Membership Clubs - an overview

         In my view, membership clubs are the thin border between hospitality and leisure. By combining elements of the two industries they make up a unique sector which holds certain advantages over other branches of the industry such as hotels. 

         First of all, clubs by their very nature have not just a recreational role but a social one as well. Members often consider the club to be a second home bringing family, friends and even business guests to the club (Walker, 2012, pp. 403-404). They can enjoy a relaxed and private setting with their guest while also benefiting from the staff and services offered. 

         To add to the point, I believe that one important factor that contributes to this is that in general clubs try to restrict their memberships to residents of a particular community, supporters of the same political party, believers in a certain religious faith etc. Also, according to Chon and Sparrowe (2000, p. 352) some clubs have an initiation fee that can sometimes go up to $250.000, this helps maintain exclusivity and creates a closed circle of people in the club helping guests feel more relaxed by being around people who have the same interests or are from the same social category.

                                                   ( Figure 1, Source)

         One example of such a club is ClubCorp, the world leader in private clubs; it owns 150 clubs around the world. ClubCorp offers a very wide range of benefits for its members: golf, overnight stays, health and wellness, sports, adventures and experiences, business services, ski, car rentals and services (ClubCorp, 2012).

                                                       (Figure 2, Source)

         On the economic side of things, membership clubs are at an advantage because they do not depend on the season as heavily as hotels. This means that throughout the year guest attendance will remain relatively constant leading to a constant income. Plus, clubs rarely provide accommodation so they have fewer costs for cleaning staff. On the other hand, in comparison to a hotel, a private club would also have higher costs for the maintenance of the facilities.

In conclusion, a club offers a much wider range of services and facilities than a hotel could offer and creates a balance between hospitality and leisure creating the perfect ambiance for a family reunion of for a business meeting. Plus, clubs have economic advantages over other segments by having a constant income all year round.

References:

Chon K. S. and Sparrowe R. T. (2000) Welcome to Hospitality: an introduction.  2^nd edn. United States of America: Thomson Learning;

ClubCorp (2012) Available here (Accessed: 12^th December 2012);

Figure 1 [Online] Available here (Accessed: 12th December 2012);

Figure 2 [Online] Available here (Accessed: 12th December 2012);

Walker, J.R. (2012) Introduction to Hospitality Management. 4^th edn. London; Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Rural Tourism and Hospitality in the United Kingdom

         

         Despite the fact that the UK is regarded as a very cosmopolitan and sophisticated destination by travelers because of its glamorous cities it hides a simpler, more natural part: the countryside. With the influence of the recent ecological trend and with the need for a new experience, more and more people are turning to rural tourism as an escape to the countryside.

                               Fig. 1: A view of the British countryside

          First, you must ask yourself: Can any picnic in the countryside be considered rural tourism? Or does it have special qualities which make it unique among other sectors? 

          Well, you could say rural tourism is just tourism that takes place in the countryside (Sharpley and Sharpley, 1997), but is it that simple? The idea of rural tourism implies traditions and customs which have been preserved within communities for many years and vary from one village to another. Thus, what gives this sector its rural character is not just the fact that it takes place in the countryside but also the people (the hosts) who integrate the guest into the village life. 

          This is not the only aspect which makes rural tourism unique among other sectors. People who spend their holidays on farms look to become closer to nature, to get away from the hustle and the bustle of the cities for a more intimate destination, so hosts provide them with a variety of experiences (knowing the locals, a quiet and peaceful environment, the feeling of reliving history etc.) and attractions such as: animal attractions and petting zoos, vineyards, arts and crafts or fishing (England Research, 2005).

             Fig. 2: Darts Farm in Devon providing learning opportunities for children

 

           Another plus for rural tourism is the quality of the hospitality. Unlike bigger hotels here the host can greet the guest by name, help him settle in, personally show him around the farm or even have a meal together (Farm Stay UK, 2011). Because of its distinctive traits rural hospitality can be very personalized and can enhance the guest’s experience, making him feel part of the family.

    This is a video of Brenley Farm, a great example of rural tourism and hospitality:

         To conclude, rural tourism in the UK offers an experience unlike any other within the industry as it encompasses a series of traits and qualities making it perfect for those who want to break away from their daily city lives for something more simple and natural.

          References:

England Research (2005) Rural and Farm tourism [Online]. Available here (Accessed: 14^th November 2012).

Farm Stay UK (2011) Available here (Accessed: 12^th November 2012).

Sharpey, R. and Sharpley, J. (1997) Rural tourism: an introduction. Oxford: International Thomson Business Press.

         Pictures and Video:

Figure 1: Available here

Figure 2: Available here

edboylefilms (2012)  BRENLEY FARM. Available here (Accessed: 14th November 2012)

 

Culture in Romanian and in English hospitality

“Culture is not a characteristic of individuals but a collection of individuals sharing common concerns that may include values, beliefs, ideas and rituals”

 (Clarke and Chen, 2007, p. 28).

This is why I believe culture determines a person’s behavior in society (Walker, 2004, p.532) and because the hospitality industry relies on its local human resource it inadvertently changes the aspect and modus operandi of the industry. This became very clear to me when I moved to the UK from Romania as the two countries have quite different cultural backgrounds: while Romania focuses on the rural side of the industry, the UK promotes its urban areas.

Firstly, due to its rural character Romania is rich in destinations for those interested in “nature tourism” (FOX News Network, 2012) because essentially any village can be a destination for this type of tourism. These are some examples of the more popular areas: Maramures, Apuseni Mountains, Transylvania or the Danube Delta.

  

 

This type of tourism offers people an escape to nature from their day to day lives. Hosts accommodate their guests in rural homes, guest-houses and pensions instead of hotels; they offer them traditional food and show them the local customs, practically making them part of the community. One of the many people who find Romanian hospitality enticing is Prince Charles of Wales (Squidoo, 2012).

The following video of him holds the essence of what rural tourism is and how local traditions and customs can change a person’s experience in Romania (I recommend watching from 00:30 to 1:00):

 

              Pictures of a few Romanian dishes:

 

                And some of the sights to see:

                                              The Danube River

                                         
                                         Rural houses

                                          The Happy Cemetery

                                          The highest wooden church in the world

                On the other hand, the UK offers people a completely different experience through its urban beauty, architecture and history. For example, the top UK destination, London (Trip Advisor, 2012 ) offers over a 1000 hotels to choose from (Booking, 2012) which creates a wide enough variety to cater to the needs of all market segments no matter the experience they are looking for (Clarke & Chen, 2007, p.65).

                Here are a few pictures of some of the places tourists seek in London:

 

                To sum it all up, I believe the local culture is an important factor for the hospitality industry, as it results from the two examples I gave. Depending on the culture, the customs and traditions of the region or the country, the industry will have specific characteristics, appealing to one or multiple market segments.
    
              
               Reference list:

Books:

Clarke, A. & Chen, W. (2007), International Hospitality Management: concepts and cases, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Walker, J.R. (2004) Introduction to Hospitality Management, London; Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.

Sites:

Booking (2012) Available here (Accessed: 15 October 2012).

FOX News Network (2012) Fox News. Available here (Accessed: 16 October 2012).

Pan Travel Romania (no date) Map of Romania [Online]. Available here (Accessed: 16 October 2012).

Squidoo (2012) Available here (Accessed: 16 October 2012).

TripAdvisor (2012) Available here (Accessed: 15 October 2012).

TranSSilvanius (2008) Prince Charles Romania Transylvania Romanian People. Available here (Accessed: 14 October 2012).