Joel Widzer
{{Short description|American author (born 1961)}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Joel Widzer
| image = Joel Widzer.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1961}}
| occupation = Travel strategist
| genre = Travel Advice, Consumer Advocacy
| notableworks = The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel
| website = {{URL|http://www.jetready.com/}}
}}
Joel Widzer (born August 25, 1961) is an American author of travel-related literature, consultant, and travel strategist.{{Cite web |date=2006-02-13 |title=Joel Widzer |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10913370 |access-date=2024-08-11 |website=NBC News |language=en}} In 1999, he wrote The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel. He is currently the managing partner of JlwConsulting a division of JetReady LLC.
Widzer pioneered the experiential travel mindset by writing about luxury travel at a discount. {{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/Joel-L.-Widzer/e/B000APJN8U%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share | title=Joel L. Widzer | website=Amazon }} Prior to his work the conventional wisdom among travelers' was to get the lowest priced travel without concern about the experience.[https://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2004-07-15-penny-pinchers_x.htm USATODAY.com - Penny pinchers can still go the luxury route] at www.usatoday.com His efforts in seeking the value proposition of travel were precursors to what eventually evolved into a new body of travel discussing luxury at a discount.[http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/cgi-bin/browse.pl?id=114625 Tourism research - Intute: Social Sciences]. Most notable are his strategies for obtaining first class upgrades which has been profiled in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the TV show Inside Edition.
Critique
While writing for MSNBC and Tripso.com, Widzer was widely criticized in travel blogs as an apologist or shill for the airlines.[http://www.talkingtravelers.com/forum/search.php?searchid=348022 TalkingTravelers.com Forums]{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at www.talkingtravelers.com[https://scaredmonkeys.com/2007/06/02/travel-columnist-says-no-to-cruises-potential-of-disease-accident-crime-no-cruise-for-you/ Travel Columnist Says No to Cruises … Potential of disease, accident & crime, No Cruise for You | Scared Monkeys] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907152120/http://scaredmonkeys.com/2007/06/02/travel-columnist-says-no-to-cruises-potential-of-disease-accident-crime-no-cruise-for-you/ |date=2015-09-07 }} [https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=826482&referrerid=75090 Chris Elliott's latest tripe about the new luggage fees - FlyerTalk Forums]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Critics of Widzer cite that his work often takes a positive position towards airlines and that he strongly promotes adherence to airline loyalty programs. His philosophy is that loyalty is rewarded by travel providers which in turn generate enhanced perks and services for those consumers who are loyal. Critics argue that customer loyalty is dead in the airline industry and therefore there is no reason to be loyal. Widzer counters this position with his experience of traveling[https://web.archive.org/web/20050324171834/http://www.webflyer.com/blog/posts.php?entry=2056&WF_show_printable=1 WebFlyer :: The Frequent Flyer Authority] [https://www.webflyer.com/blog/posts.php?entry=1844 WebFlyer :: The Frequent Flyer Authority] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110125743/http://www.webflyer.com/blog/posts.php?entry=1844 |date=2006-11-10 }} approximately 250,000 miles a year with over 3 million frequent fliers miles and travels to over 103 individual countries. He claims that he is upgraded on all of his airline flights due to his loyalty.{{Cite news |last=Bergman |first=Ben |date=10 December 2009 |title=Secret Flier Programs: 'Skull And Bones' Of The Sky |url=https://www.npr.org/2009/12/10/121238800/secret-flier-programs-skull-and-bones-of-the-sky |access-date=2024-08-11 |work=NPR}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://jetready.com/ Official site]
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Category:American travel writers
Category:American male non-fiction writers
Category:Mission Viejo High School alumni