Unit 2: Tourism and Hospitality Business in Spain Contents 1. Tourism in Spain.... 2. Tourism and Hospitality Business... 3. Types of Hospitality Establishments 4. Types of Hotel Establishments... 5. The Hotel and its Departments... 2 4 5 6 7 1
1. Tourism in Spain The tourism business is undoubtedly one of the most important industries in Spain, providing 12% of employment. The income generated by the tourism industry has increased by more than 80% during the last 10 years, rising from 15.606 million Euros in August 1997 to 28.394 million Euros in the same month of the year 2007. These statistics reflect the importance of tourism in the Spanish economy: tourism contributes 11% of its Gross National Product. Spain ranks second in the world in terms of the number of foreign tourists, according to the data of the World Tourism Organization (Organización Mundial de Turismo OMT), after France, and it occupies second position in terms of economic revenue, behind the United States. According to the predictions of the World Tourism Organisation, the number of foreign tourists visiting Spain will increase by an average of 5% each year over the next 20 years, meaning that Spain is predicted to receive 75 million foreign tourists a year by 2020. We can therefore conclude that Spain is a tourist country that welcomes millions of tourists every year who are particularly attracted by the beaches, the abundant and amazing artistic heritage of the country, and the variety of the wonderful cuisine on offer, in addition to being one of the richest and most beautiful countries in the world because of its cultural heritage and its vast variety of tourist destinations. Between 1950 and 1970, sun and beach tourism was promoted almost exclusively, since the country provided sunnier and hotter weather than other European countries; some Spanish regions benefit from more than 300 sunny days a year. Because of this, many coastal locations, especially in Levante and Andalusia, are full of hotels, restaurants and apartments along the coastline. 2
However, many Spanish and foreign tourists also value other attractions besides the sun and the beaches: for example, the natural and cultural routes, the feasts, rural tourism, geography, culture, and the cuisine. The busiest periods for tourism are during summer, July and August, coinciding with the academic vacation and the general good weather in all of the Spanish territory. This good weather sometimes results in a heatwave, causing holidaymakers to migrate to the coasts. Spanish tourism is divided between beach tourism and inland tourism. Many Spaniards go back to their grandparents and other relatives houses during summer and at most weekends, and because of this many of the small villages inland become lively with the arrival of summer and the holidaymakers. The main reasons and features which lead tourists to choose Spain as a destination are: 1) Great routes: such as The Camino de Santiago, or La Ruta del Califato. 2) Fiestas and events: such as Las Fallas, San Fermines, and La Semana Grande de Bilbao. 3) Art and culture: Spain possesses a great cultural and artistic richness, with heritage from various villages which has been preserved in monuments as well as museums. Many visitors come to see and learn about bullfighting and the Flamenco. 4) The coast and the beaches: Spain has more than 3500 kilometres of coastline, ranging from reef coasts to white sandy beaches, but there are also areas for water sports. 5) Gastronomy and wines: Spanish cuisine is rich and diverse; from the haute cuisine to tapas and typical products like cheese, olive oil, and Serrano ham. Wine cellar visits, wine sampling courses and wine tasting are all very popular. 6) Nature: Spain has 127 natural parks with a variety of climate and vegetation. 7) Sports: In Spain you can practise all types of sports, for example water sports such as surfing in Bilbao and windsurfing in Tarifa, winter sports at any of the 29 ski stations with 837 kilometres of ski slopes, golf, and nature or adventure sports all over the country. 8) Green Spain: The rise in rural tourism has enabled Spain to become well-known for its green routes, villages, forests and natural landscape, especially in the northern coastal regions. 9) Wine routes: Spain has a strong wine-making tradition and there are wine cellars and vineyards that can be visited throughout the country. 10) Health and beauty: More and more people are coming to Spain in search of health and beauty treatments in some of the many spa resorts all over the country. 11) Children and families: Spain has a large number of theme parks, hotels, and campsites aimed at children and families. Some of the most famous and popular theme parks in the world are in 3
Spain: Portaventura in Tarragona, Isla Mágica in Seville, and Terra Mítica in Alicante are some examples. 12) Horse riding: There are schools for the art of equestrian, riding, and specific breeds of horses. You can enjoy this beautiful equestrian world as a spectator, or practise it at either professional or amateur level. Horse riding routes through beaches and mountains are becoming very popular. 13) Religion: Spain has inherited 3 of the biggest monotheist religions. Many Christians, Jews and Muslims come to Spain to visit its religious heritage acquired over the centuries. 14) Learn Spanish: As the birthplace of the language spoken by 400 million people in the world, Spain presents a wide range of possibilities to learn Spanish, such as in language schools. One such school is Instituto Hemingway, which is very prestigious. The main tourist destinations are Catalonia, Andalusia, and the Balearic and Canary Islands, although areas in the north of Spain, such as Bilbao, are rapidly-growing tourist destinations. 2. Tourism and Hospitality Business Tourism is a collection of facilities and organisations which cover all aspects of leisure trips. It involves countless activities: transportation, travel agencies, information offices, tourist publications, guides, sports facilities, training (sports classes, dance, and languages), and tourist attractions: water parks, theme parks, and monuments. The network is gradually widening, both because the concept of tourism itself is wider and because more time and money are being devoted to tourism. Consequently, this has led to there being more on offer, a reduction in costs, and including personal interest for this type of activity. The hospitality business is fundamental to the tourism sector, since it offers lodging, food, and drinks service to tourists. 4
The importance of the hospitality business also increases by providing its service to different kinds of people, especially in Spanish culture, where staying in a hotel becomes an essential part of socialising. Hospitality services are regulated and must comply with standards and schedules. For example, hotel establishments must have complaint forms at the clients disposal and a sign in Spanish and in English, which are checked regularly by the tourism commission. The commission also ensures that the establishments in the restaurant business field have an official price list with an official stamp on it, which must be visible to all clients. 3. Types of Hospitality Establishments We can make a general distinction between those establishments devoted to the restaurant business (food and drinks) and those which are dedicated to accommodation, though, obviously, there are establishments that merge both industries, such as hotels. A general breakdown of restaurant business establishments would be: bars, restaurants, and cafés. However, there is a wealth of similar establishments, such as taverns, buffets, snack bars, inns, pubs, coffee shops, night clubs, bars, kitchen ranges, cider bars, seafood restaurants, stalls, beer places, tasting places, ice cream shops, etc. and hybrids, coffee shop/bakery, bar/café, etc. In all of these places, food and/or drinks are served. The difference may be the type of products served, whether food is served, the structure, location, etc. 4. Types of Hotel Establishments Among the establishments dedicated to accommodation, we will focus on the hotel establishments, since they are the most comprehensive. They are divided into: a) Hotels b) Hostels c) Pensiones (guest-house or boarding-house) d) Aparthotels The category of hotel establishments is rated according to the quality of the facility and of the service provided, in accordance with the requirements and conditions stated on the corresponding decrees. 5
1. Hotels are rated in categories of five, four, three, two, and one star. The expression Gran Luxo (GL Great Luxury) can only be used by hotels which are rated in the five star category and which have been given such qualification by the proper tourism commission when all the installations, equipment, and service conditions are met to an exceptional standard. 2. Hostels are rated in the one or two stars categories. 3. Pensiones only have one category. 4. Aparthotels are rated in the categories of five, four, three, two, and one star. Hotel establishments, according to the location, are classified by: a) Beach b) City c) Rural d) Road It is possible to classify hotel establishments according to the services they offer: a) Sports Hotel Establishments Hotel establishments for sports are those which offer sufficient facilities for at least two types of sports, excluding swimming and table games. b) Families Hotel Establishments Hotel establishments for families should offer the following facilities and services: - Garden - Playground - T.V. room - Games room - Sports facilities - Swimming pool - Day-care centre - Children s menu - Free and obligatory cots 6
c) Gastronomy Hotel Establishments These establishments place particular emphasis on the restaurant service that they provide to both residents of the hotel and the general public, offering a great variety of dishes from national and international cuisine, and other typical regional gastronomy, more specific to the area. They also offer a wide range of international brand wines as well as Spanish and regional wines. d) Business, Meetings and Events Hotel Establishments Hotels and aparthotels make up this special category, providing the following services and installations: - Translation services - Conference rooms - Meeting rooms - Office area for the use of the guests - Office computer services, faxes, computers, and internet connection - Messenger services - 20% of the rooms must be able to be converted into offices or meeting rooms during the day - Secretarial services - Currency exchange services - Medical services - Information services covering: 1. Transport timetables 2. Urban public transport routes 3. Places of interest in the city 4. Restaurants and specialities 5. Maps of the city. e) Monuments These are hotel establishments located in a property that has been declared as being of cultural interest. The Paradores Nacionales chain deserves a special mention. In a way, it was the first chain in Spain to offer accommodation with the aim of promoting tourism in the country. Los Paradores 7
are historical buildings and monuments that finance their own renovation and preservation through the hotel business; in addition they have the objective of promoting places that private companies do not wish to invest in as tourist destinations. There are many other types of lodgings in Spain such as: hostels, guesthouses, aparthotels, motels, campsites, etc., all properly regulated and authorized by the Tourism Commission and respective autonomous communities. Over the past few years, there has been a great effort to eliminate architectural obstacles in new buildings, both public and private, and especially in hotels and restaurants in order to facilitate access to people with special needs. There are adaptable bathrooms and accessible rooms in the majority of hotel establishments. 5. The Hotel and its Departments Among the establishments that offer accommodation services, the hotel occupies the top spot due to the number and variety available. It is common to find restaurants at hotels. The main departments in a hotel are the Reception and Room Management departments; a hotel will always have these two departments, regardless of its size. The majority of hotels offer Internet connection and sometimes even connection through the T.V. in the room. These connections usually cost extra. Some hotels provide Wi-Fi connection or may simply provide a separate room with computers and internet connection. In any case, in Spain there are many internet cafés and telephone cabins, as well as libraries and public children s play-centres with wireless internet connection. The Reception area is necessary for assisting the guests, checking in, key control, billing, etc. The Room Management department is in charge of the cleaning of the premises, the rooms, and the laundry service. At larger hotels there are departments such as: - Management/Sub-Management - Commercial Management - Administration/Intervention 8
- Human Resources/Occupational Hazards - Entertainment/Customer Service - Marketing and Sales - Quality Control - Technician Services/Maintenance - Restaurants/Banquets - Bars - Cafés - Kitchen/Company Store At specialist or high category holiday hotels, there are many other departments such as: gym, spa, gardening, nightclub, sports, etc., although sometimes these departments are not managed directly by the hotel and the activity is subcontracted to another specialist company. The same is increasingly common with the laundry service. In any case, the subcontracted services continue to be a service offered to the guests and the public in general, and the hotel must answer for them to the guests if there are any problems. In the majority of hotels there is at least one person who speaks English, but this does not mean that all the staff are able to speak it fluently. Remember that about only 5% of the Spanish population is able to manage the English language fluently, and only 20% are able to maintain a basic conversation. 9