Who's got talent?

I’m gonna admit something here that will surprise some people.  I have never seen even a full episode of any of those “make me a star shows” like The Voice,  American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, etc.  I know, probably lame, but I don’t have time for that stuff.  BUT, I have watched ONE full episode of America’s Got Talent.  Why?  Because it’s variety and some of the stuff that night was really cool! 

That’s what we need in Travel.  Who’s got talent?  Who’s got the next big thing?  I think PhoCusWright does a nice job of showcasing some of the hot and upcoming trends, but nothing seems to stick and be that NEXT BIG THING.  I want our industry to produce the next Carrie Underwood of Travel.  She can rock with the best of them and meet the needs of 70 year olds in the crowd.  She’s talented, well rounded and can be accepted by most people in the music industry.  THAT’s what we are looking for.  Maybe it’s a person, maybe it’s a thing, maybe it’s a new way to do the same old same old, maybe it’s a new idea or product. 

I know that personally I continue to try to push the envelope in every conversation.  Get people to see things differently and think about things in another light.  Maybe, just maybe, it will be conversations like that that produce the NEXT BEST THING.  One can only hope…in the meantime, we keep going!