newelty

I swear, I won’t make the Friday Fail about Carol Pucci every week (as I did with this previous post). But she’s making it hard to ignore her.

When I think of the position of travel writer for a major metropolitan newspaper, to me, it should involve research, reporting, and/or opinions.  Possibly even insight.

Copying and pasting a press release or the material from a company’s own website with little tweaks here and there? That lazy-ass little plan is not worth whatever money the Seattle Times is paying for it.

So let’s have a quiz. Which is the text from Carol Pucci’s dispatch yesterday and which is bits and pieces only slightly tweaked from the tour company’s own website?

Choice A

Licensed guides who are also seasoned runners will provide “running commentary” as they lead tourists on 5-mile jogs through the city to places where cyclists and bus tours can’t go. Groups are limited to five. Cost of the one-hour tours is 20 euros ($27 at current exchange rates), and includes a drink after the run and a city map.

Choice B

“Running commentary” is provided by experienced runners, all native “Amsterdammers”. You can sign up for one of the regular tours or book a custom/personal tour past famous museums, beautiful canals, the red light district and the very heart of Amsterdam. The tour costs €20 per person and will last approximately 1 hour. This includes a maximum of 5 people per guide in one group, a drink after the run, and city map with the run tour and the main attractions.

See? I can copy and paste from the Internet, too!

Oh, and the answer is A for the renowned work of a travel writer in a major metropolitan paper, and B for the company’s own website.

Also, Amsterdam Run guys–no offense meant. And congrats on your first test run, conducted 12 days ago.

Let’s end this little bit of unpleasantness by focusing on how very pretty Amsterdam is.