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Chapter 2: Tourism Guests
Steps to Success: Global Good Practices in Travel & Tourism Human Resource Development First Article: Source: Steps to Success, Vol.1, No.1 (April 1997) Intercultural Communication Training …Meeting client cultural expectations through Japanese language and cultural training. OVERVIEW: A lei greeter's warm welcome of "Aloha" creates a true Hawaiian atmosphere in the hotel lobby. However, this Lei greeter is also fluent in Japanese, but knows to use English to the younger Japanese guests to respond to their desire to use English in a foreign country. An elderly Japanese couple asks for washroom directions, and she politely responds in Japanese using the appropriate gestures. She is a bilingual and culturally sensitive staff member who has gone through the Sheraton Hotel's Japanese culture and language training program. ITT Sheraton operates eight resort hotels in the Hawaiian Islands, four in Waikiki. In 1991, ITT Sheraton Hawaii started its Japanese programs to respond to a growing need for intercultural and language training. A Director of Japanese Training was hired to develop in-house Japanese language and culture courses which would provide employees with the cultural awareness, knowledge and skills to build the level of satisfaction amongst Japanese guests. Intercultural training yields results - Japanese guest satisfaction improved alongside dramatic improvements in staff cultural and language skills at ITT Sheraton’s four Hawaii Hotels. By 1996, 62% of guests were Japanese visitors.
A mandatory program in cultural understanding was delivered to 2,000 hotel staff who interacted with guests, including front office, food and beverage, bell services, telephone, housekeeping, engineering, concierge, security, and pool service employees. Courses are offered in two and four-hour packages, and include:
The Culture course is the most crucial course in the Japanese Programs because Japanese guests are more demanding in their service expectations. Four specific goals were established for employees taking the Culture Course:
A major difference between the Sheraton program and a conventional class is its practical and adult-learner focus. Rather than drilling students on repetitious vocabulary memorization or vocabulary knowledge, the trainees are taught job-related sentences in a fun environment so that they will be inspired to use them immediately on the job. The manual for the course was based on a thorough needs assessment, and training was customized from surveys, interviews, and from shadowing observations in each department. A by-product of the course is that it often acts as a catalyst to start a quality improvement process based on the cross-departmental information gathered through training sessions. The Japanese culture and language sessions become problem-solving sessions with staff. The full-time trainer is able to identify problem sources from the sessions across all four properties, which can then be communicated to management for further action. A "Japan Club" of culturally sensitive staff has been developed at all four hotels, which provides continuous language skill development and career
counselling. RESULTS: Since the introduction of the program in 1991, Japanese guest satisfaction has improved concurrently with dramatic improvements in staff cultural and language skills. By 1996, 62% of the guests at these four hotels were Japanese. Problem solving between the properties has been markedly improved by information sharing through the training sessions and the Japan Club.
This program not only achieved the desired outcomes in terms of staff cultural and language skills development for Japanese guest service, but also created a communications and problem-solving network at the same time.
Steps to Success: Global Good Practices in Travel & Tourism Human Resource Development Second Article: Monthly Cultural Awareness Package …A unique program offering employee insight into the cultural background of other company hotel properties. Key words: multicultural, hotels, communication, public relations, corporate culture
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts currently manages 43 properties in 18 countries (primarily under the Four Seasons and Regent brand names) and is considered the world’s leading operator of luxury hotels. Lately Four Seasons is experiencing rapid growth and change. In 1998 alone, the hotel acquired management of The Ritz Hotel in Lisbon, opened its second resort in Bali (at Sayan), and assumed management of the Kuda Huraa Reef Resort in the Republic of the Maldives. In 1999, Four Seasons anticipates opening hotels in the cities of Las Vegas, Nevada, Scottsdale, Arizona, Cairo, Egypt, Punta Mita, Canary Wharf in London, England, and Paris, France (the reopening of the George V). Over the next 36 months, this hotel management company will increase the number of rooms under its management by 40%. To provide employees with ongoing information regarding property additions, changes, and new developments, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ corporate office (called home office) created a Cultural Awareness Program. This program, originating in 1997, circulates information about sister properties by emphasizing the cultural activity wherein the property is located. The program’s specific objectives are to:
Each property that participates develops its own unique cultural awareness package. The package is property specific and includes information about the hotel
and its surrounding area. Items typically included are: destination profiles; hotel fact sheets; maps; posters; photos; a national flag; taped music cassettes; country or property area videos; a national dish recipe; local
papers; gifts, and decorative items such as locally made ribbons and gift wrapping papers. Many hotels also include a questionnaire or quiz relating to the information sent in the package. This quiz may either be question and
answer or multiple choice, or in the format of a crossword. Employees are encouraged to take the quiz as there is a prize for answering all questions correctly. IMPLEMENTATION: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ home office personnel manage the overall operation of the Cultural Awareness Program. Staff at home office design the annual schedule of monthly participants, approach the properties, and send out the annual plan. At the participating properties, the Human Resource Director coordinates the hotel’s package with the involvement of the property’s planning committee members - particularly, the Director of Marketing and the public relations department. Once a property develops their cultural package, the packages are preaddressed to each of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and then sent to the home office. Distribution is completed through the interoffice courier which operates on a weekly basis. By coordinating distribution through one central location, and using the interoffice courier, home office not only keeps distribution costs to a minimum, but also has the capability of accurately tracking shipments. In general, property public relations and marketing personnel work with the human resource department, and planning committee members, by providing ideas and information that can be used in the cultural packages. The cost of the program to the company has been minimal as the expenses for developing the cultural awareness packages entails:
So far, feedback gathered from human resources directors has been very positive. The contents of the cultural awareness package provide all properties with colourful, interesting, and informative materials for the staff bulletin board. Packages which have been circulated are kept in storage at each property in a Cultural Library (or, where not yet developed, in the human resource department). In terms of morale, staff are eager to undertake the challenging quiz questions within the package, particularly when prizes are attractive! Several properties have expanded on the program by serving special theme meals in the staff restaurant in accordance with the cultural package circulated that month. For example, an Italian meal theme might be highlighted during the month when home office circulates the Four Seasons Hotel Milan cultural package. In terms of planning at the home office level, the tasks revolve largely around communication between participating properties and organizing the annual schedule. Home office reports that properties are generally very receptive to the Cultural Awareness Program, but scheduling must be responsive to on-site projects and emergencies. One year, a back up activity was required. Home office sent out an international knowledge quiz consisting of questions involving Four Seasons properties which had previously been featured in the program. The quiz included questions concerning geography, history and culture. This quiz proved to be so successful that it may be included as a permanent part of the Cultural Awareness Program. “People, Product, and Profit - all in one package.” WTTC Human Resource Centre COMMENT: The Culture Awareness Program builds on the Four Seasons corporate culture by increasing employee cross-culture competence and global product knowledge. Rapid expansion of the Four Seasons system is managed in part by a communication strategy that encourages each property to collectively share its own unique cultural characteristics. An element of fun and surprise adds to the appeal by employees.
Chapter 2 Suggested Web Sites: 1. Statistics Canada To find out what nationality, origin, and how tourism guests to Canada are arriving see Statistics Canada publications: Travel-Log (Touriscope), International
Travel: Travel between Canada and other countries (Touriscope), and the Canadian Travel Survey. 2. Government of Canada Discover information about Canada, its people, environment, and history. This web site offers interesting facts about Canada and tests your knowledge with fun
quizzes. The valuable links include: Attractions Canada, Canada’s Capital - the NCC’s web site, Travel Canada a component of the CTC’s web site, and Travel Info which provides assistance for Canadians abroad. An individual researching travel to Canada for business or pleasure will find the travel and background information they need to make a travel decision.
3. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) 4. Canada Customs and Revenue Agency Visitor Rebate Program As a non-resident visitor, you can claim a refund for Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) you paid on eligible goods and/or short-term accommodation while visiting Canada. You can also claim a refund for provincial tax you paid in the province of Quebec (TVQ). A non-resident visitor must meet certain conditions to qualify for a tax refund to ensure that the goods are exported from Canada. Specific information can be obtained from the pamphlet, Tax Refund for Visitors to Canada, RC4031, which includes the official refund form GST176 Application for Visitor Tax Refund (PDF). This booklet is available in English, French, Japanese, and Spanish. For more information on this program or the tax refund available for business travellers, visit the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency web site.
Attractions Canada is a program involving both the private and public sectors. Its mission is to inform Canadians about all the wonderful attractions that the
country has to offer such as national parks, historical sites, museums, and much more, and encourages Canadians to discover and appreciate them. Canadians make up a large component of guests to Canada - our domestic market! 6. Outpost Outpost magazine debuted in 1996 and is available on-line and on newsstands across North American bi-monthly. The Toronto-based magazine has defied the conventions that typify other travel magazine and takes a more adventurous and realistic look at the world and how people travel through it. Visit their web site for some interesting reading!
7. Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory Worldwide, tourism offices play an important role in the decision making of travellers. Guests, whether travelling to Canada on business or leisure, often visit
the official tourism offices of the province they are intending to visit. This web site easily helps you locate all the tourism offices within each province and territory of Canada, as well as around the world. 8. Seniors Information Resource Center The over 50 age group are a growing market that more and more businesses and tourism sectors are specifically catering to. Seniors looking for Canadian travel
information will find this resource page very useful, as they can find the services they’ll need while travelling as well as information of interest to their lifestyle. 9. Journeywoman
A core responsibility of Tourism Industries is to collect, analyze, and disseminate international travel and tourism statistics for the United States. This web
site highlights the most up-to-date market analysis of international visitor information for visitors to -- and departures from -- the United States on an international, national, and state/territory/city level. Tourism
Industries provides the most up-to-date monthly figures available on arrival and departure information to and from the United States. Find more out about Canada’s American guests as they makeup part of our foreign market.
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