Delhi Shopping Day
Trip Start
Oct 14, 2005
1
6
21
Trip End
Oct 31, 2005
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New Delhi,
India
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
I caught up with some of the late arrivals from last night at breakfast this morning. At 11am another tour operator who has been courting me for my business took me out on the town. He wanted to know what I wanted to do, and I explained that my daughter wanted some clothes, and I had some birthdays to observe during the tour, and needed presents. He took me to a delightful place called FabIndia -- all fabrics and organic spices and scented soaps. I got some outfits for Alexis and a shirt for one client, a silk tie for another, a selection of spices for another, and a beautiful office wastebasket that collapses down on itself for easy packing as another (we have 5 birthdays on this trip, including mine).
This fellow is trying to convince me that I need to really take my tours up a notch or two in service, and he took me to see the Marriott and also one called the Imperial -- a luxury level hotel just near where we are now
01 Folk Dance
. I understand that my market base does have clients who can afford such hotels as the Lake Palace in Udaipur (where we will only have dinner later in the tour), but my business model thus far has been to create trips to fantastic places that are reasonably priced. We always have nice hotels, but they aren't the 5 star luxury type. Also, the kind of client that signs on for that level of service tends to be very fussy and demanding. Don't want 'em.He lavished me with some beautiful gifts, which I accepted gracefully. I might find a way to work with him. Continue working with my current supplier for tour groups like this one, and then offer some very exclusive and romantic trips for couples that would be luxury all the way. He convinced me that I could mark up a few people at that level to make with two or four about 25% of what I make on a larger tour. It might be worth a try.
Tonight those of us who were already arrived (15 so far, but 2 stayed back) went out to dinner at a restaurant that included a folk show of indian cultural dancing and music. It was fun, and an accompanying slide show gave us a real pre-taste for some of the wonderful sights we are going to see.
The guys who arrived late last night were all tired, so we got back to the hotel by 10:30. The rest of the guys arrive tonight, and the tour officially launches tomorrow morning. 9:30am departure for a city tour in Delhi, followed by the welcome dinner and a night out on the town. Stay tuned . . . the guys who are here already are bonding beautifully. This has the makings of being an exceptional group!
Hugs,
Dan
