Hospitality Trends Assignment One Read the Hospitality Trends 1 found in file attached name Hospitality Trends(1) (1). Answer the following questions relating to the article. Include the questions as well as the answers. Use full sentences and proper grammar and sentence structure. Be complete in your thoughts. Read the first Hospitality trend titled Money rich/time poor. The two changes relating to this trend are a high demand for short time holidays and business people adding leisure time in their business travel. 1. What advice does the author give for operators (those of us in all areas of the Hospitality business) to respond to each of these needs? 2. Select a city and create a four day travel package that will meet the needs of this type of traveler. Trend two Individualism 3. What does this mean in customer behavior in terms of hospitality? 4. Find a \"personized package\" on the internet that you believe meet this need. Give me the link and then point out the ways that this package fills that customer need. Trend three Seeking a variety of experiences It talks about two very different customers; ones that want comfort (to relax and chill out) vs. those who want adventure and education (learn something on vacation) 5. What does the author say there will be a growing search for with the customers? 6. Go on the internet and find a cruise that meets most of these demands. Give me the link and tell me what items you believe fill the needs mentioned in this segment. Trend three Self-improvement 7. Describe this growing trend. 8. Go to http://www.responsiblevacation.com/vacations/learn-something-new and select a vacation that appeal to you send me the link with the details and tell me why you chose it. 9. FYI https://folkschool.org/index.php check out this website. Pretend I'm treating you to a class. Which one would you choose and why? Trend five Seeking value for money 10. How is the customer a more intelligent financial traveler due to the internet? 11. What is the difference between 'value for money', as opposed to the cheapest package deal? Trend six Experimental We talked about this above, however, this section mentions that travelers are smart and they don't want to be tricked. They are skeptical of marketers that promise what they can't deliver. Trend seven Safety 12. List and describe five possible risks to travel and how you can put the customer at ease and offer real protection. Trend eight Social and environmental concern Review these two trips to Kenya, Africa for a safari. http://www.maasai.com/ http://www.kensingtontours.com/tours/africa/kenya/kenya-explorer 13. Which one would best serve travelers with a social and environmental concern? 14. What specific items were mentioned on the website that would let the customer know of the social and environmental concerns? Trend nine Conflicting values: consumerism vs. ethical consumption This is a struggle for many Americans and others in the developing world. We love our \"things\" but we are aware that things don't always matter as much as relationships do. Also, some consumers ask the question \"What impact is my experience having on the people around me?\" 15. Go to this website http://www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-vacations/ select a vacation where you will help out others while on vacation. Send me the link of the one you chose and tell me why you chose this one. Trends in Hospitality 1. Money rich / time poor. An increasing proportion of the population of the developing countries is in a 'time poor / money rich' situation. This implies that people increasingly value the time spent in their various endeavors, and do not waste time in unproductive activities. In developed countries, such as the United States, further growth of time poor / money rich people will entail a high demand for short time holidays. Greater flexibility in working hours can provide benefits to employees in terms of greater freedom to choose when to go on holiday. This is important for tourism opportunities. Timepressured business people will increasingly add leisure time in their business travel. Operators must increasingly consider how tourism products and marketing systems interact with the time value needs of their customers. Tourism operators must develop information response systems and transportation links that save customers time. The emphasis of travelers will be on multiple holiday taking, including domestic short breaks, rather than a long main holiday, leading to a much higher frequency of travel each year by the most active participants. Operators should increase the availability of short break packages targeted to regional markets and provide convenient packages that link overnight city stays with excursions to special interest attractions. In the developed countries, the demand for 'weekend getaways' will grow rapidly. Multiple, shorter vacations spread throughout the year will continue to replace the traditional two week vacation due to time constraints and job insecurities. All-inclusive holidays will be demanded by a large number of people with needs for complete, unburdened relaxation and release from job pressures. On the other hand, time poor / money rich customers provide travel service providers with the opportunity to offer seamless, stress-free packages, reversing somewhat the trend to independent travel (Wilmott & Graham 2001: 35). The greater pressure on time and rising stress levels leads to growing emphasis on the means of \"escape\" through holidays. 2. Individualism. Consumer behavior is being driven by a desire to self-differentiate. The urge to define one's self by the products and services consumed provides the backdrop for lifestyle choice, consumer behavior, political behavior, education choices and expectations (Education Commission of the United States 1999). Consumers are increasingly demanding the opportunity to customize or personalize the products, services and experiences they buy to meet their specific wants and needs, thus driving an expectation for almost universal customization. Tourists are increasingly attempting to tailor holidays to meet their particular requirements. An increasingly 'traveled' tourist is seeking the unusual and the authentic experience rather than the shared, off-the-shelf holiday package. Tourists will be increasingly interested in discovering, experiencing, participating in, learning about and more intimately being included in the everyday life of the destinations they visit. To cater for the trend toward increased individualism, tour operators will need to structure their itineraries around optional programs and increasing schedule flexibility. 1 As products are now consumer-driven, industry must respond to changing markets or lose competitive advantage. The evolving tourist is less loyal and more demanding, savvy and experienced. Thus, demand rather than supply driven products indicate that proactive responses are required. Product development will also need to respond to an environment of greater individual choice. Consumers will increasingly demand more choice, more interactivity and more personalized products from which to choose. Products will increasingly continue to be consumer rather than product driven, making it imperative for enterprises to be quick in response to consumer demands (Buhalis 2003; Mistilis & D'Ambra 2004). Information technology empowers consumers to seek their own information and to undertake bookings and bundle their own packages (Buhalis 2000b). The internet provides the visitor with powerful online comparison shopping and buying tools. This trend will be fueled by large firms who continue to take advantage of the internet and reward online bookings. Tourists increasingly display the need to be treated as individuals and feel a positive interaction with their physical and social environment. As travelers become more experienced, they are no longer satisfied to be processed through an impersonal, non-interactive system of 'mass tourism'. Moreover, a larger number of tourists would like to see themselves as 'individuals' even though they are engaging in 'mass practices' such as inclusive tours. They will seek out products that acknowledge this individuality. 3. Seeking a variety of experiences. The industrialized world is in transition from the service to the experience economy. The focus is switching to delivering unique experiences that personally engage the consumer. The UNWTO (2002) refers to the polarization of tourist tastes with comfort-based demands at one extreme, and the adventure or education oriented at the other. Overall, the adult population has more time and more money to spend on leisure pursuits and activities, and consumers are more and more looking for new and interesting experiences through an ever-broadening array of activities. There will be a growing search for the more 'authentic' in an ever-changing world with a focus on nostalgia, roots, other cultures and identity, and an increasing interest in spiritual and intellectual activity. In the experience economy, businesses not only provide services but also stage memorable experiences for customers that are entertaining and/or educational in nature. Tourists increasingly expect a broad range of activities to be available at the destination (Elliot & Johns 1993). The experience economy is generally based on customized holidays and personalized services allowing travelers to participate more actively in the experiences (Nordin 2005). Due to increasing environmental and social concern by tourists, new leisure products cannot be overly reliant on environmentally and culturally sensitive environments because of undesirable impacts and carrying capacity constraints. Operators should provide high quality interpretation of environmental and cultural/ethnic attractions. Opportunities exist for suppliers to promote and develop products that offer travelers the maximum thrills in the minimum time. Theme parks, including activity centers (such as Centerparks) are increasing in popularity, as are cruise holidays where the consumer experiences a large number of destinations and attractions in a short period of time. 2 The tourism industry will need to serve not only a more demanding and knowledgeable consumer, but also one that is more able and adventurous. Operators should attempt to become 'experience providers', developing personal encounters and authentic experiences designed to create long-lasting memories, engaging travel, and increased customer loyalty. This strategy can attract new customers as well as generate repeat visits. 4. Self-improvement. Despite the tendency for travelers to take short breaks, there is a counter-trend toward high value-added and extended vacations that are purpose-driven by education, wellness, or other forms of programmed self-improvement (UNWTO 2002). As more and more material needs are satisfied for more and more people, consumers require something more, as they seek newer/richer/deeper experiences. As people look for new meanings from their consumption of goods and services in a way consistent with Maslow's self-actualization concept, their desire for self-actualization becomes a search for wider meaning and a sense of worth beyond material possessions. The new tourist wants to be involvedto learn new experiences, interact with the community, and learn about and appreciate the destination at more than a superficial level. Tourists are becoming more interested in self-improvement as part of the tourism experience with an emphasis on health, well-being, education, skill development and cultural appreciation. People are going on holiday to learn something. For increasing numbers of tourists some people, a holiday, instead of being a form of consumption, is becoming an investmentinvestment in themselves. Consequently, the barrier between leisure and education will blur to such an extent that it will virtually disappear. Analysis of Key Drivers for Change Operators will need to recognize the value of self-improvement programs to attract visitors and enhance visitor experiences (e.g. short course culture, archaeology, history, literature, and ecology programs, health and wellness programs, sports training programs, etc.). The development of products that cater for the growing demand for 'doing' or activity-based holidays such as sport and hobbies will be competitive in the market place. 5. Seeking value for money. Because consumers will increasingly have access to and information about pricing and customer satisfaction through the internet, the consumer marketing battle is likely to see a shift from competitive pricing towards service improvement. The internet has led to more knowledgeable consumers who seek exceptional value for money and time (Buhalis 2000a). People are prepared to pay good money for a quality experience and this might benefit the up-market end of the holiday market, involving perhaps exotic locations. Emphasis will increasingly be placed on 'value for money', as opposed to the cheapest package deal. Many internet users are experienced travelers, who have seen what package tours can offer, and will now be demanding tailored holidays, or choices from 'modules' which can be combined to meet their overall requirements. 6. Experimental. In the developed countries in particular, people are extremely experimental, willing to try new products, foods and attractions, but too impatient to give a second chance to a product or service that fails to 3 satisfy initially. They are increasingly skeptical of marketers and much of the advertising associated with goods and services. 7. Safety conscious. Safety issues, including occupational health and safety, have been recognized as important for some time, but are becoming increasingly important for all aspects of life. Increasingly, consumers are demanding assurances of safe products and services prior to purchase. Since tourist behavior is as constrained by perceived risk as it is by actual risk, operators need to address perceptions of risks as well as the risks themselves. Operators must recognize that tourists need to be assured that concern for their safety is paramount and that all appropriate measures are being taken in this respect. 8. Social and environmental concern. Affluent consumers are turning to ethical consumption (Yeoman 2005). This refers to the motivation to purchase that which lies beyond the stimulus of price, quality and opportunity and which invokes environmental and social concerns. The public awareness of socio-cultural and environmental issues will continue in the coming years. Awareness will be further increased by media reporting on major problems such as threat to rainforests, pollution, global warming, coral reef bleaching and issues like dwindling water supplies worldwide and via direct experience of global warming impacts. As knowledge and understanding of ecosystems and human impacts on the environment improve, calls for environmental protection will increase (Costello 2002). 9. Conflicting values: consumerism vs. ethical consumption. There is an emerging conflict between consumerism and a wider concern for the community and societal impacts of business operations. There is an increasing and conflicting concern for the environment, increasing conservatism and an emphasis on hedonism. 4