Tourist Resort Management: Analysis of Types, Issues, and Packages

This report provides a comprehensive overview of tourist resort management, focusing on the operational aspects of the hospitality industry. It begins with an introduction to resorts, defining their purpose and scope, with Hilton Hotels & Resorts as a case study. The main body of the report delves int...Read More

Tourist Resort
Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
P1 Types of Resorts Along with Their Managerial Issues..........................................................3
P2 Differences in Operational Requirements of Specialist Areas...............................................5
P3 Types of Resort Packages.......................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
A resort is a dedicated self-contained establishment within the hospitality industries,
which tries to satisfy various needs and requirements of the customers in relation to drinking,
accommodations, food, entertainment, sports etc. (Amirudin, Nawawi and Salin, 2017). This
report examines operations of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, an international brand of hotels and
resorts that was founded in 1919 and currently operates from its headquarters in McLean
Virginia, USA. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a privately owned business organisation that operates
within the hospitality industries of the world. Hilton Hotels & Resorts has numerous hotels and
resort establishments across the entire globe, with the number of total establishments operated by
Hilton Hotels & Resorts exceeding 586 globally.
MAIN BODY
P1 Types of Resorts Along with Their Managerial Issues
There are various types of resorts that are operating within the hospitality industries, on
the basis of the type of services they provide to the hospitality customers and the needs which
these resorts satisfy. Some of these are as follows:
Beach Resorts: These types of resorts are located directly on or in close proximity to a beach,
which not only highlights and increases its attractiveness amongst the consumers within the
hospitality markets, but also allows for these resorts to offer dedicated extracurricular activities
such as surfing, snorkelling, swimming and a huge variety of water sports to its customers.
Certain luxurious beach resorts can also own or partially own a part of the beach making the
entire property private, which further increases their value and attractiveness within the
hospitality industries. Such beach resorts have become immensely popular through their ability
to provide various distinct recreational and pleasurable activities through their stand alone
operations within the hospitality industries, as when availing the services of these beach resorts,
the customers do not have to worry about additional parameters for their vacations such as daily
commute to the beach, their physical safety while at beach, renting equipment for water sports
etc.

Golf Resort: These types of resorts include a dedicated golf course within or in close proximity
to the resort’s premises. In addition to the accommodation services that are provided by these
resorts to the hospitality customers, these also allow for their customers to make use of the
dedicated golf courses for their own purposes, without charging any extra amount (de
Gouvêaand et.al., 2019). Such resorts also have to additional options for their customers to rent
golf carts and golfing clubs on the basis of their requirements for golfing purposes, towards their
operations to satisfy all the needs, preferences and requirements that their target customers
within the hospitality industries.
Ski Resorts: These types of resorts are located at or within close proximity of a snowy mountain,
which allows for these resorts to provide to its customers various specialised services as part of
their daily operations, such as ice skating, skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding etc. Due to the
specialised services these resorts offer to the customers within the hospitality industries and
through the huge amounts of recreational activities available to customers within these ski resorts
in addition of the immensely beautiful geographical locations at which these ski resorts are
located in, they have effectively become quite popular amongst tourists and customers alike.
Spa Resorts: These are dedicated resort establishments that provide specialised spa services to
their clients for their physical detoxification, relaxation and pampering. These resorts offer
various health treatments, sauna and spa health treatments to their clients with the intention to
relieve them of the daily stress accumulated through their life operations (Dietrich, 2019). These
spa resorts focus on rejuvenating the physical body and mind of their clients in addition to
providing them with accommodation services through their establishments.
Theme Park Resorts: These resort establishments contain or are in very close proximity to a
popular theme park, which their clients can readily visit by availing the services of the theme
park resort. These resorts primarily service families who are looking for a great family vacation
by enjoying the theme park to their full delight by choosing to avail the services of the
accommodating theme park resort. Such resort also contains various additional services such as
dedicated rides, numerous restaurants, entertainment shows and live music, which are all part of
the accompanying theme park.

Issues and Challenges in Managing Resorts:
Though there are several issues and challenges related to effectively managing the
operations of various resorts, the most significant of these relates to the mercurial and frequently
changing customer needs, requirements and trends. As most resort establishments require
significant financial investments for their creation, operations and marketing, balancing these
with the additional changes and refurbishments required within resorts, due to the frequently
changing customer needs, preferences and trends is prominent managerial challenge. As
customers possess fickle and mercurial needs, requirements and preferences, any further
operational changes within the resort, which already has significant financial implications, are
required by the resort’s management to be thoroughly analysed, evaluated and assessed in order
for any operational changes to the resort based on the changing customer needs and requirements
to be successful towards increased performance, efficiency, productivity and profitability of the
resort within hospitality industries (Robaki and et.al., 2020). This is why the changing needs,
requirement and trends of the hospitality customers poses as such a big and significant
managerial challenge towards the sustained successful operations of resorts within hospitality
industries.
P2 Differences in Operational Requirements of Specialist Areas
There are several differences amongst the operational requirements within different
resorts that offer to its customers specialised services within the resort’s premises. As resorts can
offer huge variety of specialised services such as skiing, golf, beach etc., as part of the resort’s
overall operations, all of these have different operational requirements in relation to their daily
operations within the hospitality industries. For example, the operational requirements of a golf
resort are completely different when compared to the operational requirements of a beach resort.
The golf resort’s operational requirements include cleaning and maintain their golf course to
industry standards in order to effectively service the golfing needs and preferences of their
dedicated customers within the hospitality industries (Ahn and Back, 2018). Golf resorts are also
operationally required to possess additional golfing clubs and golf carts which their customers
can rent or make use of as part of the resort’s services for their golfing operations.
On the other hand, a beach resort has completely different operational requirements for
its daily operations. The beach resort is required to provide dedicated trainers and lifeguards to

their customers, who can train their customers in various water sports such as surfing,
snorkelling etc., in addition to a lifeguard who safeguards and protects the life of their customers
in case of an unfortunate accident. If the beach resort possesses a private beach, then its
operational requirements include adequate cleaning and maintenance of the beach. The beach
resort is also required to possess necessary water sports equipment, such as surf boards,
lifebuoys, jet skis etc., for their use by the beach resort’s customers.
The operational requirements of a spa resort that specialises in providing spa services to
their customers for their physical pleasure and pampering is again completely different when
compared to the operational requirements of both golf and beach resort types. The operational
requirements of spa resorts include procuring and hiring skilled and experienced masseuse for
their spa operations, procuring and maintaining their sauna equipment and rooms, providing a
safe and relaxing environment to their customers, in order to effectively satisfy the varying needs
and demands of their particular target customers, which are significantly distinguished from the
target customers of golf and beach resorts.
Managerial Challenges:
Different specialised resorts face distinct managerial issues and challenges towards their
operations. The biggest managerial challenges that beach resorts face is through their close
proximity to water bodies. As high tides, oceanic earthquakes and tsunamis are natural disasters
that can strike these resorts at any time, the biggest managerial challenge for beach resorts
pertains to having an effective risk management strategy, in cases when such natural disasters
occur (Ali, Amin and Cobanoglu, 2016). On the other hand, the biggest managerial challenges of
ski resorts relate to the mercurial and changing weather conditions these resorts have to face
along with the high seasonal operations of such ski resorts which has an immense impact on ski
resort’s productivity and profitability within hospitality industries.
P3 Types of Resort Packages
There are various types of packages that are provided by resorts in order to attract
customers within the hospitality industries at discount prices or additional services provided by
the resort as part of the packaged deal. Though resorts can offer numerous types of distinct
packages to the customers in order to satisfy the diverse needs and requirements of various

customers, most resort packages can be divided on the basis of duration of stay that the resort
provides to its customers. Hilton Hotels & Resorts also offers such customer packages ranging
from packages that offer stay to customer for 2-3 days and packages that offer stay to customers
for an entire week within the resort. Such packages are immensely important for the sustained
success of resorts in addition to effectively increasing their customer base within the hospitality
industries, as these provide great additional deals to the customers for the same level and quality
of service that they expect from the resort brand, thus contributing immensely towards achieving
and exceeding the sales objectives of the resort.
Such resort packages offer to the consumers deals and discounts on availing the services
of the respective resort, on the basis of their personal needs and requirements, in the form of
packaged deals through which the customer can choose to stay within the resort’s premises at
considerably lesser costs per day of stay than would be possible for them when choosing to avail
the services of the resort through traditional means of purchase (Vetrova and et.al., 2018). Resort
packages offer distinct durations of stay to their customers, in order to service all customers
within the hospitality markets depending on how long they wish to stay. Generally, the prices of
stay per day at the resort are significantly decreased within such packages in order to provide
great deals to the customers and attract them, with usually the price of stay per day decreased
further proportional to the duration of stay that the package provides.
Other than based on the duration of stay within the packaged deals, the resorts can also
offer to their customers packaged deals that include some or many of their specialised services
offered to their customers at reduced prices. For example, a spa resort can provide packaged
deals that include accommodation at the resort for 2 days along with 2 vouchers for free spa
treatments to their customers. Such customers had they not been availed the packaged deal
would have to pay additionally for procuring the spa services, but attaching such services to their
packaged deals allows for the resort to attract greater number of customers towards their services
by offering them increased value for the same prices charged as before.
An example of such packaged deals can be found through Hilton’s at the Ageas Bowl
resort located at Southampton, UK. This resort is a luxurious all inclusive resort that includes
beach, golf and spa specialised activities for its customers as part of the resort’s daily operations.
Hilton offers various packaged deals to its customers such as packages for 2 night stay with free

breakfasts, 2 night stay with free 2 spa treatments, 6 day stay for the family with free breakfast,
spa and high speed internet access packages to effectively meet the diverse needs and
requirements of their varied customers within the hospitality industries (Special Offers, 2020).
Another example is of Breckenridge Ski Resort, a ski resort operated by Hilton in
Colorado, USA that offers specialised ski services to its guests. For this ski resort, Hilton offers
various packages to its customers such as packages that include free breakfast, packages that
provide future VIP points to customers to be used within Hilton establishments in the future,
packages for military or ex-military individuals, packages with 50% off on weekends etc.
(Special Offers, 2020).
All inclusive packages are additional packages that incorporate the most significant features of
most packages provided by the resort into a single deal, in order to provide the best deal to
customers at reduced costs.
Such resort packages are immensely beneficial for both the resort and the customers
within the hospitality industries, as these packaged deals allow for the resort to attract customers
of all needs and preferences to engage, interact and conduct financial transactions with the resort,
with many customers choosing to only engage in transactions due to the fact that they were able
to procure such a limited deal at strikingly lesser prices, when compared to the traditional prices
which they would have to pay for when availing the services of the resort through traditional
means. This also benefits the operations of the resort as through such packaged deals, they are
effectively able to increase their customer base, market share, productivity and profitability
during the off peak seasons for the resort and hospitality industries, allowing for sustained
successful operations of the resort during the entire year, which also effectively enables them to
meet and exceed their sales objectives and goals (Mak’Anyengo and Maina, 2019). On the other
hand, packaged deals provided by resorts can also have their own disadvantages attached
because when such packaged deals are over and customers have to pay the appropriate amount
for procuring the services of the resort, it can make them feel cheated, as the same services were
available before at significantly lesser costs, which can also make them look for alternative
resorts or options. Another disadvantage of the packaged deals provided by resorts pertains to the

decreased profitability of the resort for each packaged deal provided by them to their customers,
but this can be countered if the customer base of the resort is significantly large.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of the report, it can be concluded that effective management of the
resort operations is of immense importance towards successful and profitable operations of the
resort within the hospitality industries. This report assesses the different types of resorts along
with the issues and challenges in managing them. The report also evaluates differences in
specialist areas and their managerial issues. The report examines distinct types of resort packages
with examples. Further the report conducts market research of a specific location in order to
assess chosen target market for Hilton Hotels & Resorts. The report also creates a dedicated
business plan for Hilton Hotels & Resorts based on the market research. Finally, the report
analyses various sustainable approaches, initiatives which are used by Hilton Hotels & Resorts
for their sustainable operations.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ahn, J. and Back, K.J., 2018. Integrated resort: A review of research and directions for future
study. International Journal of Hospitality Management.69. pp.94-101.
Ali, F., Amin, M. and Cobanoglu, C., 2016. An integrated model of service experience,
emotions, satisfaction, and price acceptance: an empirical analysis in the Chinese
hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management.25(4). pp.449-
475.
Amirudin, N.R., Nawawi, A. and Salin, A.S.A.P., 2017. Risk management practices in tourism
industry–A case study of resort management. Management and Accounting Review
(MAR).16(1). pp.55-74.
de Gouvêa, A.B.C.T.and et.al., 2019, July. HOSPITALITY, EXPERIENCE AND
SATISFACTION IN BRAZILIAN RESORTS: A STUDY FROM CRITICAL
INCIDENT ANALYSIS. In 9th ADVANCES IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS (p. 195).
Dietrich, H.A., 2019. Service Failure Management in High-End Hospitality Resorts.
Mak’Anyengo, P.A. and Maina, J., 2019. Organizational Learning and Performance of
Hospitality Industry in Kenya: A Case Study of SarovaWhitesands Beach Resort and
Spa. International Journal of Current Aspects.3(II). pp.117-130.
Robaki, G.and et.al., 2020. Organizational Culture and Business Performance in Tourism and
Hospitality Industry: The Case of a Luxury Tourist Resort. In Cultural and Tourism
Innovation in the Digital Era (pp. 533-542). Springer, Cham.
Vetrova, E.A and et.al., 2018. Project management in the sphere of tourism (using the example
of Taganrog). Academy of Strategic Management Journal. 17(3). pp.1-9.
Online
Special Offers, 2020 [Online]. Available Through :<https://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-
kingdom/hilton-at-the-ageas-bowl-southampton-SOUAGHI/offers/index.htm>
Special Offers, 2020 [Online]. Available
Through :<https://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/colorado/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-
breckenridge-QKBVRDT/offers/index.htm