One of the best parts of being in the Tourism industry for many years is the people I meet. Our industry has an endless list of talented, hardworking, fun-loving and creative professionals. I decided to interview my friends and give you a peek into their lives and careers. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, and I will follow-up with the guest interviewed. This week we hear from my friend Dottie Maitland. Dottie is a legend in the industry and was one of the first women leaders I met.
Tell us a bit about how you got started in the tourism industry.
I worked on the AAUW Home Tour in Kalispell, MT, and surrounding area. During these early years when we moved to Montana, we had visitors from the East Coast and I took them to the same places such as Glacier National Park, Bigfork, MT etc.
When people saw what I did and the fun my guests were having, they would ask me if I had ever been to a place and then they would say let’s go. You take us. So I studied and put together day tours for Montana residents and developed that procedure into a step on guide service. Of course, there was much research and questions presented to travel friends.
Soon my friends who managed the hotel would ask if I could do these tours for people coming to conventions and meetings and so I did. Happy conference delegates would ask if I could plan their events as well and this led to organizing the entire meeting in Montana and then in other parts of the United States where their meetings were held.
One Day at the Hotel…
One day at the hotel while I was standing in line at the front desk waiting for service, a gentleman in front of me asked the desk what there was to do if the Going To The Sun Highway in Glacier was closed. The front desk replied, “Nothing”.
Being the shy person, I was, I interrupted and said’ let me make some suggestions’. The man turned out to be Mr. Frank Ashida, of Holland America Westours. Following meetings in Seattle with Mr. Ashida, Tours By Maitland started to do step-on guide service for 2 day Montana Rockies tours for Westours. The businesses grew from there to Maitland Meeting Management, Maitland Travel, Maitland Marketing. Three years ago, we closed all the Montana businesses and moved to Lake Chautauqua, NY to begin retirement.
What is your current job and what are your primary responsibilities?
Many people bet that I could not stay retired. Luckily, I had not taken their bet as last year I applied for the Concierge position with a newly built Chautauqua Harbor Hotel. I had watched every board, brick and construction element taking place and said to myself that is the place I want to work. However, it is not work for me. I am just loving being back in the industry although it is very different being on the other side today. I remember daily how much I appreciated the sales departments and the concierges thru the years and felt this was my turn to give back.
I work with two other ladies who were never in the tourism industry and I love their fresh look and the ideas we share. We have developed a database of things to do in the area and have worked together on creating packages like Spa Packages, Craft Beer Packages and Winery Tours. I also have been co-working with sales that brought me back to many tour operator friends and corporate planners. The network I established remains strong today and I am happy to share it with management and staff at the hotel.
What are some of the changes you have seen since you began your career?
Many changes in the industry have happened since I started my company. Technology created changes from Telex to having the first fax machine in the town to scanning, texting. Heavens knows what is next. Group tours went from 24 days to 4 days and eventually I started “Vacations U Create” to give more flexibility to personalities. People traveled to play games and develop companionship. Then they traveled to learn something as their interests were stimulated by the Discovery Channels etc.
It changed to people traveled to verify what they already knew. Then they traveled for “do it yourself” experiences. Corning Glass Museum is a great example of exploring the museum, watching the creating and blowing of glass and then being able to actually do it as part of the tour.
Today people are traveling for experiences and connecting with the scenery or location and getting in touch with the folks who live there. They are seeking people experiences. They crave someone caring that they are visiting their museum, taking their boat ride or talking to them in person. At the hotel we have people who return every month because it is like home and we are the family so glad to see them return. We say goodbye and thank them, and they just love that this is an experience.
What tourism trends are you seeing that will impact your job and how you work in the next 2 years?
The worst change I have seen is a lack of customer service. It is horrible that businesses accept mediocrity and not excellence. There is a lack of responsibility for the services provided. Communication is nonexistent if one cannot text or abbreviate everything. Tourism businesses and employees are not developing networking with each other face to face; only on their phones. Recently I put a networking group of suppliers together for a meeting. I was amazed that 75% of them had never met each other. At the end of the meeting they all were buzzing with new ideas and realizing that they needed to work together face to face; not face time.
In the next few years, I see our area growing. This small-town community is what travelers are seeking. Travelers are overwhelmed with the fast pace, all the lights, all the technology and they want real friends and real experiences, not those generated as pretend friends on their computers and FB friends whom they have never met.
We, the concierges, sit down with people and give them travel tools. Yes, they have a GPS, but they like maps, items in their hands. You have given them a coupon, a picture, your time! You cared to talk with them. You cared to listen. Communication will return in time.
I believe more people will travel in the U.S.A. Mass transit will develop and family time for vacations will return. Climate and gas prices and our politics will affect us as always, but Customer Service and well-trained staff will prevail. People will pay for quality. Building tourism ideas as a group will remain strong. No one can go this way alone. The more hotels build large complexes. The larger the cruise ships become will make the smaller, more personal, options rise.
It’s vacation time – where do you go?
Vacation time? So hard for me as I have addressed every Governor’s Tourism Conferences thru the years and have been blessed to travel in the world. I have loved every place I have been and so grateful for friends throughout the world. I was raised in Pennsylvania. Lived along the shore of Lake Ontario in Webster, NY. We moved to Montana where every aspect of that area is in my blood. Canada is breathtaking from Montreal to Vancouver to Victoria. Branson was home working for Tony Orlando and Wayne Newton. Lincoln, County, Nevada is a wonderful secret and returning to Rainbow Canyon is a dream. Kumamoto, Japan, and the castle and learning the tea ceremony and culture will never be forgotten. Madrid, Spain was always my hope since Spanish was my minor in college. I found Spain wonderful. Being President of NTA and conducting our very first Board of Directors meeting in Mexico will always be a favorite. I gave the speech in Spanish. Helsinki, Finland grabbed my heart. My favorite vacation would be anywhere in the world with my family and friends.
What is your favorite app and tell us a bit about it.
My favorite tool is Microsoft Outlook that holds my network of travel industry professionals and family. My favorite app is The Weather Channel app.
What is your favorite tradeshow and why?
As Past President of the National Tour Association, I always believed NTA marketplace was the best place to do business, share ideas and come home with so much information for building a better business. As members of NTA we were a family in all sense of the word and we still are today. What I learned from Arthur Tauck, Lois Anderson, W James Host could never be learned in any graduate hospitality studies.
American Bus Association was equal in value for me and the opportunity to meet the many suppliers and bus companies that I needed and knew I could depend upon. Another key marketplace is IPW (In those days it was called International POW WOW) and here many ideas were developed with tour operators from those countries and truly learning the culture.
What advice do you have for someone just getting started in the tourism industry?
For people starting in the tourism business, I would suggest attending any seminars offered by your town, CVB or state. Be dedicated to meet as many people as you can at these events. Never sit at the same table with anyone you know. Move around and meet new folks and at the end of the meal write down something you learned from each person at the table. Follow up with personal notes (emails) etc for someone that helped you during a trade show.
Read tour and travel magazines online. In the airports go to the store that sells books and magazines and notice what people are reading and buying. Ask questions from seatmates while traveling. You would be surprised who you will meet.
Travel yourself and take a tour and keep a notebook of what you liked and did not like in the hotels, transportation or venues you visited. In cities take their tours by bus or trolley and keep the notes tucked away on a cloud or whatever you use. Keep annual goals and business plans. Once a month ask an executive in your town of business to have lunch. Find out how they got to where they are now. Discover their networks and always ask for help. People like to give it.
Make sure your business cards are simple with easy to read printing and explains simply what you are and what you do. Always give out two business cards. Hand your cards to people so they are ready to read; not sideways or upside down. Always carefully look and study when someone gives you a card. Surround yourself with positive people. When you complete a job always give the customer more than they ever expected. When you complete a job know you gave it your best.
Dottie is a terrific tourism professional, also one of the first people I met in the industry. Glad you are in New York. What do you think is the best method to educate the front desk hotel service about the assests of a destination?
Here is Dottie’s response:
Thanks for the question. My suggestion is that every Convention and Visitor’s Bureau or every city should put together a DVD in the form of a seminar that is attractive fun to do and it should outline an ambassador program that list the historical facts and the highlights of things to do in the community for all ages.
Then as part of the orientation programme for a hotel they should require that all their employees, not only the front , the servers and housekeeping as well should sit and watch this DVD and become an ambassador as a result with a certificate. Now it’s up to the management of the hotel as to what kind of award they would love to give people as a result of completing this course.
The course should be interesting and should be in detail of all things offered in the community. Whether people are given a little pin to wear one of the wristbands or whatever the hotel management will allow to show that those employees have completed the course and that when customers call in they know exactly what to sell in the community.
We all know that one of the most important areas to be educated is the front desk because that is your first line of appearance as you come into a hotel. Not all hotels like the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel have concierge so it is up to the front desk managing to do the training. However you and I all know it comes from a leadership of the top down and I think it all begins with a GM and the GM commitment to Education and Training.
It amazed me when we put our network of suppliers together as I stated in my article to discover that more than three-quarters of the room didn’t even know each other nor did they know what was available to them. I would think that the cvb’s throughout the United States could get a grant to put together such a DVD and seminar training program. We are all no matter what phase of Hotel we are in continue to be the main sales source 4 people buying our product. If we love it and understand it we will sell it.
Much discussion arises as to whether sales people are born with fire in their gut to sell or they are made. Lastly if the time and money allows I would put a fam tour together for front desk employees sales and management to have a day trip throughout your community and highlight the locations and the events of your outstanding attractions. Thank you for the question and best of luck in making this happen. Dottie