Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

Resorts and Time-Shares
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Lagging productivity gains. All segments of the lodging industry require
labor for guest services. Unfortunately, the industry has not enjoyed the pro-
ductivity gains achieved by other industries. Productivity issues especially
affect resort hotels that depend on skilled and unskilled persons in many dif-
ferent positions. Also, properties that hire many staff members at the begin-
ning of a season and dismiss them at its end have special problems. The cost
of recruiting and developing highly trained staff members can also create
productivity problems.
If the resort and time-share segment (and the entire hotel industry) is to
meet its potential, managers must devote more attention to finding ways to
improve employee productivity. Then they can better use existing staff and cre-
ate opportunities to employ more individuals at competitive wages.
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Increased expectations about social and economic responsibilities. Some locations
such as those in Hawaii or Mexico can benefit from projects that yield an addi-
tional resort or time-share in an already developed tourism region. Many
tourists, however, want to visit pristine or exclusive areas that are remote or
exotic and where little, if any, development has occurred. Although their inten-
tions are not to harm these areas, many tourists put demands on local labor,
food supplies, and natural resources that can significantly change the areas.
These changes can spoil the attributes that attracted the tourists initially.
Increased demand can also cause the prices for resources to exceed the abilities
of residents to afford them.
Those who build and manage resorts and time-shares are increasingly
being held responsible for the potentially negative impacts that development
can have on local residents and the natural environment. Responsible managers
work with local officials so that the quality of life enjoyed by local residents is
improved by area development.
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Transnational competition. Resort and time-share guests come from all over the
world and from a variety of cultural backgrounds and income levels. Now they
can choose from more world-class properties operated by fewer transnational