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Hospitality Industry in Asia – Selected Case Studies |
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| Editor: Wee Beng Geok | ||||
| Publisher: The Asian Business Case Centre Nanyang Technological University, Singapore |
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| ISBN: 9789810589103 | Format: pbk, 158 pages | Copyright: 2007 | ||
|EDITOR'S PROFILE|WHERE TO BUY?We begin our series with an exploration of how the juxtaposition of ideas about history, places and design (in the broadest sense of the term) could evolve into enduring concepts that touched the imagination of many. Jennie Chua’s contribution “Making a Business Case for History: The Story of Raffles Hotel” highlights the critical role of history in the successful articulation of the hotel’s brand. As the “person on the scene”, she discusses the evolution of the hotel into a well-loved cultural icon of a new nation state, its colonial roots notwithstanding. It illustrates how staying true to history could evolve into a successful business model for Raffles Hotel.
Along the same lines, “Designing Romance” examines how the owners of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts developed their business model. In this case, it is not through history but by articulating their thoughts and feelings about design and places – not in the conventional concept of design as a specific form or style but the creation and enactment of place, forms and people that evoke a set of emotions and moods with regard to the setting. For Banyan Tree, it is about the ongoing enactment of romance for guests and visitors to its properties.
The arrival of online reservation firms from the West is set to change the dynamics of hotel distribution channels in Asia. The next case study features one of the firms in this business, Cendant Travel Distribution Services and examines a key question: Will the hospitality trade in Asia mimic the change in distribution channels witnessed in the West?
The case study “Setting the Stage for Service: Drama-based Workshops for Soft-Skills Development” addresses an issue that Asian hospitality operators will face – that of service delivery. While traditional Asian hospitality is renowned for its graciousness and attentiveness, in the 21st century, as low-cost manpower steeped in such service culture becomes scarcer, effective training for service personnel is imperative. This case study examines an innovative approach to such training.
We next examine two Singapore-based hotel chains that have expanded globally. The first case study is on the challenges faced by Raffles International Hotels & Resorts regarding the positioning of the deluxe business chain Swissôtel Hotel and Resorts that it acquired in 2001. In the other case, we examine the international marketing strategy of Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts in 2003, as it sought to maintain its differentiated position in its niche market from increasingly global competition.
The case study on Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. examines the growth strategies in Asia of a leading global hotel chain moving to leverage on the high tourism potential in the region.
Besides international hotel chains, Asian hoteliers and entrepreneurs are also leveraging on the industry’s rapid growth. We present two case studies from the perspective of Asian hoteliers, expanding their business operations in collaboration with government-related entities. Both case studies pertain to new hotel properties in which state-owned agencies played major roles in the development.
In the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel case study, the hotel operator had to align the hotel’s operations and planned business strategy to a property that is near completion.
The Hotel Wuxi International case study focuses on the financial, business and operational issues that a Singapore-based entrepreneur had to consider in deciding whether to take over a partially completed hotel project in Wuxi, China.
Our last case study is about InterContinental Resort Bali in the months following the bombings in 2002. It is specifically about the role of communication in the aftermath of a major crisis affecting a hotel property in an Asian context.
This collection presents but a slice of the multiple contexts that make up the hospitality industry in Asia with its diverse geography, nationalities, cultures and stages of economic development. However, we hope that it will be useful for students and practitioners, and that it will encourage others to write more case studies about this industry in Asia.
PREFACE
|EDITOR'S PROFILE|WHERE TO BUY?PREFACE
|EDITOR'S PROFILE|WHERE TO BUY?The book is available at the following outlets:
- Books Kinokuniya (Liang Court, Takashimaya, KLCC Kuala Lumpur, JPlaza Senayan Jakarta)
- Popular (Bras Basah, Causeway Point, College Book Store Nanyang Polytechnic, Compassvale Point, Eastpoint, IMM, Junction 8, Jurong East, Jurong Point, Northpoint, Singapore Post Centre, Tampines Mall, Thomson Plaza, Toa Payoh-HDB, United Square)
- MPH (Raffles City)
- Times (Centrepoint, Funan Digitallife Mall, Goldenshoe, Marina Square, Plaza Singapura, Tampines Mall)
- Ngee Ann Polytechnic
- Page One (Vivo)
- Big Book Shop (Harbourfront)
- Select Books
The book is also available at: Asian Business Case Centre (Nanyang Business School)
Download the book order form, and send it back to the ABCC through:
| Address : | The Asian Business Case Centre, NTU Nanyang Business School Nanyang Technological University S3-B1b-82 Nanyang Avenue Singapore 639798 |
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| Tel: | (+65) 6790 4864 | |
| Fax: | (+65) 6791 6207 | |
| Email : | asiacasecentre@ntu.edu.sg | |
