Case Study Sales Slump in Sun City Sun City-how could anyone be unhappy in this vacation paradise where tanned natives and sunburned tourists basked on white sand beaches all year round? But Gregory Earle, general manager of the 122-room Sun & Surf Inn, was unhappy as he gazed out of his office window. Why aren't those tourists at my hotel, he wondered as a sleek, silver tour bus cruised past his property. "Headed for the Beachcomber, I'll bet," thought Greg, picking up the latest sales report from his desk. Tour groups made up only 5 percent of the Sun& Surf's business, and occu- pancy was down eight points from budget. Greg couldn't help but think the two were somehow related. Greg had been general manager of the Sun& Surf Inn for only three months. This was his first position at a travel destination property; the other hotels he'd managed in this national chain drew most of their business from commercial trav- elers, not tourists. His predecessor left for a new opportunity, followed closely by the resignation of the hotel's sales director, who took with her a couple of profit- able accounts with tour operators and wholesalers. Now, Greg's sales staff con- sisted of his new director of sales, Kendra Wilson, who was promoted from the sales position she held with the hotel for the past two years. Greg called Kendra to his office, hoping she could help him get a handle on their sales picture. Kendra, why aren't we pulling in tour groups the way the Beachcomber does?" Greg asked. "Our rates are comparable, we've got the same amenities, and e're actually closer to the beach than they are. So why are we only doing five percent in tour group business? Kendra looked uncomfortable. "Well, we lost a couple of key tour accounts when the director of sales left, and she had to work hard to keep them before then