Exploring the Feasibility of Converting the Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino into a Casino Boutique Hotel

Introduction: The topic of my Professional Paper will be the feasibility study of renovating the Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Currently the Mardi Gras is operating as a Best Western and is looking to expand into the boutique hotel market. With the maturation of the Las Vegas hotel market, it is vital to think forward in new methods of design and marketing to attract the next generation of convention attendees and visiting tourist. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of converting the Mardi Gras hotel and casino into a destination casino boutique hotel. This feasibility study will address the current market, capital budgeting, competition analysis, new target market, performance reports and building constraints to determine the acceptance or denial of the project

Importance-Performance Analysis of Guest Entertainment Technology Amenities in the Lodging Industry

An assessment of how hotel guests view in-room entertainment-technology amenities was conducted to compare the importance of these technologies to how they performed. In-room entertainment technology continues to evolve in the hotel industry. However, given the multitude of entertainment products available in the marketplace today, hoteliers have little understanding of guests’ expectations and of which in-room entertainment-technology amenities will drive guest satisfaction and increase loyalty to the hotel brand. Given that technology is integral to a hotel stay, this study seeks to evaluate the importance and performance of in-room entertainment-technology amenities. Findings indicate that free-to-guest television (FTG TV) and high-speed Internet access were the two most important inroom entertainment-technology amenities when it comes to the selection of a hotel for both leisure and business travelers. The Importance/Satisfaction Matrix presented in the current study showed that many of the in-room entertainment-technology amenities are currently a low priority for guests. Keywords: importance-performance analysis, hotel, in-room entertainment technologie

Word of Mouth, the Importance of Reviews and Ratings in Tourism Marketing

The Internet and social media have given place to what is commonly known as the democratization of content and this phenomenon is changing the way that consumers and companies interact. Business strategies are shifting from influencing consumers directly and induce sales to mediating the influence that Internet users have on each other. A consumer review is “a mixture of fact and opinion, impression and sentiment, found and unfound tidbits, experiences, and even rumor” (Blackshaw & Nazarro, 2006). Consumers' comments are seen as honest and transparent, but it is their subjective perception what shapes the behavior of other potential consumers. With the emergence of the Internet, tourists search for information and reviews of destinations, hotels or services. Several studies have highlighted the great influence of online reputation through reviews and ratings and how it affects purchasing decisions by others (Schuckert, Liu, & Law, 2015). These reviews are seen as unbiased and trustworthy, and considered to reduce uncertainty and perceived risks (Gretzel & Yoo, 2008; Park & Nicolau, 2015). Before choosing a destination, tourists are likely to spend a significant amount of time searching for information including reviews of other tourists posted on the Internet. The average traveler browses 38 websites prior to purchasing vacation packages (Schaal, 2013), which may include tourism forums, online reviews in booking sites and other generic social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Boston Hospitality Review: Spring 2013

Lodging Update: Providence, Rhode Island by Rachel Roginsky and Matthew Arrants -- Brand Heritage and Heritage Tourism by Bradford Hudson -- Te Front Desks of Boston by Michael Oshins -- Defining the New Luxury: Perspectives from Industry Leaders by Chekitan S. Dev -- The Ethic of Hospitality by Christopher Muller -- Buffet-Américain by Peter Szend

The impact of technological amenities on customer experience in upscale hotels

Upscale Hotels operate in a highly competitive market and therefore place a strong emphasis on providing quality service and differentiation through the latest technological amenities. Nowadays, hotel companies are trying to follow the customers’ desires in order to offer a unique experience. However, given the multitude of available technologies on the market today, hoteliers have little understanding of their guests’ expectations and of which technological amenities will drive guest satisfaction. The literature review shows that not all the technological amenities implemented in hotels have been appreciated by guests. Since technological items change rapidly over time, the purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of current technologies and to assess the potential of the latest technologies on customer experience. This study employed a two-step approach. In the qualitative phase an analysis of Portuguese upscale hotel websites was made as well as two interviews with hotel managers. In the quantitative stage a questionnaire was developed for hotel guests, generating a sample of 310 valid responses. The results revealed that Internet access was the most important technology for both leisure and business travelers. The majority of respondents would like to add new technologies or change some of the existing ones for new technologies in order to improve their experience. The results also demonstrate that installing specific new technology can have a significant effect on enhancing guest experience.Os Hotéis de 4 e 5 estrelas operam num mercado bastante competitivo, portanto têm uma grande necessidade de fornecer um serviço de qualidade e com diferenciação através das inovações tecnológicas mais recentes. Hoje em dia, as empresas hoteleiras estão a tentar seguir as necessidades do consumidor com o objetivo de oferecer uma experiência única. Contudo, dada a grande variedade de tecnologias disponíveis atualmente no mercado, os proprietários dos hotéis têm alguma dificuldade em saber quais são as expectativas dos clientes, ou seja, quais as tecnologias que podem levar à sua satisfação. A revisão da literatura mostra que nem todas as tecnologias implementadas pelos hotéis têm sido apreciadas pelos hóspedes. Como os itens tecnológicos mudam com o tempo é importante fazer este estudo que tem como objetivo analisar o impacto das tecnologias atuais bem como avaliar o potencial das mais recentes tecnologias na experiência do consumidor. A metodologia adotada para este estudo está dividida em duas fases. Na fase qualitativa foi feita uma análise a alguns websites de hotéis em Portugal, bem como duas entrevistas a gestores de hotéis. Na etapa quantitativa foi desenvolvido um questionário para os hóspedes e foi obtida um amostra de 310 respostas. Os resultados revelaram que o acesso à internet é a tecnologia mais importante tanto para os hóspedes que viajam em lazer como em negócios. A maioria da amostra gostaria de adicionar novas tecnologias ou mudar algumas das que estão disponíveis atualmente por novas para melhorar a sua experiência. Os resultados demonstraram também que a instalação de novas tecnologias específicas pode ter um efeito significativo na melhoria da experiência do cliente

Cultural heritage appraisal by visitors to global cities: the use of social media and urban analytics in urban buzz research

An attractive cultural heritage is an important magnet for visitors to many cities nowadays. The present paper aims to trace the constituents of the destination attractiveness of 40 global cities from the perspective of historical-cultural amenities, based on a merger of extensive systematic databases on these cities. The concept of cultural heritage buzz is introduced to highlight: (i) the importance of a varied collection of urban cultural amenities; (ii) the influence of urban cultural magnetism on foreign visitors, residents and artists; and (iii) the appreciation for a large set of local historical-cultural amenities by travelers collected from a systematic big data set (emerging from the global TripAdvisor platform). A multivariate and econometric analysis is undertaken to validate and test the quantitative picture of the above conceptual framework, with a view to assess the significance of historical-cultural assets and socio-cultural diversity in large urban agglomerations in the world as attraction factors for visitors. The results confirm our proposition on the significance of urban cultural heritage as a gravity factor for destination choices in international tourism in relation to a high appreciation for historical-cultural amenities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High tech meets high touch in upscale hotels

Purpose: This paper presents an analysis of the impact of current technologies on customer experiences in upscale hotels and assesses the potential of the latest technologies for enhancing customers’ stay. Design/methodology/approach: A two-step approach was applied in this study. The qualitative phase included an examination of upscale hotel websites, interviews with hotel managers and an internet search regarding the latest technological innovations in hotels. In the quantitative stage, a questionnaire was developed for hotel guests, generating a sample of 310 valid completed questionnaires. Findings: The results reveal that hotel guests value digital involvement in their hotel experience. Moreover, business travellers and younger generations give greater importance to latest technologies. Originality/value: This study analyses the most innovative technologies, providing guidance for hoteliers wishing to upgrade or implement new technologies. Based on the findings, hoteliers can achieve greater differentiation by offering the most important and latest technology to guests, enhancing their experience and attracting new customers, which can potentially lead to increased revenues. The study’s results are also important because they include the perceptions of both managers and customers.info:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersio

Hospitality healthscapes: a conjoint analysis approach to understanding patient responses to hotel-like hospital rooms

In an increasingly competitive market, healthcare providers are incorporating best practices from the hospitality industry to improve the patient experience. The present study offers a model of hospitality healthscapes to provide a patient-based perspective of the infusion of hospitality into healthcare. A study of 406 respondents examined the hotel-like attributes that patients prefer in hospital rooms and the effect of their provision on patients’ well-being and willingness to pay higher out-of-pocket expenses. Using conjoint analysis and 3D visual representations of hospital rooms, the study found that high-end material finishes and hospitality-certified healthcare staff were the two greatest influences on patient choice. The study also found some differences between the preferences of “less healthy” and “more healthy” patients, with the less healthy patients willing to pay, on average, 13% higher out-of-pocket expenses for hotel-like hospital rooms than the more healthy patients. This study represents the first attempt in the evidence-based design literature to holistically and empirically examine the infusion of hospitality into healthcare by emphasizing the “patient as customer.” The findings have important marketing implications for healthcare providers who wish to enhance the patient experience

EFFECT OF LENGTH OF STAY ON GUEST SATISFACTION-AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF INDIAN HOTEL INDUSTRY

The unpredictable and dynamic changes experienced by the corporate world have transformed the business environment. Now the key for remaining successful is in retaining customers rather than in acquiring customers. Customer satisfaction is considered the essence of success in today's highly competitive world of business, and it has become the corporate goal as more and more companies strive for quality in their product. The purpose of this article is to examine the influence of ‘length of stay’of a guest in a hotel, on satisfaction, revisit intention and making favorable referrals. This paper considers the reaction of ‘international travelers’ who have boarded their flight from Chennai, India. Outcome of this research indicates that one of the critical challenges faced by the hoteliers is to create opportunities to their guests to experience (all) the facilities available in the hotel, especially for those who stay for a shorter period. Results shows that length of stay positively influences the satisfaction level but not revisit attitude and positive referrals. However satisfied guests tends to revisit the same hotel in future and likely to refer to their friends and relatives.’ Satisfaction is the nucleus and everything revolves around it and duration of stay is one of the major determinants of hotel factors which is a major predictor of satisfactionHotel industry, Guest satisfaction, Length of stay, purpose of visit, revisit, recommendation

Hotel guests´ preferences regarding in-room amenities - a way for hoteliers to improve customer satisfaction

This project serves as an applicable guide for hoteliers to improve customer satisfaction. It combines literature research and a survey to gather valuable data on guests’ current expectations according to their star category preferences. The work concludes that guests’ expectations regarding in-room amenities and toiletries rise as star category increases. Moreover, room decoration and sustainability play an important role in customer satisfaction, regardless of star ratings. In-room amenities are an important part of a hotel and can have a tremendous impact on how the hotel is perceived, therefore hoteliers should implement the musing guest-centric approaches to maximize potential benefits