In message , Paul Corfield
writes
On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 22:52:17 +0100, Ian Jelf
wrote:
As for the theory, I think all the things you suggest there can be
factors. I'd add to that fear of being blown up now, too.

Well I suppose that is understandable although there seem to be as many
people as ever using the buses and the tube and the tourist areas seem
to be heaving with people. Is that your experience of more recent weeks
compared to the immediate aftermath of July's incidents?
Fear of terrorist attacks doesn't seem to affect Londoners or overseas
visitors. Just people form other parts of the UK for some reason.

Maybe because they only ever do things in a routine. Exploring new
places is off the agenda for a lot of people.

Again a very fair comment but I use holidays to get out of a routine and
try something or somewhere new with all the unfamiliarity that brings.
As I've said elsewhere, I suppose I by definition tend to attract people
who are less adventurous. (That said, I get lots of bookings for walks
in Bethnal Green and Whitechapel; and not just for "Jack the Ripper"
walks, either!)

Goodness knows how they'd cope with Japan!
One of ,my colleagues who does a lot of long-haul tour managing had a
grandmother and granddaughter on her tour in China some years ago.
Neither of them would eat Chinese food, so they always headed off to any
Western (MdD / KFC) that they spotted everywhere. This resulted - my
friend said - in them missing several major things that they'd gone to
see!

While there is always a learning curve in
any new city - Rome's ticketing system and its buses were a good example
of that for me recently - it's normally quite easy to do a bit of
research, read a guide book, ask some "dumb" questions and off you go.
Do your clients not do any of this?

Often not, no!

I guess I'm just odd then ;-)

You are Ian Jelf AICMFP! :-)
--
Ian Jelf, MITG
Birmingham, UK

Registered Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk