Hospitality’s Escapism · rightly escape. The hospitality industry has provided from its earliest...

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Page 1 of 15 Hospitality’s Escapism By Ken Williams Presented to: Sandra Negly, for PRT Foundations of Parks, Recreation, and tourism

Transcript of Hospitality’s Escapism · rightly escape. The hospitality industry has provided from its earliest...

Page 1: Hospitality’s Escapism · rightly escape. The hospitality industry has provided from its earliest beginnings for such needs, and now, as a pillar of economic stability, continues

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Hospitality’s Escapism

By Ken Williams

Presented to: Sandra Negly, for PRT Foundations of Parks,

Recreation, and tourism

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Hospitality’s Escapism

What is it about life that makes living , and getting through it so excruciatingly hard? In

the urban life one may, in a city like New York or Las Angeles, be surrounded by people in

excess of hundreds of thousands, even millions and be forced by society to live a life of

ignorance of others and ignorance of one’s self. One’s daily life may entail a litany of

uncomfortable and anger inducing activities and situations that can cause people to simply

repress, besides one cannot simply go crazy and forget about others surrounding and lash out at

the kid on the corner who just spit his/her gum out in the middle of the side walk for others to

step in, at the peak of one’s very much crappy day. Yes, life is filled with repression,

degradation, stupidity, moments of helplessness, and above all responsibility, responsibility and

obligation to others often structured upon neglect of one’s own self. Even though, the conceptual

truth is that one cannot take care of others, and their demands, until one takes care one’s self

first. Overall, life - in one facet - is about sustainability, to fulfill and sustain one’s self so as to

fulfill and sustain the responsibilities and pressures that life so often is about. So how is this

done? There are many avenues to take, however many go the route of the vacation – the holiday

– and thereby utilize the hospitality industry to fulfill their needs of personal sustainability and

rightly escape. The hospitality industry has provided from its earliest beginnings for such needs,

and now, as a pillar of economic stability, continues to do so by providing avenues for human

development and mass leisure for singles, couples, and family travelers in both natural settings

and manmade theme resorts introduced to the public by such individuals as Fred Harvey and Jay

Sarno.

The need for hospitality in its most basic state, of course, dates back to antiquity. Those

who celebrate the yearly Christian holiday of Christmas, would surely remember the story of

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its founding with the traveling of Joseph and Mary, “ 6. And so it was, that while they were

there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7. And she brought forth her

firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there

was no room for them in the inn”(Luke 2:6-7, King James). Though the Bible in all its known

versions is, arguably, not an historical text the account of the event nonetheless, supports the role

of the inn, of the hospitality industry, to shelter, to provide a safe place for travelers to lay their

heads and rest. Traditionally, the belief is that though there wasn’t any room in the inn, the inn

keeper, nonetheless provided the holy family with shelter and care within the stables, and so

fulfilled what is a principle in hospitality, to do one’s best to take care of others. Today, in

fulfilling such, the simple inn of a few rooms has greatly been expanded to be a world-wide

industry and a corner stone of economic stability,

“Tourism’s Effects on our Economy

Resident and international travelers in the United States spend an average of

$2.2 billion a day, $92.8 million an hour, $1.5 million a minute, and $25,700 a

second.

Tourism generates $813 billion in sales (excluding international passenger

fares on U.S.airlines).

The tourism industry pays $124 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.”

("2012 LODGING INDUSTRY PROFILE")

Today single travelers, couples travelers, and family travelers make up a large portion of

the industry’s business, and as each of these segments desires different types of service,

individual hotels have created specialized services to provide for their wants and needs. Single

travelers, understandably, are more prone to business travel, “ Sixty-three percent of male

business travelers say they often travel alone. That compares to 48% of female business

travelers” (Stoller, 2012). Since the solo and business traveler market is such a large segment,

individual hotels have come to specifically suit their needs. Marriott’s Courtyard brand, which

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has always catered to business travelers, is a good example of this specialization. New Courtyard

hotels offer lobby’s that are less cold and more inviting of social activity with architectural

details that resemble an upscale home instead of a cold chain hotel, and comfortable non-severe

looking lounge chairs, with a Starbucks style counter that doubles as a cocktail bar at night. Also,

in Courtyard lobbies, guests are provided with a dense amount of power outlets to charge and use

electrical devices, as well as an information screen providing information about traffic, weather,

restaurant recommendations, and even airport delays. In private rooms guests are provided with

free Wi-Fi and even a separate area for home theater access. Business travelers, which again are

often single travelers, just as much as any other want to escape, but they must do it while

working, unlike their couples or family counter parts. In providing such specialized surroundings

and services, hotels like Marriott’s Courtyard, amongst others, provide the most time saving and

socially enticing amenities to provide their single traveling guests the most escaping leisure free

time as possible.

The couples market in the lodging industry is also of importance. Couples, are

understandably not just seeking to escape on their own from life’s challenges while on vacation,

they seek to achieve a connection with their partner in their leisure time, couples travelers seek

romance – an ambience in their lodging surroundings away from home and a level of service

which causes the couple to feel special. Research shows that,

Travel helps couples communicate better, and vacations are seen as an

opportunity for “alone time” to improve lines of communication:

More than seven in ten couples who travel together (71%) say talking and

reconnecting is an important reason to spend time alone together while on

vacation.

Couples who travel together report that they are more likely to

communicate well with their partners than those who do not travel together

(84% versus 73%).

Couples who travel together are less likely to say they wish their partner

would do a better job sharing his or her feelings (23% versus 31%).

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Relationships last longer among couples who travel together, and divorce

rates are higher among couples who do not travel together (Rubin, 2013).

Since a vacation for a couple can be such a relationship building experience, creating a stronger

connection and a more resilient partnership, hotels which cater to this market do their upmost

best to create that “special” feeling to help facilitate just such a connection . For instance in

catering to couples, the honeymooning segment is of specific consideration and Sandal Resorts

International offers in their “Honeymoon Romance Package” most everything a newlywed

couple, or any couple for that matter, would want such as an: “Exclusive private transfer from

airport with fruit, champagne and chocolate, a private four-course dinner ocean side for two,

breakfast in bed, rose petal bath for two, couples champagne massage - 50 minutes, "Me and My

Honey Journal" - Scrapbook and Honeymoon photo session, picnic for two on private offshore

island at Sandals Royal Bahamian or Sandals Royal Caribbean.”. ("Tropical all-inclusive

honeymoon," ) Services of this nature are offered not just at large resorts like Sandals but at most

all resorts around the world to facilitate the need of couples to connect with each other, and build

strong relationships, and in essence escape the hectic world which we as individuals, and as

couples even, tend to experience outside of leisure time. In catering to their needs the hospitality

industry helps to refresh and encourage people to more easily handle the stresses of everyday life

with the lasting effects in recreation and leisure which couples take with them.

Once couples have children the market for them changes. At this point in life, stress and

obligation rises to its height, and parents as well as children feel the pressures of time restrictions

keeping them from recreational activities. Parents often will feel over worked and over stressed

and children, in modern society, can often feel the same. This density of stress and obligation has

lasting effects,

Making The Time Is One of the Hurdles for Taking Vacation

While there are a variety of obstacles preventing families from taking more vacation, “time” is the

common thread among them all.

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Approximately one-quarter (22 percent) say they are too busy at work to take time off

Nearly one-quarter (22 percent) cite children’s time obligation to school or other extra-

curricular activities

Approximately one-quarter (22 percent) say difficulty coordinating time-off schedules with

their spouses/partners

[(However,)]

Vacations May Be Shorter, But Families Still Make Time To Get Away

three-quarters of families make sure that not one vacation day is lost or given up

just 1.3 vacation days are left on the table

The Good Vacation Feeling Can Keep Going After The Trip

Sixty-six percent of respondents feel relaxed post vacation; they are fulfilled and happy that

they had some time off.

20 percent of respondents feel energized and ready to get back

to work

("Key findings: Embassy," 2012)

Since vacation leisure time is such a coveted and important area for families, in which they

intend to get as much out of it as possible with as little headache as possible in order to

regenerate, the hospitality industry is at great pressure its self to perform to the wants of the

family in general. And, in meeting these expectations no hospitality entity does it better than

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. On the “Disney Parks Blog” Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt

Disney Parks and Resorts wrote,

Like most people who visit Walt Disney World Resort, my family and I have our

“must-do” attractions, and as the father of three boys, those attractions often end

with the word “mountain.” Now, rather than dashing as a group, or even splitting

up to gather FastPasses, imagine booking guaranteed ride times for your favorite

shows and attractions even before setting foot in the park. With MyMagic+,

guests will be able to do that and more, enabling them to spend more time

together and creating an experience that’s better for everyone. (Staggs, 2013)

Constantly working ways to improve their guest experience, WDP&Rs offers many services for

the visiting family in their packages including: park hopping options, complementary airport

pick-up, extra time in theme parks, package dining, and even spa treatments amongst many

others ("2013 magic your," ) In today’s world, in which families seem busier than ever, often

with both parents working, and each kid in extracurricular activities, time spent together away

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from such responsibilities is golden, and, though Walt Disney Parks and Resorts greatly assists

their visiting families in escaping such stressors, they are just one of many resorts and lodging

entities that do the same. And, thereby, as a whole provide the service and experiences families

need to get the most out of their recreational and escaping time together.

In the continued development of escaping experiences in the hospitality industry there

exists two types of fully encompassing environments, used and created, by hotel and resort

entities to cater to the personal needs of the vacationing public. These types include the natural

setting resort, which exploits the all-encompassing, and already existing environment of

surrounding nature, and the completely manmade environment, of abundance in Arizona’s Las

Vegas, which exploits the desire of the public to be entertained and forget about their normal life

troubles – while spending their money. Each, in their early development were influenced by

guiding individuals which set foundations for these fully encompassing environments.

Of particular importance in developing the hospitality industry in the natural

environment, and American westward expansion, was Fred Harvey and his hotel-restaurant

entity the “Fred Harvey Company”, and the young women whom worked in his establishments

his, “Legendary Harvey Girls – [which] were the first major female workforce in America,

allowing single women for the first time to travel independently, earn a decent living, and, over

time, help settle the American West” (Fried, 2010). In the national parks Fred Harvey was of

influence in that he was,

“Walt Disney before Disneyland. He and his partners at the Santa Fe [railroad]

played a huge role in the development of American tourism as we know it. Fred

Harvey was largely responsible for the creation of the Grand Canyon as the

country’s premier natural tourist attraction, as well as the development of the

mythic southwest and what grew into the National Park System.” (Fried, 2010).

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Hospitality holdings in American national parks were, and still are, important in that they

provided for the comfort of home while also motivating people, of often urban environments, to

take pride in America and explore the wholeness of nature. At the Grand Canyon today (one of

Fred Harvey’s favorite settings) visitors can escape the troubles of life by classically riding

mules down to the bottom, visiting beautiful Havasu falls just outside the park in the Havasupai

Indian reservation, and hike and take bicycle rides along the breath taking rim. And, in Yellow

Stone people can see the wonders of geothermal activity. And at lake Quinault lodge Near

Olympic national park on the Washington state peninsula Harvest Moon, a native American

basket weaver and story teller, said in reference to the lodge and the land surrounding that,

“people and kids and family of all ages can come here and have as much activities and as much

as Disney Land.” (Zelle, 2002). Such activities exist in all national parks, away from the urban

environment and work, and help people fulfill the needs of their human development in

physically taking part in long hikes, intellectually by learning about the environments they are

exploring, socially in conversing with others from also foreign locals, and emotionally and

spiritually by reconnecting with themselves as, “everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places

to play in and pray in. When nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”- John

Muir (Catherine, 2011).

The “feeding” of body and soul through visiting all-encompassing nature destinations,

like the national parks may be of rejuvenating importance to guests of the hospitality industry,

however, there are those who prefer the concrete jungle to escape their worldly troubles, and

seek an environment more man made. A great proponent of this type of hospitality driven

escapism was Jay Sarno of Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace resort. “You can get in an argument over

who started the Las Vegas Strip, but there's no question it was Jay Sarno who changed it forever.

The fast-living genius behind Caesars Palace and Circus Circus invented the fantasy resort and

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the modern family resort, twin ideas that have guided the past three decades of Las Vegas'

growth.” (Evans, 1999). Jay Sarno’s Caesers Palace was the first of its kind, “ this was theme

architecture, it is creating an entire environment which would transport people to another time

another place.” (Morowitz, 1998). So said Allen Hess, author of “Viva Las Vegas: After hours

architecture”. People who tend to spend their vacation time in enveloping theme resort

environments differ contrarily from those who tend to vacation in nature created environments,

in that instead of seeking peace and inner restoration, they tend to, instead, seek to have just plain

fun, to let go, and enjoy life rather than deal with it, and be entertained. People of all types come

to such resorts to partake in mass leisure, and theme resorts offer it in abundance, of course in

Las Vegas with the casino, but in other ways as well, at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas guests

can swim with dolphins, and still in Las Vegas one can pursue the fun of mass leisure in

watching a plethora of free shows like the dancing fountains of the Bellagio, or a manmade

volcano erupt at the Mirage resort. Even more so, people can pursue instant gratification at the

canal shops at the Venetian resort, and at the height of such leisure activity one can even ride a

roller coaster atop the observation tower at the Stratosphere resort. The list goes on and on.

The hospitality industry has existed for a long time, always with the guiding “rule” of

providing a place to stay and sleep, and to take care. Now with being an economic power house,

the industry continues in doing so, by providing for most all segments of society in singles,

couples, and family travelers, and providing for individualistic ways to enjoy their leisure time

and escape the troubles of their everyday lives; either it be done through the pursuits of human

development in enveloping natural settings or by pursing fun and mass leisure through the

manmade, and also all enveloping, theme resort of abundance in America’s Las Vegas.

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References

"2012 LODGING INDUSTRY PROFILE." www.ahla.com. American Hotel & Lodging

Association . Web. 7 Jun 2013. <http://www.ahla.com/content.aspx?id=34706>.

Stoller, G. (2012, July 30). Pluses of travel outweigh hardship, business travelers say.

USA Today. Retrieved from http://travel.usatoday.com/news/story/2012-07-30/Pluses-of-

travel-outweigh-hardship-business-travelers-say/56595208/1

De Lollis, B. (2008, Alril 01). Marriott perks up courtyard with edgier, more social style.

USA Today. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2008-03-31-

marriott-courtyard-makeover_n.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Rubin, K. (2013, May 14). Study shows health, wellness, relationship benefits of 'travel

effect'. Domestic Travel, Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/studiy-shows-

health-wellness-relationship-benefits-of-travel-effect

Tropical all-inclusive honeymoon packages & resorts: Sandals Caribbean honeymoons.

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sandals.com/weddingmoons/tropical-honeymoon-

packages/packages.cfm?package=romance

Key findings: Embassy suites hotels vacation survey with parents magazine.(2012, June

05). Retrieved from http://embassysuitesmediacenter.com/assets.EMBS/docs/Newsroom/

2012/ESH_Get_MORE_Vacation_Parents_Survey_Fact_Sheet_FINAL.pdf

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Staggs, T. (2013, April 22). [Web log message]. Retrieved from

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/01/taking-the-disney-guest-experience-to-

the-next-level/

2013 magic your way platinum package | vacation packages | walt disney world resort.

(n.d.). Retrieved from https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/vacation-

packages/2013/platinum/

Fried, S. (2010). Appetite for america: How visionary businessman fred harvey built a

railroad hospitality empire that civilized the wild west . (1st ed., p. XVI). NY: Bantam

Books.

Catherine, Tatge, dir. "American Masters" John Muir in the New World. Writ. Leslie

Clark. Global Village Media, 2011. Film. 14 Jun 2013.

Zelle, Carolyn, dir. Great Lodges of the National Parks: Pacific Northwest Lodges. Prod.

John Grant . Oregon Public Broadcasting, 2002. Film. 14 Jun 2013.

Evans, K. J. (1999). Jay Sarno. Las Vegas Review - Journal, N.A., Retrieved from

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/jay-sarno

Morowitz, N. (Writer) (1998). Modern marvels: Las Vegas hotels [Television series

episode]. In Modern Marvels. N.A.: History Channel.

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Professional Interview

Interview with:

Bethany Rouselle

Hotel Manager

Extended Stay America

7555 S. Union Park Avenue

UT 84121

*Notes takes from answers.

Firstly, do you like your job? And, also, what don’t you like about your job?

Like: More of leader even as a child Likes to know every thing that’s going on. Her job satisfies

that need

Dislike: Firing people. Firing people is the worst part and dealing with difficult people.

What’s the rundown of what you typically do on a regular day of work?

Mon: Rooms assigned and maintenance in order

Tues: Breakfast is set up.

Wed: Billing is made correct.

Thurs: Schedules completed for all employees

Fri: Overtime check, and all employees payed correctly.

Other: Check all rooms, ordering for the whole property, paperwork in general. End of month

reports are very important.

Hospitality is an industry where personal service is key. What’s your belief in how to deliver great

service?

Go overboard, can never be too happy and offer as much as you can. Call guests to see how their

room is, always open the door for people.

So your title here is “Hotel Manager”, how did you, and what did you, do to arrive at your position?

Saw a now hiring sign in window for housekeeping. Did housekeeping for 4-6 months, then front

desk for 8 months, then went to assistant manager at sugarhouse location for 4 months, then was bumped

up to hotel manager for current location. ~ Lots of maintenance as a manager.

What lessons have you learned in working in hospitality?

- That over helping causes trouble.

- That a smile goes a long way.

- To always be empathetic.

- And, don’t put things off. Put things over, tackle as much as you can in a single day.

I’m a student and so, I’d like to know, when hiring for a front office position what skills do you most

value, and look for?

Three things: Be reliable, training takes time, and she doesn’t want someone who will call out.

And, wants someone who can sell, someone who can create “pull-in” to make a reservation.

And also, someone who just makes guest happy. Guests are dealing with money issues and home

situations. Wants someone who makes guests feel settled.

Skills: customer service skills, ability to “keep cool”, to easily represent the property, cleanliness,

Typing is important.

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What is the best boss you’ve ever had? What made them so great?

*No mention of actual name.

Person was, understanding and wanted to hear all the details of a situation. They were, willing to

help others when they had a spare moment. They, often gave positive feedback and criticism. And, they

gave reminders when dead lines were coming up. And, often gave praise, that’s important.

In studying at school, in this area, what would you say are the most important subjects to pay attention to?

Accounting is big, and English skills in writing because writing to staff and to guests one has to

represent the property and one’s best self.

My career aspirations

My career in hospitality, at this point as I am just a student, can easily go in many areas.

Many people get a degree in one area and find that in their actual career they’re doing something

drastically different from what they had initially expected to be doing, based on what they had

studied. So, therefore, at this stage in my life/career I think it best to be flexible in career

opportunities and directions, to take what opportunities that come and make the best out of them.

However, at the moment I do have a dream job. I would absolutely, want to manage the hotel

operations for a Fairmont resort hotel. Honestly, I would settle, or even prefer, any upscale resort

attraction in the warmer areas of the country or world for that matter. By preference, I would

want to work for Fairmont because of simply one hotel that that company holds, the Banff

Springs hotel in Canada’s Banff Spring’s National park. The Hotel is an architectural gem and its

surroundings are breathtaking in natural scope.

Working in the Banff Springs Hotel, for Fairmont, is considered an honor and only their

best employees are accepted to do so. So, in order to go about working in such a fine location

and hotel, I firstly would want to do as well as I can in my classes at the university of Utah, and

in my internships, of requirement. Concerning these internships, I aim to try and get an

internship in a national park area. Of preference in this area, would be the grand hotels with in

Glacier national park. Doing so would provide me with up-close experience in serving guests

who prefer to stay in comfortable accommodations while enjoying the splendor of a high

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mountainous natural environment. However, even if I’m not capable of getting an internship in

Glacier I would be happy to get an internship in any natural environment setting. And also, if I

could even possibly get an internship at an actual Fairmont property somewhere, anywhere, in

the country I would take it without a moment’s hesitation.

After my internships, and graduation, I intend on simply applying and sending my

resume to any and all Fairmont properties in the country to see if one will take me. But, before I

do, it would be wise to read up on the company with such books as, “the Fairmont hotel: a

pictorial history” by Gerald booth or “Hotel: an American history” by A. K. Sandoval-Strausz to

get a better understanding of the company and also of the history of how hospitality, as it now is,

came to be in the United States, and then work my way up to management and hopefully a

position in the Banff Springs Hotel.

Even still, I realize that setting all my aspirations on just one company is unwise and

highly impractical. After Graduation, if my hopes of getting into a Fairmont property don’t work

out, I honestly just want to get out of Utah. I want to go to San Diego, or anywhere in southern

California that will take me, basically to send my resume to as many large hotels in southern

California I can, and see again, if some property will have me. For me, of course, the ideal hotel

in southern California to work for would be the famous Del Coronado Hotel on the beaches of

San Diego. And, to be more versed in the property’s history it would be wise to also read up on

this property as well with such books as, “Hotel del Coronado History” by Hotel del Coronado

Heritage Department or any number of books of the city of San Diego. I plan on never actually

working in any distinct property for more than five years, in order to get the most out of my

career as I can. For me, the point is just to work, just once, in such properties as the hotels of

Glacier national park, or the Banff Springs Hotel, or even the Del Coronado. After working for

just one of them, or even any greatly historic hotel, I just want to explore, to take advantage of

the nature of the hospitality industry, to live and work in beautiful places where most people are

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only able to visit. I don’t seek adventure, but I do seek beauty, and any property I’m accepted to

be a part of which may offer beautiful surroundings, I believe, is right for me.