Tourist destination – a destination today, operates on the principle of a reputable hotel, once..Arthur Hailey’s novel “Hotel” is one of the best readings that describes life, the “living being” of a reputable hotel that once boasted impeccable service in all segments. Those were the times when staying in such a hotel was a special experience. Each hotel in the 19th and 20th centuries had its clientele, its guests. Staying in a status hotel was not possible, it was not available to everyone. The hotel staff, on the other hand, had the mission of pleasing every guest, smoothing out any disagreement, defending the hotel and its guests from any inconvenience. The hotel was supposed to look neat, tidy, down to the last detail at all times. All services at the hotel had to be at the same level of excellence. In short, the hotel staff was part of a special experience. If you haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it.DestinationA tourist destination, a destination, was and remains a place of special value. This value is based on climatic benefits, natural beauty, historical, cultural attractions, urban life rhythms or relaxing rural “slow motion”… Destinations have also developed with the development of tourism. Services that once could only be found in a hotel or in a hotel district, are now offered at every turn. Restaurants, bars, cafes (cafes), pastry shops, hairdressers and massage parlors, pedicures, manicures… long ago “came out” of the hotel and occupied the squares and streets of the tourist place. 21st century destinations are increasingly copying each other, so the availability of colorful content is no longer limited to the most famous destinations.Role changeTourists’ habits are changing. They stay in one place shorter and shorter. The mobility of the modern traveler is his trademark today. Get to know the world, visit all continents, feel the rhythm of life of the domicile population, “merge” with the local lifestyle, taste authentic food, walk the streets, bike through nature, paddle lakes, sail the seas… new travelers increasingly difficult to “hold the place”. When traveling, modern tourists want to stay in accommodation for as short a time as possible, spending most of the day exploring the destination. The destination became a “hotel”.Hotel, Arthur Hailey / Source: Etsy.comDestination management organizationIf the destination is a “hotel”, then the functioning of the destination is adjusted to the hotel model. Thus, “hotel rooms” are scattered throughout the destination along the streets that have replaced the hotel corridors. The squares are new lobbies, new lobbies, the tourist board is the reception, the utility company is the technical service of the “hotel”, restaurants and bars are located in all parts of the “hotel” destination. Various service activities, beaches, beaches… everything works within this “hotel”. At the head of such a complex system is the most experienced and capable hotelier, hotel director, mayor. All members of the “management board” are subordinated to him – “hotel detective” (chief of police), “head of technical service” (director of the utility company), “head of food, beverages and services in tourism” (head of the administrative department for tourism), “chief sports and recreation “(director of the municipal company for management of beaches and sports facilities),” head of reception “(director of the tourist office of the Tourist Board),” head of entertainment “(director of the cultural center),” heads of households “(hosts of family accommodation, management agencies real estate, owners of accommodation facilities)… The “Director’s” day begins with a tour of all “hotel” sectors and a short conversation with the bosses. On Mondays, they hold a course where they discuss the announcements of upcoming events in the destination and check all the tasks and procedures related to it. It is really easy to understand the modern needs in destination management when compared to the functioning of a reputable hotel.Can a destination in Croatia be managed efficiently?Imagine a situation in a hotel when the head of the technical service does not carry out the orders of the head of the reception on troubleshooting, or that, say, the head of food, beverages and services in tourism does not have the ability to organize gastronomy according to guest requirements. What kind of hotel manager would he be when he couldn’t do anything about frequent complaints from guests about broken showers at the pool, dirty deck chairs on the beach and torn plants because the head of the technical service and horticulture “is not competent”, “there are no people or funds” “Fix it? Or that a hotel detective can’t stop the noise of alcoholic guests in the wee hours? Or let’s say the head of entertainment organizes a theatrical play by the pool while a pop music concert takes place on the terrace? A hotel cannot function in a way that “the left does not know what the right is doing”. The hotel manager cannot escape the problem, he is expected to solve every problem in the hotel. That’s why the hotel manager is in charge. Everyone listens to him. He is in charge of everyone, he signs everyone’s salary. He hires and fires people. He is the most responsible person in the hotel. Not every accommodation is a hotel, nor is every hotel respectable. Not every place, village, city, tourist destination. It can be a tourist place, a tourist city but not a reputable tourist destination. If there is no firm and efficient administration.The destination became a “hotel” – Nedo PinezicHow to achieve efficiency in destination management?When you decide to take over a hotel, you need to know how it must function in order to be successful. Of course, the “management of the company”, the state government, must be aware of the limitations in the efficient management of tourist destinations. If you want efficiency then you have to “lower” responsibility and authority to the level of the collective. The hotel cannot be managed efficiently “remotely”, the destination cannot be managed effectively without decentralization. The “director” of the “Destination Hotel” must have at his disposal the authority to manage services vital to the functioning of the destination and sufficient money to pay the costs. Decentralization of tax revenues (eg VAT, excise duties) and revenues from sojourn tax and tourist membership fees would certainly help to better manage all sectors of the “hotel”.We all live in a “hotel”Residents of the destination are well-trained employees of the “hotel” who in a period of low occupancy attend various specialist courses to improve their skills and acquire new knowledge. The management of the “hotel” stimulates us with various benefits to raise the level of its service, to offer something new, innovative. On the contrary, we get to know the structure of our guests, their habits and needs. The “reception” helps us with that, so we are ready to welcome guests who are pleasantly surprised by our approach. It’s nice to live in a “hotel”. It’s nice to hang out with people from all over the world. In this way, we experience something new, we enrich our lives with new knowledge, exchanges of experiences, new acquaintances and friendships. Thanks to efficient management, our “hotel”, although small, provides living comfort like big houses. We lack nothing. We have an enviable standard of living. We are happy that the “hotel” chose us as its associates and that the guests appreciate our hotel. It makes us all happy. In the “hotel” we are all like one family.Hotel 2Arthur Hailey is unfortunately no longer with us. Someone else will have to write a sequel to the novel “Hotel 2”. Perhaps the plot of this novel will take place in an emerging tourist destination that is gradually transforming from an inn into a reputable hotel. In fact, short stories on the subject are already being written. A serious novel requires character characters and a beginning that leads to a meaningful ending. For now, it’s hard to find an inspiring setting, but maybe someone is inspired by Hailey’s novel, maybe it’s some little-known place until yesterday that will shine with new splendor. Who knows ?Published by: Nedo Pinezić
read more