Planes, Trains and Tour Buses: Libraries in Unexpected Places

Abstract

Destination travel readers are those who seek reading material while at or en route to their destination. There is a growing trend of hotel and tour operators offering books on loan to their guests. This has meant that libraries are emerging as value added services to vacationing guests. Previously, tour promoters would focus their efforts on wooing travel agents with commission incentives and free trips. Now, in the era of DIY vacation planning, tour promoters need to differentiate themselves from their competitors through the services they offer that have meaning to the traveler. Increasingly, we find libraries listed along side chef to traveler ratios and the company’s socio-environmental responsibility as features of value to the discerning traveler. This presentation will explore the international world of travel reading and the role of libraries in various tourism ventures. Examples will be drawn from various cities around the world, including a Montreal auberge.