|
|
#17 (permalink) Fri May 26, 2006 12:19 pm COMPLAINTS |
|
|
Hi,
I find it very difficult to complain in a foreign language - in my case French or German. In English - no problem. Many years ago I led a revolt at a hotel because the service was incredibly slow - one hour between courses. The food was hardly worth waiting for and the management agreed that they would pay for a meal at another restaurant. When it came to the final bill, I saw that 10% had been added for service. I crossed that out on the bill because I said we hadn't had any. But in France and Germany I lose my nerve. I fought hard to get a reduction in a French hotel because a menacing spring had come through the mattress during the night. We were granted one free breakfast - a magnificent 4 euros. Last year again in France (and don't get me wrong because there have been many occasions when the service has been delightful) we stayed in a hotel and discovered around a dozen dead flies in the bathroom. I pointed this out at reception and was told it would be attended to while we had our evening meal. It wasn't. As we left and I came to pay the bill, I made one more attempt to complain about the wretched flies and the receptionist blandly remarked that there had been a lot of flies that year. Perhaps I ought to talk about experiences in Germany, Switzerland and Italy another time.
Alan _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Make or Do? |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9209 Location: UK
|
|
#18 (permalink) Fri May 26, 2006 12:58 pm New project: How to promote tourist services? |
|
|
| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: |
Hi Torsten!
I feel honored that you appreciate any of my ideas! I also think that you are a real habitant of the ?land of ideas?. What makes me wonder is that in your area isn?t any support for SME?s or aren?t there any who will do a good job at a forum? |
Hi Michael, as you have mentioned, most German websites of hotels, tourist facilities, restaurants, cities etc. are provide information in the German language only. Yes, there is a huge and complex system in Germany designed to support SME's and create new jobs. My goal is to use that system in order to organize and run workshops for German tourist service providers so we will be able to attract more customers from abroad. If you like you can take a look at the program outline in our business blog (today's entry): Business Blog
In the meantime Alan will hopefully continue sharing his travel experiences which I find quite revealing and useful.
Let me know what you think, Torsten _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
|
 |
#19 (permalink) Fri May 26, 2006 19:02 pm Tourist website review |
|
|
Hi Torsten!
What do you want me to add? I would say the way is prepared. So the start is a request only to find German tourist providers who can be made interested in using this possibility! Therefore it is a requestion for the advertise department. Or do you have the first clients yet? I think everything else is more or less a technical problem which to solve you have the capabilities! Your introduction is logical written and you have a link to this topic where every tourist provider can experience the way how an internet workshop could run. As you mentioned, there are opinions of proficient hotel guests, we have referred to some hotel introducing sites in order to look what could be done better or what is well done at particular sites. I think that is the beginning of such a workshop. If the project is started and the first user are present and also can agree with satisfaction the word of mouth advertisement will probably increase step by step.
Michael |
|
Fan Of Arabian Horses I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1007 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
|
 |
#20 (permalink) Fri May 26, 2006 21:52 pm New project: How to promote tourist services? |
|
|
| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: |
What I also noticed is that, having a look at the links to some towns` website, most of the websites are written in German only and that the towns? websites hardly refer to any locations for overnight stay possibilities. Though there exists really marketing void like you mentioned. As "Sachsen" is my father?s homeland I?m also interested to learn more about it, therefore for me it is most interesting to help you with your enterprise regarding the support of that area. By the way, as Pat & Ken?s site have a reference to Clausthal Zellerfeld which has really lots of interesting locations and as they like footwalks (strolls) I miss a bit a discription of reaching the "Wartburg in Eisenach". Although it might be "Th?ringen" it is near the Harz, isn?t it? Or was my look too surface in fact? Michael |
Michael,
You have made quite a number of interesting observations - you are right, the Wartburg is in Thueringia (as are many other beautiful castles) and yes, the vast majority of tourist facilities in Germany provide information only in the German language. You see, there is a huge infrastructure that has been designed to promote local tourism business activities (Chamber of Commerce, tourism industry associations, etc.) Still, the potential for improving/creating such basic things like a website in English is huge. Yes, I have outline the plan for workshops that will address these issues. The challenge is to see this project through and keep on marketing it until it really takes off. That's why it is good to know you are interested in such issues too and I can turn to you for support. Let's continue to develop this project together.
More on that soon, Torsten
PS: Do you still visit Saxony sometimes? _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
|
 |
#21 (permalink) Sat May 27, 2006 11:31 am New project: How to promote tourist services? |
|
|
Hi Torsten!
I?m a bit ashamed to acknowledge that I?ve been rarely in Saxony and my experiences about the Wartburg and the saltmine in Merkers and the sole bath in Bad Salzungen I have from a wellness holiday I had in 2001!
But neverforless let me know more about your plans!
Michael |
|
Fan Of Arabian Horses I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1007 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
|
 |
#22 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:23 am How to promote the Rosarium Sangerhausen |
|
|
Hello again my dear friends of online tourism marketing. It's been a while since we last talked about how to promote the tourist services of Central Germany.
My friend Mike who works at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been contacting various tourist organizations and facilities and he always mentions our website and this forum thread in particular.
One of the attractions in the Sangerhausen area is the so called Rosarium which is the largest rose collection in Europe. Interestingly enough, at this point there is only one website that provides some information about this unique place in English and it is run by Paul Barden. He is a rose enthusiast who received a grant from 'The Uncommon Rose', a US based rose catalog business.
So, the Sangerhausen Rosarium is now on our list of prospective candidates when it comes to creating website content.
There is a number of things we could do. For example, we could write an essay or short story that contains rose idioms such as everything is coming up roses. Why not include favourite songs that contained expressions with roses such as '... I never promised you a rose garden... -- you probably know what song I'm talking about. At any rate, there is so much potential in this project and as soon as Mr. Niebergall introduces us to our first clients our efforts will pay off.
Any thoughts on this? Have a rosy Sunday, Torsten _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
|
 |
#23 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:28 am New project: How to promote tourist services? |
|
|
Hi Torsten!
If you think about a brainstorming first, here is my first point:
The name of a hard rock band: Guns ?n Roses |
|
Fan Of Arabian Horses I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1007 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
|
 |
#24 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 8:53 am Roses |
|
|
There's a beautiful popular song about roses that goes back to World War I, Roses of Picardy. It was written by British officer Frederick E. Weatherley (music by Haydn Wood) in 1916.
| Quote: |
| The song was invariably sung by British soldiers who had left behind a sweetheart when they enlisted (or were conscripted) for the Front in France and Flanders. However the song was written by Weatherley after he had conceived an affection for a French widow while receiving protection at her home in France. |
Roses of Picardy
She is watching by the poplars Colinette with the sea blue eyes She is watching and longing and waiting Where the long white roadway lies And a song stirs in the silence As the wind in the boughs above She listens and starts and trembles 'Tis the first little song of love
Roses are shining in Picardy In the hush of the silver dew Roses are flowering in Picardy But there's never a rose like you And the roses will die with the summer time And our roads may be far apart But there's one rose that dies not in Picardy 'Tis the rose that I keep in my heart
And the years fly on forever Til the shadows veil their sighs But he loves to hold her little hand And look in her sea blue eyes. And he sees the rose by the poplars Where they met in the bygone years For the first little song of the roses Is the last little song she hears
She is watching by the poplars Colinette with the sea blue eyes She is watching and longing and waiting Where the long white roadway lies And a song stirs in the silence As the wind in the boughs above She listens and starts and trembles 'Tis the first little song of love. |
|
Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
|
 |
#25 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 9:17 am Roses |
|
|
Hi Torsten,
It's got to be Bill Shakespeare:
| Quote: |
JULIET: 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself. |
Alan _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Indirect Speech |
|
Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 9209 Location: UK
|
 |
#26 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 11:01 am Rosarium vs. rosary and rose collection |
|
|
Hi Conchita, Michael and Alan,
Many thanks for your interesting ideas. Yes, I think especially Shakespeare and roses make a good match. Incidentally, I wonder whether the word rosarium is commonly used in English. I know it is a Latin word but maybe rose collection or rosary are more appropriate to describe such a facility? _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
|
 |
#27 (permalink) Sun Jun 25, 2006 18:08 pm Rosarium vs. rosary and rose collection |
|
|
| Torsten wrote: |
Hi Conchita, Michael and Alan,
Many thanks for your interesting ideas. Yes, I think especially Shakespeare and roses make a good match. Incidentally, I wonder whether the word rosarium is commonly used in English. I know it is a Latin word but maybe rose collection or rosary are more appropriate to describe such a facility? |
The term rose garden is more commonly used in English, isn't it? A rosary, however, is a string of beads used when saying prayers ! Apparently, the word rosary originates from rosarius meaning a garland or bouquet of roses. |
|
Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
|
 |
#28 (permalink) Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:21 am Rosarium Sangerhausen |
|
|
Returning to our initial question, would you agree with me that the Sangerhausen Rosarium could be much better promoted through the web? I mean, there are so many things we (whoever that might be) could do such as
run a 'Rose Blog' write essays about how Shakespeare used roses in his works describe how roses are grown compile a collection of stories, poems and books that deal with roses tell potential visitors how the facility (the Rosarium) came into being inform readers about the origin of the word Rosarium show all the products that can be made of roses organize a rose content (every user can send in photos and stories) describe all the other sights in and around Sangerhausen portray the people behind the Rosarium and a lot more...
I'm asking this question because somebody simply has to start taking some of the steps outlined above. Why not share this beauty with people from all around the world? The Sangerhausen/Harz region has an excellent infrastructure but it seems to me that the people there don't want to open up to the world around them. I can't get rid of the impression that they are doing their best to hide behind their beautiful mountains in inside the walls of their ancient castles. Any ideas? _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
|
Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
|
 |
|
| Erubisu haza refu za biudingu! | What is bad? |