow? There are some sad headcases around who seem to think speaking English is a guide to intelligence. How wrong they are.

[huggybear]

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

The topic starts out so negative, how else is the thread suppose to go?

"Tourisms biggest lies, do you have a bigger lie to expound".............come on, of course it's going to turn into Thailand bashing.

Do us a favor and close it.

Having started the post, I'm with Donna. There's no need for it to turn into Thai bashing. That certainly wasn't the intention. The words and phrases I've mentioned are misused everywhere. And why does putting the post on a Thai site imply that petty, racist comments automatically need to follow? There are some sad headcases around who seem to think speaking English is a guide to intelligence. How wrong they are.

Just unbelievable Mr. Morrison, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You should be a U.S. politician.

Lets review your original post:

"We'd like to expose a couple of popular lies in tourism. That prefix eco-,"

You then go on to post:

"These days, an ecotour can be a ride on the back of an elephant, a whip around Patong Bay on a jetski, or a trip on a speedboat with no life jackets to a wrecked reef."

You are referring to Hawaii? No, Mexico? Cuba maybe? Oh, wait, you specifically posted Patong................no all of these put Thailand in a good light, not bashing at all (sarcasm).

"Some brochures still have the audacity to describe Phuket's beaches as ''pristine.'' You're kidding."

no, you are kidding me with the most current post.

Donna's going to thrash me over this one, but what I see here is hypocrisy.

[Chaimai]

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

The topic starts out so negative, how else is the thread suppose to go?

"Tourisms biggest lies, do you have a bigger lie to expound".............come on, of course it's going to turn into Thailand bashing.

Do us a favor and close it.

Having started the post, I'm with Donna. There's no need for it to turn into Thai bashing. That certainly wasn't the intention. The words and phrases I've mentioned are misused everywhere. And why does putting the post on a Thai site imply that petty, racist comments automatically need to follow? There are some sad headcases around who seem to think speaking English is a guide to intelligence. How wrong they are.

Just unbelievable Mr. Morrison, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You should be a U.S. politician.

I have to agree with Huggy on this - you are back-tracking. OF COURSE the post was about Thailand (tourism) hence the references to Patong/Phuket.

[donna]

actually, i am going to thrash nobody.

but i will repeat that as soon as these little digs go over the top, this thread will be closed and warnings issued.

please be nice folks.

[alanmorison]

Just unbelievable Mr. Morrison, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You should be a U.S. politician.

I have to agree with Huggy on this - you are back-tracking. OF COURSE the post was about Thailand (tourism) hence the references to Patong/Phuket.

How nice to learn what I was thinking. And to think, I thought I was thinking for myself when all I really needed to do was to be told what I was thinking.

[steelepulse]

Well whatever brings in more traffic to your site.  That is the point correct, and that is why in all your posts you end with " more info can be found at phuketwan". What's the license to spam the forum............. uh I mean sponsor the forum run?

[Chaimai]

Well whatever brings in more traffic to your site. That is the point correct, and that is why in all your posts you end with " more info can be found at phuketwan". What's the license to spam the forum............. uh I mean sponsor the forum run?

Blimey !

I hadn't actually noticed that. I am afraid steelpulse that is your nomination for the Phuket Person of the Year Award out of the window

[F1fanatic]

I'm sorry, I found Billy's post one of the funniest (and most accurate) I've seen in a long time!

Stop the thread 'cos it's too honest?! NOOOOOOO!

You can laugh at yourself elsewhere, why not here?

[billythehat]

I'm sorry, I found Billy's post one of the funniest (and most accurate) I've seen in a long time!

Stop the thread 'cos it's too honest?! NOOOOOOO!

You can laugh at yourself elsewhere, why not here?

Cheers, guv, but you’ll have to believe me when I tell ya that was the heavily self-moderated version. I’ve had M’Lady on my case before and have been threatened with the paddle – fortunately for me, she had acquired said paddle from Jung-Ceylon, and this broke long before she had a chance to weald it in anger.

No refund either.

Regarding dear Old Phuket and its’ environs, I fear that it may already be too late to promote Eco holidays there. Long before it was in its current ruinous state, the island had been abused for many years by uncontrolled and miss-managed tin mining, etc, which had caused terrible ecological damage to an already fragile eco-system.

The 50+ tonnes of fuel it may take to haul ya azz over to an Eco holiday may seem contradictory to some I suppose…

Anyway, back on topic:

“UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DRINK THE WATER FROM THE TAP”

Mainly because drinking the seawater would be less deadly. Furthermore, you will avoid acquiring the not so alluring smile worn by the toothless old lady who sells som-tam from her wagon on Soi Bangla.

“EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF RIDING A JET-SKI!”

Don’t – Period.

Your chances of survival are greater, should you turn up at President Mugabe’s house dressed as one of the Ku Klux Klan.

[geriatrickid]

How about hotel listings? For those that know a few of the hotels that are at best dives and at worst roach motels, consider some descriptions. (BTW it seems a common habit throughout the world)

-Each room is complemented with an extensive range of in-room amenities and our exceptional service, in a romantic atmosphere found only in Phuket, Oh please, the 1 uber thin piece of ivory soap, the watered down cheap industrial detergent labeled as "shampoo" , the threadbare stained towels with a room that had a view over a noisy smelly back alley needs more than that.

-situated in the famous Patong area, which is home to many tourist-frequented attractions, XXXXX hotel offers privacy and authentic tropical experiences to its visitors. famous? attractions, yea right since it's next to Bangla which is very tropical. Privacy??The walls were paper thin, my friend & his g/f gave up and came and slept on the floor of my place. He could hear his neighbors moaning & groaning. He said, sharing a 1 bedroom apartment with 1 grumpy farang and his 2 thai buddies that had toxic gas was paradise compared to that place.

-ideal for budget travellers wanting to be in the heart of Patong. When you enter our lobby with gleaming teak wood, and Thai antiques you will begin feeling the warmth of our hotel. Umm is that because it's a fire trap with no working alarms and locked exits? Budget hotel and antiques? Unless they mean the linens and beds that are 10 years past their prime. Friendly, oh yea, I forgot the place is next to the Paradise entertainment zone. Lots of friendly "people" hang around nearby.

And finally a subtle description from a joint close to 200 Pee & bangla;

- a home in the heart of Patong, offers far more than holiday accommodation. You bet it offers more, like the idiots that were puking their guts outside the hotel the 1 time I walked by. Can't blame the hotel, but I reckon that wasn't the extra guests were looking for when they had to walk over the vomit puddle to get into the hotel.

-a totally relaxing holiday experience that will leave you with many lasting memories.

Oh so true. I'm sure the bed bug bites will give many weeks of memories.

-Patong is also world-renowned for its exotic nightlife

Now that's a nice way of putting it.

Like I said up top, misleading descriptions are found everywhere, including the "quiet luxury boutique ideal for young couples" that we stayed at in SOBE, Miami. Right next to a noisy nightclub that didn't close until 4 am complete with screaming idiots, police & EMS sirens and across the street from a condo project that started pile driving at 8 am.

[donna]

-Patong is also world-renowned for its exotic nightlife

oh dear....i think i actually wrote that about a hotel i used to work at in Patong!