Ideas, spreading and inevitable
Funny how an idea spreads. When I wrote about Disney in Yellowstone, I worried that the news was already too old. A tiny wire-service story had run back in February, but I felt its significance was under-appreciated. My essay laid out some potential dynamics, and I was gratified to see it picked up by several papers including the Casper Star-Tribune.
And today the Star-Tribune revisits the story in an editorial. They highlight different facts, and issue their own opinions. (Which is, basically, what I did to the wire service story. Ideas spread.) I was afraid I was being too upbeat about the development, but they're even more so.
I will take issue with one conclusion in their editorial:
I don't think that's true. A Disney vacation builds brand loyalty to Disney, not to Yellowstone. That's how the adventure-tourism market works. I know several tour operators who rely largely on repeat business: taking the same people to different places. If the venture is successful for Disney, I predict they will expand to other natural areas, but their clients are unlikely to expand to greater Yellowstone.
So is Disney's venture still a "good idea"? Sorry, that's the wrong question. As my essay tried to show, the point is that it's an inevitable idea. So we need to figure out how to make it work.
Join the discussion at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnclaytonoutreach/, or let me know your thoughts via info at johnclaytonbooks (and you can fill in the rest).
And today the Star-Tribune revisits the story in an editorial. They highlight different facts, and issue their own opinions. (Which is, basically, what I did to the wire service story. Ideas spread.) I was afraid I was being too upbeat about the development, but they're even more so.
I will take issue with one conclusion in their editorial:
A family that's been to Yellowstone on a Disney tour and has seen the numerous existing services and amenities may be inclined to return later for more of a do-it-yourself vacation.
I don't think that's true. A Disney vacation builds brand loyalty to Disney, not to Yellowstone. That's how the adventure-tourism market works. I know several tour operators who rely largely on repeat business: taking the same people to different places. If the venture is successful for Disney, I predict they will expand to other natural areas, but their clients are unlikely to expand to greater Yellowstone.
So is Disney's venture still a "good idea"? Sorry, that's the wrong question. As my essay tried to show, the point is that it's an inevitable idea. So we need to figure out how to make it work.
Join the discussion at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnclaytonoutreach/, or let me know your thoughts via info at johnclaytonbooks (and you can fill in the rest).
