innkeeping: who is "qualified" to communicate

[rosedew@cycor.ca (Edgar & Brenda Dewar)]

(original message: Should Aspiring Innkeepers be allowed on this list)
Sender: owner-innkeeping@innsite.com
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: innkeeping@innsite.com

Response by Jo Ann from PAII

Brenda wrote, as signified by numerical ordering, and Jo Ann responded:

1) "You must decide how you define 'innkeepers'."

Response**Innkeepers are defined as people who currently run a B&B or 
country inn, regardless of where they are located, regardless of any 
membership status of any organization, and regardless of size.

Please accept my apology if I was not clear as to what an "innkeeper" 
was. Since everyone on this list is one, I thought we all knew.

This was an issue raised by innkeepers on this mailing list. PAII did not 
raise the issue.


2) Your comment: "May I suggest that you include all who run B&B's and 
country inns,
rather than merely those who belong to your organization PAII.  This would
give an opening for a more truly international input."  

Response** This list has never been restricted to PAII members, and in 
fact many non-PAII-member innkeepers are a part. That's the whole point. 

There is another mailing list for PAII members only. This is not it.


3) Your comment: "So far from my experience I conclude PAII is 
predominately American
and has very few members from any other country.  We considered joining 
and decided against it because of this.  But surely an internet 
discussion group like this could benefit us all.  The Europeans, Aussies 
and New Zealanders, for example,have been running fabulous B&Bs longer 
than ewe have and could bring fresh insights to us westerners.  So be 
inclusive please.  We can all benefit."

Response**Again, this list is open to - and has - innkeeper-subscribers 
from Canada, Australia, NZ, Costa Rica and, of course, the U.S. Yes, PAII 
does have more U.S. members than from other countries. However, PAII has 
never defined itself as "just" American...and I would hope, that we do 
not seem that self-involved with only the U.S. Surely our newsletter 
tries to encompass larger issues ("guest service," for example, surely 
cuts across all borders).

While it is true that some services are not able to be provided in other 
countries, our information-and-referral tollfree member-only 800 number 
has been U.S. and Canadian from the organization's very beginnings. Our 
forays into other countries to speak and be with other innkeepers are 
quite numerous, as we have been doing that since the late '80s. And we 
have always had non-U.S., whether Canadian, or as currently - Austrlian - 
members on our Advisory Board.

Again, I think you misconstrued my original statement. I am only bringing 
to the table that which has been strongly requested by innkeepers. It has 
NOTHING to do with country; it has EVERYTHING to do with whether or not 
someone "runs" a B&B. 

 I do not think my original message even mentioned anything about where 
one was geographically located. 

Thanks for sharing,

jo ann