Course Content

Tourism and its Accommodation Sector

Professor Francesc Sastre
5-9 September 2011

Course Description

Tourism is composed of hotel, restaurant, transportation, travel/tour operation, recreation, heritage, and other related sectors. With special emphasis on hotel and hospitality businesses, participants will learn about the structure and operation of tourism by studying each of its components, getting to know their trade associations, valuing strategies which bring these sectors together, mobilizing them all into one single tourism industry. Further, participants will appreciate dependence of this industry on public resources as well as intra- and super-structures. The course will pay particular attention to the hotel sector. Major Spanish tourism companies in hotel, travel agency, tour operation, and aviation are first studied, followed with actual visits to well-known operations in Mallorca.

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Objectives

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Identify and evaluate policy areas of the tourism industry
  • Understand the structures of the housing and brokerage sectors
  • Understand the operational characteristics of the accommodation sector
  • Learn about systems of management and ownership
  • Understand the process of internationalization and concentration
  • Appreciate branding as a differentiation technique
  • Apply strategies and innovation in the accommodation sector
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Course Structure

The course will be structured in five class sessions of 3 hours (mornings: Monday through Friday) and two field visits (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons).

Class Sessions

Topics
Monday 5 September Topic 1: Course introduction Topic 2: Travel and tourism industry Structures
  • Accommodation
  • Tour Operators and distributors
  • Regulatory bodies
  • Public Sector organizations
  • Transportation
  • Other Industry players (insurance firms and car hire companies, etc.)
Group Project 1: Case study
  • TUI AG is Europe's leading travel group. The three sectors TUI Travel (tour operating, online sales, high street outlets, airlines and incoming agencies), TUI Hotels & Resorts, and the cruise ship business form the World of TUI . Thomas Cook group
Tuesday 6 September Topic 3: Tour Operators and distributors
  • Role of distribution in exchange process
  • Selling in tourism through distribution chains
  • Logistics in tour operation
  • Managing distribution system in tour operations
  • The role of internet
  • Relationship between hoteliers and tour operators
 Field Visit 1: Business organizations: visiting Mallorca Hotel Association and an agritourism hotel
Wednesday 7 September Topic 4: The Accommodation sector
  • International perspective Hotel industry size
  • Accommodation supply and demand
  • Location
  • Accommodation types
  • Grading systems for accommodation
  • Product service offerings in hotels
  • Interior and exterior designs
 Group Project 2: Case study—International hotel chain
  • Meliá Hotels International is a pioneer in the hotel industry, leading the ranking of Spanish hotel companies and is among the top 20 hotel companies worldwide. Successful for decades in resort hospitality. The balance between city and resort hotels that the company portfolio presents today provides greater competitive strength to face any potential crisis in the different market segments.
  • Marriot Marriott International is a leading lodging company with more than 3,000 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries and territories
Thursday 8 September Topic 5: Strategies for the accommodation sector
  • Integration strategies in the tourism industry
  • Horizontal integration strategies
  • Property system
 Topic 6: Innovation in the accommodation sector Field Visit 2: Implementing projects: Visit Meliá International Headquarters and Grand Meliá Victoria Hotel
Friday 9 September Topic 7: Operations of a hotel
  • Core operation systems
  • Ancillary operating systems
  • Finance for hotels
 Topic 8: Current and future trendsProject Presentation
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Evaluation

There are two evaluation tools:

  1. Class participation: Students are required to participate in class and field visit discussions with their critical comments on the topics, knowledge and application of the topics to their own experiences, rising questions, and suggest alternative options. To best prepare for this task, all assigned readings must be read before coming to class.
  2. Final project: Students will work in groups of two to deliver a project describing a hotel, hotel chain, or tour operator applying the concepts developed in class. The last group project on Friday afternoon will be used for public presentation of their projects. The project requires that each group of students:
    1. Explore the history and development of the company
    2. Statistics
    3. Number of branches, rooms, employees, etc
    4. Philosophy/work ethic, etc
    5. Marketing/branding strategies
    6. accomplishment of the company
    7. Conclusion

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References

Brothernton, B . and R. Wood
   2008 Hospitality Management . London UK: Sage Publications Aguilo, E., J. Alegre, and M. Sard
   2005 "The Persistence of the Sun and Sand Tourism Model". Tourism Management 26:219-231 Francina Orfila, F., R. Crespı, and E. Martínez
   2005 "Innovation Activity in the Hotel Industry: Evidence from Balearic Islands". Tourism Management 26:851-865 Jacob, M. and J. Groizard
   2007 "Technology Transfer and Multinationals: The Case of Balearic Hotelchains' Investments in two
   Developing Economies" Tourism Management 28:976-992

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Daily Schedule

Tourism and its Accommodation Sector
9:00 10:30 11:00 12:30 14:00 15:30 16:00-18:00
5th Monday Session 1 Opening Ceremony Break Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 1
6th TuesdaySession 2 Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 1
7th WednesdaySession 3 Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 2
8th ThursdaySession 4 Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 2
9th FridaySession 5 Lecture Break Lecture Break Project Presentation
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Tourism Planning and Development

Professor Eugeni Aguiló and Prof. Vicente Ramos
12-16 September 2011

Course Description

Traditionally development of the tourism industry has not been systematic and even today many countries enter and expand their destinations without any informed planning. Participants will learn about serious limitations of past practices, acquire principles of sustainable development, understand the concept of master plan at various geographic levels (city, regional and national), recognize the importance of sociocultural and built resources, comprehend types of appropriate tourism development (including matching supply with demand), and favor sensitive marketing strategies and monitoring systems. On the basis of this coverage, participants will become familiar with various cases of tourism development in Mallorca, coupled with actual field visits.

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Objectives

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand the meaning and importance of tourism planning and development.
  • Use common tourism terms, concepts, and principles.
  • Comprehend structure and function of planning and development.
  • Know the basic elements and stages included in the planning process from a public policy perspective, covering from supra-national to local planning.
  • Know examples of tourism strategic planning.
  • Recognize the role of government and non-governmental bodies in tourism.
  • Appreciate the importance of sound and sensitive policy formulation and implementation.
  • Appreciate alternative types of tourism planning.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with current planning issues related to the industry.
  • Understand the Balearic Islands' tourism processes, both problems and prospects, through scheduled field visits and discussion.
  • Relate the knowledge gained in this course to the tourism industry in the respective countries of students.
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Course Structure

The course will be structured in five class sessions of 3 hours (mornings: Monday through Friday) and two field visits (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons).

Class Sessions

Topics

Monday 12 September

Professor
Vicente Ramos

 Topic 1: Course introduction Topic 2: Introduction to tourism Planning
  • Tourism system
  • Planning and policy
  • Scope of tourism planning
  • Tourism planning approaches
 Topic 3: Tourism policy and planning evolution
  • Tourism dynamic environment
  • Tourism planning

Tuesday 13 September

Professor
Eugeni Aguilo

 Topic 4: Strategic planning levels and stages
  • Governance and supra-national planning
  • The government role and non-tourism organization influences
  • From national to local planning
  • Strategic planning stages and connecting issues

Field Visit 1: Planning for Tomorrow:  Consorcio Playa de Palma

  • Mature destinations and rejuvenating plans
  • Tourism Trends
  • Supply coordination issues
  • Long run planning
Wednesday 14 September

Professor
Vicente Ramos

 Topic 5: The sustainable imperative
  • Economic impacts
  • Sociocultural impacts
  • Environmental impacts
  • Integrating the triple bottom line approach
 Topic 6: Competition and cooperation
  • Stakeholders definition and integration
  • Cultural idiosyncrasy of host communities
  • Networks, clusters and positive social relationships
Group Project 2

Thursday 15 September

Professor
Vicente Ramos

 Topic 7: Policy tools and planning implementation
  • The problem of implementation
  • Policy tools: advantages, drawbacks, and lessons learned

Topic 8: Monitoring and Evaluation

  • System of indicators
  • Management and feedback process

Field Visit 2: Implementing projects: Agenda 21 Calvia experience

  • Local level planning
  • Tourism sustainability tools
  • International standards
  • From planning to implementation

Friday 16 September

Professor
Vicente Ramos		 Topic 9: Tourism competitiveness factors
  • Long run and short Run competitiveness
  • Competitiveness determinants
  • Measuring and extracting lessons

Topic 10: Tourism planning, wrapping up

  • Combine the concepts covered during the lessons with the knowledge from practitioners during the field trips

Project Presentation
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Evaluation

There are two evaluation tools:

  1. Class participation: Students are required to participate in class and field visit discussions with their critical comments on the topics, knowledge and application of the topics to their own experiences, rising questions, and suggest alternative options. To best prepare for this task, all assigned readings must be read before coming to class.
  2. Final project: Students will work in groups of two to deliver a project describing the plan to develop and improve tourism for a selected location applying the concepts developed in class. The last group project on Friday afternoon will be used for public presentation of their projects. The project requires that each group of students:
    1. Select a destination with which they are familiar
    2. Describe the attributes that make it a potential tourism destination (pull factors)
    3. Asses the competitiveness elements
    4. Create a product and plan the coordination among private agents and public authorities and the host community
    5. Describe their target markets and their behavioral patterns (push factors)
    6. Describe the funding and stages
    7. Create a set of implementing indicators through the planning period

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References

Hall, C. M
   2008 Tourism Planning; Policies, Processes and Relationships. Essex UK: Prentice Hall Goeldner, C., and J. R. Ritchie
   2009 Tourism Principles, Practices, Philosophies (11th ed.). New York: Wiley. Edgell, D., M. DelMastro, G. Smith, and J. Swanson
   2007 Tourism Policy and Planning: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. London: Butterworth-Heinemann

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Daily Schedule

Tourism and its Accommodation Sector
9:00 10:30 11:00 12:30 14:00-18:00
12th Monday Session 1 Professor Vicente Ramos Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 1
13th TuesdaySession 2 Professor Eugeni Aguiló Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 1
14th WednesdaySession 3 Professor Vicente Ramos Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 2
15th ThursdaySession 4 Professor Vicente Ramos Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 2
16th FridaySession 5 Professor Vicente Ramos Lecture Break Lecture Break Project Presentation
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International Tourism Marketing

Professor Antoni Serra
19-23 September 2011

Course Description

During the last decade, competition has become more and more intense among companies and tourism destinations. An increasing number of air carriers, hotel companies, and tourism destinations are increasing their efforts to attract customers and visitors. In this context, marketing activities are crucial to succeed in the global marketplace. At the same time, recent advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have substantially altered the way consumers search information and plan their trips, either for business or holiday purposes. Participants will learn the most relevant aspects of marketing for travel and tourism, both at private company and tourism destination levels. The strategic marketing planning process will be revised and main trends in the business tourism environment and markets analysed. Through field visit sessions, participants will become familiar with marketing activities carried out by Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in the Balearic Islands and integrated tourism consortia.

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Objectives

Upon the completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand the meaning and importance of marketing in tourism, at a tactical and strategic level
  • Understand key trends in tourism demand and buyer behaviour.
  • Comprehend the marketing mix for travel and tourism
  • Recognize factors which affect tourism destinations’ image and its key importance when competing in tourism markets
  • Know the basic elements and stages which have to be covered in the strategic marketing planning process from a private and public perspective
  • Understand the process of cooperation between DMOs and private sector when designing and implementing marketing activities
  • Analyze examples of tourism strategic marketing planning
  • Appreciate how the Balearic Islands’ DMOs managers and leading tourism consortia marketing managers deal with ever-changing challenge and opportunities on daily basis
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Course Structure

The course will be structured in 5 class sessions of 3 hours (Morning, Monday to Friday) and two field visits (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons).

Class Sessions

Topics
Monday 19 September Topic 1: Key aspects in travel and tourism marketing
  • Introduction to the modern concept of marketing
  • Marketing tourism services versus tangible products: Implications for managers
  • Key role of ICTs in tourism promotion and distribution
  • The 4Ps of tourism services marketing: people, people, people and people.
  • Getting to the right price. Introduction to yield management
Group Project 1
Tuesday 20 September Topic 2: Analyzing tourism dynamic marketing environment and tourism demand
  • Key trends in the travel and tourism marketing environment
  • Factors affecting tourism demand
  • Key trends in tourism demand and buyer behavior
Field Visit 1:Knowing how a fully integrated tourism group operates and is organized—A visit to Orizonia Headquarters
  • Why fully integrated tourism groups are growing and expanding
  • Organisation
  • Operations
  • Marketing activities
  • Long run planning
Wednesday 21 September Topic 3: Understanding the marketing mix in travel and tourism marketing.
  • Product policies
  • Price policies
  • Promotion activities
  • Distribution channels
  • Branding tourism companies and tourism destinations
 Group Project 2
Thursday 22 September Topic 4: DMOs and their role in marketing tourism destinations
  • Understanding the importance of image for tourism destinations
  • Factors that influence image
  • Main DMOs activities
  • The key importance of private-public cooperation in marketing the destination
Field Visit 2: DMOs' policies and activities—A visit to ATB (Agència Balear de Turisme)
  • Balearic DMO's organisation
  • DMOs' marketing activities
  • Public-private cooperation
  • Research for the tourism industry
Friday 23 September Topic 5: The importance of the long-term vision in tourism
  • The strategic marketing planning process
  • Strategic marketing planning for the tourism destination (specific aspects to be considered)
  • Measuring and extracting lessons from mature destinations
Project Presentation
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Evaluation

There are two evaluation tools:

  1. Class participation: Students are required to participate in class and field visit discussions with their critical comments on the topics, knowledge and its application relating to their own experiences, as well as answering new questions relating to the class discussion.
  2. Final project: Students will work in groups to deliver a final project. This project will deal with main topics and aspects to be considered when designing a marketing plan for a product or a tourism destination. Students will choose the product or the destination familiar to them and will try to apply the concepts developed in the sessions.
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References

Middleton, V., and J. Clarke
   2001 Marketing in Travel and Tourism. London: Butterworth-Heinemann. Serra, A.
   2011 Marketing Turístico (2ª ed.) Madrid: Pirámide. Li, X., and J. Petrick
   2008 Tourism Marketing in an Era of Paradigm Shift. Journal of Travel Research February
   46:235-244.26:851-865 Bornhorst, T., J. R. B. Ritchie, and , L. Sheehan
   2010 Determinants of Tourism Success for DMOs and Destinations: An Empirical Examination of
   Stakeholders' Perspectives. Tourism Management31: 572-589.
Nadeau, J., L. Heslop, N. O'Reilly, and P. Luk
   2008 Destination in a Country Image Context. Annals of Tourism Research35: 84-106.5

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Daily Schedule

Tourism and its Accommodation Sector
9:00 10:30 11:00 12:30 14:00-18:00
19th Monday Session 1 Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 1
20th TuesdaySession 2 Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 1
21st WednesdaySession 3 Lecture Break Lecture Break Group Project 2
22nd ThursdaySession 4 Lecture Break Lecture Break Field Visit 2
23rd FridaySession 5 Lecture Break Lecture Break Project Presentation
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