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Quality management in hospitality

The concept of quality management in hospitality industry is very important.  The hospitality industry is one of the most important industries in the world that has been growing at unprecedented rate owing to the increased rate of globalization.  The increased activities in tourism industry and increased international trade are among the factors that have led to increased growth of the hospitality industry.  There has been increased trend towards standardization of services in the hospitality industry and this is being driven by the need for enhancement of quality of services. As the level of competition increase in the industry, the competitive advantage has been created through provision of high quality services.  In order to understand the trend in enhancement of quality of services in the industry, this paper will review a number of studies on the subject.

Literature review

In their article The importance of total quality management in hospitality: The case of Croatia, Pavlic and Raguz (2009) discusses how total quality management has been used in Croatia in enhance of quality in the   hospitality industry.  In this article, authors acknowledge that total quality management is a concept that has gained increased use in the hospitality industry. In recognition of the importance of quality management in the hospitality industry, the authors acknowledge that ISO 9000 has been an important step in setting standards for the implementation of total quality management in the industry.  Enhancement of quality in the hospitality industry is cited to increase the level of customer satisfaction, increased sales and better profits for business in the hospitality industry.

The authors show the case of Croatia.  The country has been undergoing a number of changes in the recent past which have been caused by transition.  In Croatia, quality enhancement has been seen in different industries but most importance changes have been experienced in the hospitality industry.  Pavlic and Raguz (2009) shows that transformational business strategy has been achieve in the hospitality industry through quality control of their products and services offered.   There are already two hotels in the country which have already achieved ISO 9002 and are already applying total quality management in their organizations.  These hotels have already put in place a quality system that has greatly improved quality of products and services. This study shows the importance of reinforcing quality management to enhanced quality in hospitality industry.

The above concept of total quality management is also reinforced in other studies. In their study on Total Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry, Saunders and Graham (2008) the concept has achieved a great deal of success in the hospitality industry.  Total Quality Management (TQM) is however sometimes difficult to implement in hospitality industry owing to the difficult in identifying some of the most appropriate quality measures. This study identified the need to use the quality triangle in hospitality industry including focus on customers, team work approach to unify goals, and use of scientific approach in decision making. Through comparing TQM in manufacturing and hospitality industry, the study gives …

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The Vacation Rental Market – Predictions and Predicaments Due To Current Economic Conditions

While the state of the economy has negatively impacted the health of US based travel, vacation rentals are still proving to be a viable alternative to hotels. This is, however, becoming increasingly challenging, leaving many vacation rental companies scrambling.As fewer and fewer people are taking vacations this year, those that do are exceedingly aware of the gigantic price breaks available to them.

Once the better choice in turns of value when compared to traditional hotel stays, vacation rental owners and property managers are now finding themselves pitted against huge hotel corporations in an all out price war. As the large hotel chains continue to drop their prices, vacation rental owners are forced to react in the like. The problem, however, is that individual owners cannot compete when it comes to the marketing, operational, and long-term budgetary deficits that are increasing during this recessionary period. Their vacation rental is simply not just their business, but their second home. Pride of ownership and overall care of the property demands that more resources and time are applied to the maintenance of their property. And when coupled with the fact that profits are dwindling, the wear and tear on their personal home can almost make renting it not worth the hassle.

California has seen a tremendous downtown overall when looking at incoming tourist numbers. San Francisco, once the epicenter for vacation travel within the State, has seen numbers fall dramatically. Matt Doerner-Miller, principal of Vacation-Renter, Inc. , operates and manages GoldenGateVacations.com, a San Francisco-based online travel company which allows users to book vacation rentals in real-time, directly from the vacation rental owner. When asked about the recent downturn and the effect that it has had on San Francisco travel, he had this to say;

“The real problem that the vacation rental industry is facing, and will face for quite some time, is the fact that we are no longer recognized by travelers as necessarily being the better deal when strictly looking at the nightly rate comparisons. Hotel chains are offering more and more incentives for less and less investment, and these are simply impossible to beat. It’s a “David and Goliath” scenario, where the smaller vacation rental operators are struggling to find a way to compete.

In my opinion, vacation rentals still provide a much more intimate and enjoyable vacation experience to that of the standard hotel stay. But in a time when every dollar counts, people would rather be able to travel and stay in a cheap hotel versus not being able to go at all. What most people don’t unfortunately factor in when pricing out accommodation options are the little things. For instance, almost all of our properties on our site offer free parking, whereas with most hotels you still are being charged for this. This can result in quite a shock after the fact. Secondly, since all of units come fully-furnished, money can be saved by eating meals in rather than constantly eating out. In my mind, grilling a steak on …

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Top Three Summer Vacation In Colorado Destinations

Has your family chosen where you want to go on your summer vacation? You are not alone, most families have not yet decided where they want to go. It can be a quite time consuming process to find that ideal vacation plan, so check out the options for your vacation in Colorado. You will find lots of options and it certainly will not be a simple decision!

However, if you are thoughtful and appreciate the commitment to do some planning, it should make your summer vacation easy and one of those “family stories” that you will treasure forever. The most common mistake people make is first choosing a “destination.” The best vacations begin when you first select “what you want to do”! Do you want to go camping, tanning on a beach, playing and relaxing at a pool, or touring informational or heritage attractions? By deciding “what you want to do” to start with, you are off to the best start of selecting that perfect family vacation destination!

Now that you know “what you want to do” – you can sort through the various tourism destination locations and find those ideal attractions that you want to go see or do. By spending a little time planning, you can also choose those destinations that have a number of attractions that are of interest to both you and your whole family. Online Colorado destination guides are available that can help you choose comprehensive information about activities that are more detailed than a vauge attraction name and address. Since you know “what” you want to do and “where” you want to go, a real high quality online attraction guide will provide you a quality article detailing each attraction to assist you making an informed decision about what you want to do and where you want to go.

Here are three Colorado vacation locations that you might want to consider:

Idea #1: See the Exhibits and Grab a Bite at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver. When traveling to the Denver area, vacationers will find many different things to do. One of the most interesting is the Downtown Aquarium. Those who come to the aquarium will find not only some great exhibits, but also a great restaurant within the aquarium. It is a great place to visit for the whole fam

Idea #2: Wind River Ranch – Estes Park, Colorado. Everyone will Love Time at the Wind River Ranch. Located seven miles south of Estes Park, Colorado is the Wind River Ranch, a Christian family dude and guest ranch that will provide the family with a great vacation full of wonderful memories. Those who come to the ranch will be able to find many varied and wonderful things to do. Look at a few of the things that you can expect from a trip to the Wind River Ranch.

Idea #3: Visit the Kit Carson County Carousel in Burlington, Colorado. Travelers who are passing through or vacationing in the Burlington area of Colorado should take …

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Holiday Destinations by Flight Duration

If like me you’re one of those people who love going on holidays, but cannot abide the whole flying experience, then this feature will be your new best friend.
Location, hotel, weather, nightlife – these are all major factors that we consider when planning a holiday. Although often overlooked, your flights play a hugely important role in your whole holiday experience as well. A bad flight or a flight that’s too long can be the difference between a fantastic holiday and an ok holiday.

ExclusiveLondon.co.uk has complied a list of holiday destinations by flight duration to help you choose the perfect holiday. If you don’t like lengthy flights, you may think you are just limited to holidays in France or Germany, but there are many destinations featured below that may be closer than you think. Flight durations are based on flights leaving from London, UK.

1 to 2 hours

Austria (Tryol, Salzburg)
Belgium (Brussels)
Denmark (Copenhagen)
France, North to Mid (Paris, Lyon)
Germany (Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg)
Ireland (Dublin)
Netherlands, The (Amsterdam)
Scotland (Edinburgh)
Spain, North (Bilbao)
Switzerland (Basel, Geneva, Zurich)

2 to 3 hours

Romania (Bucharest)
Hungary (Budapest)
Finland (Helsinki)
Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca)
Italy, North (Milan, Venice)
Latvia (Riga)
Lithuania (Vilnius)
Costa del Sol (Marbella)
Poland (Krakow, Warsaw)
Portugal (Lisbon)
Czech Republic (Prague)
Iceland (Reykjavik)
Netherlands, The (Rotterdam)
Bulgaria (Sofia)
Spain, Mid to West (Barcelona, Madrid)
Sweden (Stockholm)
Tunisia (Tunis)
Austria (Vienna)

3 to 4 hours

Bulgaria (Sofia)
Greece, North to West (Halkidiki, Preveza)
Greece, South (Kalamata, Athens)
Greek Islands, North to West (Corfu, Kefalonia, Skiathos, Zante)
Gibraltar (South of Spain)
Turkey (Istanbul, Anakra)
Madeira (Island South of Portugal)
Malta (Valletta, Birkirkara)
Morocco (Casablanca, Marrakech, Rabat)
France, South (Marseille, Montpellier, Nice)
Norway (Oslo)
Portugal (Porto Islands)
Italy, Mid to South (Rome, Naples, Sicily)
Russia (Moscow, St Petersburg)
Spain, South (Seville)

4 to 5 hours

Azores Islands, The (inc. 2 hour flight from Lisbon, Portugal)
Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Tenerife)
Greek Islands, East to South (Mytilene, Cyprus, Mykonos, Kos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes)
Egypt (Cairo, Luxor)
Jordan (Amman)
Syria (Damascus)
Turkey (Izmir, Bodrum)

5 to 6 hours

Israel (Eilat)
Africa, West (Nigeria)

6 to 7 hours

Africa, West (Gambia, Ghana, Senegal)
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
Oman (Muscat)
United Arab Emirates (Dubai)

7 to 8 hours

Antigua (St John’s)
Barbados (Bridgetown)
Bermuda (Hamilton)
USA, East (New York, Boston)
Canada, East (Montreal)
St Lucia (Castries)
Trinidad (Port of Spain)

8 to 9 hours

India, North (New Delhi)
India, West (Mumbai, Goa)
Pakistan (Karachi)

9 to 10 hours

Aruba (Oranjestad)
Bahamas (Nassau)
Bangladesh (Dhaka)
Botswana (Gaborone)
Cuba (Havana)
Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo)
Jamaica (Montego Bay)
Kenya (Nairobi)
St Kitts (Basseterre)
Tobago
Zimbabwe (Harare)

10 to 11 hours

Canada, South (Ottawa, Toronto)
USA, South East (Atlanta, Miami)
USA, West (California, San Francisco)
USA, North to West (Montana, Seattle)
USA, South (New Orleans)
Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo)
Argentina (Buenos Aires)
Cayman Islands (George Town)
Hong Kong
Grenada (St George’s)
Mexico (Mexico City)
Namibia (Windhoek)
Chile (Santiago)
South Africa (Cape Town)
Sri Lanka …

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Families Vacations – Play Together Stay Together

Choosing where to spend your family vacation can be difficult. Families need to think about what will be best for all members. Teenagers may find the thrill of whitewater rafting exciting, but a younger child might have more fun at Disney World. Parents may enjoy visiting historic museums, but some children may not.

Families who enjoy being outdoors might find the quiet and reserved atmosphere of an art museum boring. By the same token, families who prefer the arts would find the dust, noise and smells of a working ranch intolerable. What ever your family preferences are there are family vacation spots that will be just perfect for you.

Here are some places of interest to help get you started.

On the West Coast, Los Angeles and San Diego, are considered hot vacation spots. Museums, renowned zoos and theme parks along with historic and cultural sites guarantee that there is something for every family. In addition, many California attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm and Hollywood’s Universal Studios are great all-day fun.  

Florida, the Sunshine state has as much to offer. The Everglade National Park offers walking tours and camping among other daily activities. Busch Gardens touts thrill seeking rides and exotic animal exhibits. Theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studio’s Orlando provide thrill seeking adventures.

Texas, the Lone Star State has national parks, the Ft Worth zoo, San Antonio’s aquarium and Arlington’s Six Flags Over Texas amusement park. Texas also provides a real cowboy experience when you vacation at a Dude Ranch, where horseback riding, rounding up the cattle or just observing will create life-time memories.

Located in the Great Smokey Mountains, Tennessee has long been a choice vacation spot for honeymoons and romantic get-a way’s. The Nashville Zoo, Christmas Village and many theme parks abound in Tennessee. Water attractions and historic villages round out the vacation choices available.

Many people never consider Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin to be a vacation spot. With riding stables, indoor water parks, snow skiing and museums Wisconsin has a lot to offer. Cascade Mountain, Kalahari and Canyon Creek provide outdoor enthusiasts with fun in the sun.   

Las Vegas is usually touted as a vacation destination for adults. However there are many family oriented activities such as Madame Tussauds Interactive Wax Museum and The World’s Greatest Magic Show.

Salt Lake City, Utah, home to the Clark Planetarium and the Hogle Zoo is a family-friendly vacation spot. With Aerospace museums, dinosaur parks and many historical areas of interest, Utah will provide your family with a unique and enjoyable vacation.

Boston, Massachusetts may be known for beans, seafood and shopping but there is so much more to this busy metropolis than meets the eye.  Aquariums, a zoo, a natural history museum and historical landmarks will keep every family member happy.

The jewel of the Pacific Northwest is Seattle, Washington. In addition to the Seattle Space Needle, Washington boasts of an aquarium, a zoo and many museums. The Museum of Flight is an attraction for all ages. …