No. 13 and the Bottom Line (Pt. 1)

Today marks the one-month anniversary of the Costa Concordia disaster. In January, on Friday the 13th,  the Italian cruise ship ran aground off the Tuscan coast only hours after it had left the port of Civitavecchia; 17 people died in the ensuing chaos, and 15 others remain missing and presumed dead.

By putting to sea on a Friday the 13th, the Concordia defied a longstanding tradition in the industry. Cruise lines generally avoid setting out  voyages on that "unlucky" day -- not because they're superstitious, but because so many discretionary travelers are. It's a tough ticket to sell.

For the same reason, most hotels don't have a floor numbered 13. They'll put a restaurant between 12 and 14, or the spa, or the fitness center, and call it "Restaurant Level" or "M" or anything but its proper number. Even guests who don't claim to be superstitious would prefer to book a room on another floor, so why waste the space? Otis Elevator claims that 85% of the commercial properties in which it installs equipment don't have a floor numbered 13.

More than a mere personal quirk, triskaidekaphobia drives demand for certain goods and services -- and those providers recognize and accommodate it, rather than letting it affect their bottom line.