This was posted on another page but an interesting read and very true. Although all inclusive hotels do hire hundreds of people thanks to the volume of AI tourists hosted, my impression as a worker in the tourism industry for the last twenty years is that this does NOT guarantee the level of service expected of what should be a luxurious holiday no matter what our budget is and does not necessarily mean higher profits. Tour operators (TOs) may guarantee a full house for a hotel that sells out its rooms in advance (at a much lower price for mass bookings) but they must also be aware of the fact that this compromises the hotels standards and does not infer a good season. As I see it, the problem here is simply the hotel´s incapacity to market itself directly to other countries without intermediaries. The whole marketing strategy is in question here. Anyone calling a hotel with a couple of weeks in advance will find that there is no availability because they have “SOLD OUT” to the highest bidder that is the TO that manages large databases in the countries of origin. On top of this we must not forget that these TOs also offer “services” that turn out to be real rip offs i.e: Most hotels (and I know this for a fact) downgrade the quality offered along the winter season in order to provide for the higher consumerism of the AI market (by default we all consume more than necessary when the product is “free”). Therefore AI Tenerife unfortunately does not stand for a quality destination. Airport pick-ups are outrageously overcharged at an average of 50€/family included in their pack when a taxi from the south airport charges around 20€ (OK… TOs do hire a bus but taxi is better for the island and personalised for the client). They may claim that it is free but the truth is that the hotels just lower the prices. Also many independent hotels own their own minibus that could be offered free of charge. TOs are now including unlimited access to Siam Park (another commission taken from the local market… Siam Park and Loro Park : Total Sell-outs) This may be an interesting feature for some families but is not profitable for the local community and also leads to outrageous queues at the theme parks. But if desired, this is available at local ticket stores. The tour of the island offered in their native tongue will never offer the tourist the adventure of discovering the island on their own; with public transport, rented cars or even (for the same price) a private taxi driver for the day. And of course they receive the cheapest possible and completely misguided “Canarian Menu”. At the welcoming meetings they are offered a limited variety of excursions that are sold at the highest possible price (commissioning the multinational company instead of local community) and are advised to visit only certain restaurants. On top of that the guides have the cheek to “demand” a discount for their clients in order to be suggested (price NOT quality) considered being obvious prevarication. The new legislation regulating direct promotion of independent hotels offering holiday packs (often confused with TimeShare) now give the tourists another option to AI. Adeje Town Hall has finally understood the benefits of direct promotion and allows the marketing strategies of smaller local hotels and aparthotels. Visitors coming to the island are given the chance to book back to Tenerife through other channels and hopefully will become a trend to those more skilful travellers just as online booking has opened new frontiers to the modern tourist. TOs have become aware of this new competitor yet still advise their clients not to engage in any promotional activity (considered to be unfair competition). The excessive cautiousness of the larger hotel chains that offer AI have impeded the growth of the local market, and their own, with its weariness and apprehension to explore other channels of commercialization. A guaranteed full house is the easy way out but is not the best in the long run. Hotel chains like Best, Iberostar, H10 and Melia must realise that in order to gain the respect that Tenerife deserves they must start by making a name for themselves and sell it instead of delegating on third parties that don´t care for anyone but themselves. As for the quality outside the hotels; that will upgrade alongside the needs. What to do? Make this brief reach all high positioned Hotel Managers. Make them aware of the actual needs of this Island. Hopefully they will care enough for Southern Tenerife, the engine of the local economy and it´s projection in the future to do something about this conjuncture.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 12:31:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015