501 Places

The pattern has been nothing if not consistent in the last few decades. Cities that spent millions (more recently billions) in their preparations to hold the Olympic Games found to their cost that their estimates of a tourism bonanza proved way off the mark. Thousands of hotel rooms remained unoccupied while those who did come [...]

Over the weekend we had the chance to explore two cities in the south east of England that have a fair amount in common. Both are a short train ride from London; both have enough olde worlde buildings to be regularly used as a filming location for period dramas; and of particular relevance to this [...]

I’m currently arranging a new mobile phone contract. In common with most people I have very low expectations of the customer service I’m likely to receive. This is borne out of years of bitter experience. While the staff often appear incapable of connecting my phone to a functioning network at the price I signed up [...]

Magazine articles, blogs, TV shows, even apps: all make regular claims to help inspire us to choose our next holiday destination. Some of these must work for there to be enough advertising money floating around to keep so many people in business. But so much of what is out there doesn’t inspire me at all. [...]

Ask a friend or work colleague about their holiday and the chances are that the description will fall somewhere between amazing, awesome and brilliant. In most cases we don’t need to ask; the bronzed storyteller will proudly share every highlight of their holiday with anyone who can’t get away in time. And yet, go to [...]

You’re checking out after a pleasant stay at a hotel. You enjoyed the comfortable bed, found the room clean and spacious, and safely negotiated the quirks of the bathroom. Even the wi-fi was free (Hallelujah!). As you’re settling your account with the receptionist, she hands you a little slip of paper with a pleading smile. [...]

An increasing number of people are shunning the traditional news outlets of TV and newspapers and are looking to the online world to get their daily news fix. While the evidence of this shift in news consumption is not in dispute, is there a parallel change in how news stories are sourced and produced? Is [...]

Last night’s CIMTIG event brought together a panel of experts from different media to make their case in the search for the most effective way to reach customers in today’s technology rich and time poor world. Representatives of Google, O2, News International, radio and ‘out of home advertising’ (billboards, underground, bus shelters etc) argued how [...]

It’s getting harder than ever for many businesses to attract new customers and to persuade them to part with their hard-earned cash. Travel businesses in particular are feeling the squeeze with a recent survey by ING Direct suggesting that up to 40% of Brits are planning not to go on holiday this summer. In such [...]

I was driving into Nottingham this week and I stopped at the lights behind a park and ride bus. I was struck by the big advertisement on the bus that I was forced to read while waiting for the lights to turn green. It showed a group of happy business people with the caption “We [...]