Jay Mesinger: “October surprises – What could be next?”
October surprises that’s what. Our industry always seems to hang in the balance of international news, domestic news, weather events, and in this year’s case, the US election cycle. There is so much to keep up with. How do we process the events to push through the always important fourth and final quarter of the business year?
Let’s unpack the suitcase of possibilities and, no pun intended, perfect storms. We just experienced the most tragic hurricane since Katrina. As I look at the forecasts, there is already another with just as bad a punch forming. By the time this article publishes it may already be in the history books. Internationally, we are witnessing tremendous geopolitical tragedies in the Middle East, with no winners in these events. The human toll as well as the infrastructure losses are unimaginable. We have yet to fully realize the financial toll these events will have. Our industry will undoubtedly be affected by the outcome of these events.
As we enter the final weeks before our national elections so much hangs in the balance. It is like a game of ping pong watching and listening to the pundits as well as the candidates. The best thing I can say about this proximity to the election is it is almost over. Hopefully!
So how will we overcome these monumental events? By doing what we always do. We’ll put our heads down, not in the sand, and push forward with the collective force we are known for amongst ourselves.
For those of you who are new to our industry, the challenges may seem insurmountable. For us old timers it is just another challenge to overcome.
The good news is as it has always been, our industry represents a real value in adding to commerce and personal travel freedom. We operate within a safe and responsible set of guardrails. We care about our environment, and we care about our participants. That is a recipe for sustainability and success even in the most tragic of times. As we enter October, we can do it with the knowledge that we will be here to carry on in the months and years to come. If you are newcomers, hold on. It may seem scary yet follow the lead of us who have done this before. You are all in good hands I promise.
One great thing on the horizon for our collective community, including our international friends, is the NBAA-BACE convention in the third week of October. With all the turmoil around us, it is always a wonderful coming together of friends and professionals to celebrate, pontificate and hug. Hopefully, I will see many of you in Vegas.
So, take the October surprises as they come, and don’t ever take these tragedies for granted, as they are real and absolutely need heeding.
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