Hotel Area Research Articles

Ensuring positive feedback: Factors that influence customer satisfaction in the contemporary hospitality industry

This study provides insight into the hotel characteristics that have a significant association with customer satisfaction. Data related to a sample of 6768 hotels located in 47 capital cities in Europe are analysed by using a linear mixed model technique. The results confirm the findings of previous studies, which state that hotel star rating is the single most important factor that influences customer experience. Furthermore, the presence of air-conditioning devices in rooms, a bar located within the hotel area, access to Wi-Fi Internet free of charge, membership in a branded hotel chain and price have significant positive associations with customer satisfaction (ceteris paribus). Variables that appear to be adversely associated with customer satisfaction are distance from the city centre, size of the hotel, and general hotel price level in the city where the hotel is located.

Feasibility of CCHP System in Certain Large-Scale Public Building

According to the information of a large-scale public building in Shanghai, annual hourly loads of cooling, heating and power are calculated separately on the basis of Hourly Load Apportionment Ratio Method. Based on load characteristics and local practical condition, three cases are proposed for further comparison and selection by PRUE, ESR, CRR and PBP, and then the optimal case is to be determined. Moreover, the impact of installed capacity and gas price on the effect of applying CCHP system would be discussed. The result shows that both hotel and office area are appropriate for utilizing CCHP system; the combination of electro-refrigerator and absorption refrigerator is more economically preferable; PBP increases at first and then decreases while the capacity of electric generator rises, and when the capacity of generator and refrigerator are 4000kW and 4500RT, the PBP is lowest; The PBP will be 3 to 5 years if the price of natural gas could be fixed between 2.5 Yuan/m3 and 3Yuan/m3, which is a remarkable indicator of economical efficiency.

PENGEMBANGAN SEKTOR-SEKTOR EKONOMI DI TIAP KECAMATAN DI KABUPATEN MAGELANG

The purpose of the study was to identify and determine the sectoral planning of the leading sectors to be developed to support the economic growth of each district in the district Magelang and develop strategies in each district development planning in Magelang districts to spur economic growth. The method used in this study, namely Location Quotient, Shift Share and Klassen Typology sectoral approach. The result showed that the service sector, agriculture and trade in the district Magelang dominate key sectors that exist in each district in the district Magelang. The subdistrict that be recommended as development in service sector area they are Windusari subdistrict, Dukun subdistrict, Ngluwur subdistrict, Salaman subdistrict, Muntilan subdistrict, Secang subdistrict, Tegalrejo subdistrict, Ngablak subdistrict and pakis subdistrict. Subdistrict that be recommended as development sector areas in agliculture they are kajoran subdistrict, Bandongan subdistric, Borobudur subdistric, Tegalrejo subdistric, Sawangan subdistric, Pakis subdistric, Srumbung subdistric, and Ngablak subdistric. . The subdistrict that can be recommended as development commerce, hotel and restaurant sector area they are Borobudur subdistrict, Mungkid subdistrict, Candimulyo subdistrict, mertoyudan subdistrict, Sawangan subdistrict and Secang subdistrict.

Resource efficient cleaner production (RECP) as a potential tool for greening the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka

Environmental pollution, changing patterns of consumption and production and increased sustainable development concerns create new challenges for companies worldwide. The hospitality sector activities are also strongly linked to the three pillars of sustainable development: economic competitiveness, social importance and environmental impact. Integrated and new approaches for materials and energy management are required to follow sustainable economic and ecological objectives and to succeed in the global. The concept of cleaner production suit the ideal business environment to tackle the challenges of the changing global context and offers concrete solutions for increases efficiency and reduces risks to humans and the environment.The hotel sector is a very important sector in current Sri Lankan economy. However it was identified that the industry is one of the highest consumers of energy and natural resources. According to the Sustainable Energy Authority the total hotel load is estimated to be about 4-5 % of the total demand of the national grid. The average energy cost of a typical hotel is around 25% of its total operational cost.Comprehensive assessments were conducted in selected hotels according to the UNIDO CleanerProduction (CP) methodology. The study showed that the significant environmental issues in the context of daily hotel operations includeWater consumption and wastewater generation, Solid waste management and Air quality (indoors and outdoors). Also through an energy audit it was found that the key energy consuming areas of hotels include lighting, air conditioning, cooking etc. Air conditioning accounts for 50% of total energy consumption in a hotel.There are various practical CP options for hotel sector to reduce its impact on the environment and achieve cost savings which is important for industry performance in a competitive business environment. This study helped to identify CP options that can be implemented in hotel sector in general. Most of the CP options identified can be implemented with relatively short payback period. The findings of the case studies showed that on average about 25% of the water consumption, 20% waste generation and 20 % electricity consumption can be reduce in the five hotels studies. Keywords: Sustainable tourism, Green Hotel, Cleaner Production, Industrial Ecology

Epidemiology of internal contamination with polonium-210 in the London incident, 2006

BackgroundMore than 700 UK residents were tested for possible contamination with polonium-210 (210Po) following the alleged poisoning of Mr Alexander Litvinenko in London in November 2006. This paper describes the...

Heavy metals pollution in sediment cores from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

The distribution of metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Ni and Zn) was determined in sediment cores collected from five major areas representing different anthropogenic activities along the Jordanian coast during 27 February-11 March 2008. Metal concentrations in these sediments were relatively low compared to reported values from polluted areas. At some of the sites metal concentrations showed fluctuations with depth in the core suggesting changes in metal loading with time. The calculated contamination factors (CFs) for the suite of metals decreased in the following order Cd > Pb > Cr > Ni >Zn > Cu. The Pollution Loading Index (PLI) calculated for the different areas were highest at Phosphate Loading Berth (0.008, 0.2607, 0.0161, 0.007, 47.9375 and 0.0296 for Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cd and Cr, respectively) and lowest at Hotel Area (0.0001, 0.0075, 0.0008, 0.0006, 1.0483 and 0.0005 for Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cd and Cr, respectively) with others sites between these extremes. Result of this study could be used to assess the magnitude of pollution at each site and guide rational management decisions. Moreover, the data constitutes a baseline against which future anthropogenic effects can be assessed.

Assessment of seagrass communities along the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

The distribution and abundance of seagrass communities have been investigated from from three sites along the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. The results showed that the seagrass Halophila stipulacea has the widest distribution in all sites. However, the species Halodule uninervis and Halophila ovalis were less abundant and were found at the Tala Bay site and only at shallow depths. The seagrass distributions increased with increasing depth up to 12 m, and thereafter declined. However, in some shallow areas, seagrass is completely absent due to extensive human activities. On average, the highest seagrass cover from this study was recorded at the Tala Bay site (36.6%), followed by 29.9% and 22.9% at Phosphate Loading Berth and Hotel Area sites, respectively. The mean biomass of leaves for the seagrass species H. stipulacea averaged 104.2 g m−2. The values increase with depth, reaching maximum at 12 m depth and followed by decrease down. Changes in mean leaf density, length, width, number of shoots and shoot length in all sites closely followed changed in biomass. These could be attributed to decreasing irradiance and as an adaptive change response to lower light intensities and lower growth rates at deeper depths.

The flower and the butterfly constructed wetland system at Koh Phi Phi—System design and lessons learned during implementation and operation

In 2007, a constructed wetland system was implemented on the tourist island of Koh Phi Phi in Southern Thailand. This paper presents the process of planning, designing and implementing the system and discusses the performance and operational issues 3 years after implementation. The system is an international lighthouse project showing the potential for aesthetical integration of constructed wetland systems in the built environment. The system comprises a wastewater collection system for the main business and hotel area of the island, a pumping station and a pressure pipe system to the treatment facility, a multi-stage constructed wetland system, and a system for reuse of treated wastewater. The treatment chains consist of vertical-flow, horizontal subsurface flow and free water surface flow units. Because the treatment system is located at the centre of the island, surrounded by resorts, restaurants and shops, the systems are designed with terrains as scenic landscaping. The wastewater is treated to meet the Thai effluent standards for total suspended solids and nitrogen, but because of inadequate pre-treatment and removal of oil and grease prior to the system, the standards for oil and grease and BOD are not met. A number of challenges during construction and operation have caused problems with clogging of the vertical flow constructed wetlands and given rise to odour problems. Safeguards were prepared, but not effectively activated, mainly because no key-person or key-authority took responsibility for managing the system.

Studies on the Fungi Associated with Soft Rot of Carrot ( Daucus Carota ) in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria

A study was carried out on the fungi associated spoilage of carrot in Ilorin, north central Nigeria. Carrot samples were collected from five locations in the city, namely; Ipata market, Challenge area, Adewole Estate, Sango, Kwara Hotel area and Sawmill. These were subjected to conventional fungal isolation procedures. Altogether, six different fungi were isolated and included were Aspergillus niger, Mucor racemosus, Penicillium italicum, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium sp . and Alternaria sp . The most frequently occurring isolate was M. racemosus (58%) followed by A. niger , (45%) and P. italicum (38%). Carrot samples from the Ipata market were the most infested and yielded all types of the six fungi isolated. Artificial inoculations of healthy carrot roots singly with each of the isolates revealed that only P. italicum and Alternaria sp . caused rot in artificially inoculated carrot under the conditions of this study. Keywords : Carrot, fungi, soft rot, spoilage, Nigeria

Wastewater treatment in tsunami affected areas of Thailand by constructed wetlands

The tsunami of December 2004 destroyed infrastructure in many coastal areas in South-East Asia. In January 2005, the Danish Government gave a tsunami relief grant to Thailand to re-establish the wastewater management services in some of the areas affected by the tsunami. This paper describes the systems which have been built at three locations: (a) Baan Pru Teau: A newly-built township for tsunami victims which was constructed with the contribution of the Thai Red Cross. Conventional septic tanks were installed for the treatment of blackwater from each household and its effluent and grey water (40 m3/day) are collected and treated at a 220 m2 subsurface flow constructed wetland. (b) Koh Phi Phi Don island: A wastewater collection system for the main business and hotel area of the island, a pumping station and a pressure pipe to the treatment facility, a multi-stage constructed wetland system and a system for reuse of treated wastewater. The constructed wetland system (capacity 400 m3/day) consists of vertical flow, horizontal subsurface flow, free water surface flow and pond units. Because the treatment plant is surrounded by resorts, restaurants and shops, the constructed wetland systems are designed with terrains as scenic landscaping. (c) Patong: A 5,000 m2 constructed wetland system has been established to treat polluted water from drainage canals which collect overflow from septic tanks and grey water from residential areas. It is envisaged that these three systems will serve as prototype demonstration systems for appropriate wastewater management in Thailand and other tropical countries.

Evaluation of ground deformations induced by the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake (Turkey) at selected sites on shorelines

The Kocaeli earthquake (Mw = 7.4) of 17 August 1999 occurred in the Eastern Marmara Region of Turkey along the North Anadolu Fault and resulted in a very serious loss of life and property. One of the most important geotechnical issues of this event was the permanent ground deformations because of both liquefaction and faulting. These deformations occurred particularly along the southern shores of Izmit Bay and Sapanca Lake between the cities of Yalova and Adapazari in the west and east, respectively. In this study, three sites founded on delta fans, namely Degirmendere Nose, Yenikoy tea garden at Seymen on the coast of Izmit Bay, and Vakif Hotel site on the coast of Sapanca Lake were selected as typical cases. The main causes of the ground deformations at these sites were then investigated. Geotechnical characterization of the ground, derivation of displacement vectors from the pre- and post-earthquake aerial photographs, liquefaction assessments based on field performance data, and analyses carried out using the sliding body method have been fundamental in this study. The displacement vectors determined from photogrammetric evaluations conducted at Degirmendere and Seymen showed a combined movement of faulting and liquefaction. But except the movements in the close vicinity of shorelines, the dominant factor in this movement was faulting. The results obtained from the analyses suggested that the ground failure at Degirmendere was a submarine landslide mainly because of earthquake shaking rather than liquefaction. On the other hand, the ground failures at the Yenikoy tea garden on the coast of Seymen and the hotel area in Sapanca town resulted from liquefaction-induced lateral spreading. It was also obtained that the ground deformations estimated from the sliding body method were quite close to those measured by aerial photogrammetry technique.

How should workers be transported to a developing hotel area in Cuba?

The objective of this work was to analyse different alternatives for transporting workers every day from their towns to their workplace in a growing hotel area on the Cuban coast and back. Even though the main concern when carrying out the analysis was the reduction of travel times, other additional issues, like nature preservation or economic development, as well as the specific characteristics of the Cuban socio-economic environment, were also kept in mind. A cost?benefit analysis, both from a financial and an economic perspective, was carried out, in order to select the best alternative. Since much relevant data was lacking and had to be estimated, a sensitivity analysis was also introduced to guarantee the robustness of the results to a higher extent.

Geochemical and textural properties of carbonate and terrigenous sediments along the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba

The physicochemical properties of 21 marine sediment samples were investigated, collected from five different localities along the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. According to the chemical parameters, sediments were categorized into three groups: carbonate (80% CaCO3), composed mainly of materials of calcareous skeletal structures; terrigenous (<10% CaCO3) depositional areas for land-derived materials from surrounding rocks and alluviums; and a admixture of the first two (19–37% CaCO3). High significant linear correlations were found between organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN), indicating the occurrence of these components in a common phase (organic matter). Despite the co-occurrence of TP in organic matter, these two elements were negatively correlated, indicating anthropogenic sources of pollution such as phosphate exportation (hotel areas and clinker port sites) and industrial activities (industrial complex site). The study found that variations in texture properties and mud contents were due to differences in sediment sources, topography and their response during currents and waves. The finer, well-sorted sediments contain lower elemental concentrations of OC, calcium carbonate and TN (excluding TP) than coarser, poorly-sorted sediments.

Towards the Measurement of Innovation—A Pilot Study in the Small and Medium Sized Hotel Industry

SUMMARY This paper discusses the importance of innovation as a key component of business strategy in tourism, as well as determinants of innovation processes in the small and medium sized hotel industry in alpine tourism destinations of Europe. Initially, the paper delivers a literature overview on innovations as prerequisites for competitive advantages. Furthermore, the authors shed more light on the measurement of innovation in the tourism industry. The empirical study has been carried out in alpine tourism destinations focusing on the assessment of innovation activities in small and medium sized (SMEs) hotels. Diverse functional areas of hotels have been analysed and the results show rather low degrees of innovation in all areas of the hotel value chain.

A Reservation Aggregation Framework Design for Demand Estimation

Effective management practices in the tourism and hotel area have seldom been more important than at the present time. Pricing decisions cannot be taken without serious thought. IT has provided the opportunity for a customer to make a quick market search and it offers decision support systems that can be used in the hotel management. The heart of yield management system consists of the predicting machine, which estimates the number of incoming reservations. Incoming reservations arrive randomly in time. The time series calculi as well as the estimators known from control engineering require properly defined time rows (with a constant period). This requirement is usually not fulfilled, so the input data are not exploited properly. This paper outlines a procedure that aggregates the reservations into a time series that is useful for demand prediction. The algorithm prepares the data systematically for further processing. Any method that process time rows can be used for subsequent prediction: time series, linear models or time extrapolation.

STRUCTURAL AND GEOTECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE 1995 GULF OF AQABA EARTHQUAKE

A swarm of earthquakes began in the northern portion of the Gulf of Aqaba on November 22, 1995 with amaximum local wave magnitude of ML 6.2 and focal depth of about 15km, causing damage to buildings in the Aqaba region. More than 8000 after shocks were recorded during the next 40 days. Observations related to damage to structures and soil liquefaction are presented by photos and discussed. Generally, engineered low-rise buildings with one to four stories above ground behaved satisfactorily. The hotel area in Aqaba on the shoreline appears to be riskier for flexible buildings during major earthquakes. Therefore, denser inland alluviums or rock sites should be considered for constructing new high-rise buildings and hotels.

The Meaning of “Ambience” in Famous Hotels in Geneva

This paper examines the question of ambience in tourism. Some researchers argue that ambience is a key concept in tourism. According to MacCannell (1987), tourists pursue feeling, style, and ambience, and Briton (1991) suggested that the special ambience of a hotel is an indispensable commodity for tourists. But the expression “special ambieance of a hotel” is vague and one aim of this paper is to clarify its meaning. A case study was made of famous urban hotels in Geneva, where the hotel industry is regarded as very important, to demonstrate what the ambience of a hotel actually means. The following points were noted: each hotel's brochure composed of photographs and text and the general manager's comments about the ambience of the hotel. The brochures were collected in the reception areas of hotels in Geneva. The comments were gathered by sending out open questionnaires. Responses to questions like, “What is the atmosphere in your hotel?” and “Is the atmosphere important for your hotel?” were studied. In analyzing the brochures collected in each hotel, two trends emerged. First, there is a close relationship between the word “ambience” and the words “warm” and “relaxed.” Another point is that the word “ambience” is most often used in the description of restaurants, cafes, and bars. In the hotel brochures, ambience was exclusively used to mean a warm and relaxed atmosphere of a hotel's restaurants, cafes, and bars. On the other hand, the general managers' comments were more original and diverse. For example, the general manager of the Hotel Beau Rivage, the most famous hotel in Geneva, insisted that a refined, peaceful, and elegant atmosphere is created by the hotel's history, architecture, and personnel. In the Beau Rivage, the ambience symbolically represents the history and landscape of Geneva. The general manager of the Hotel Noga Hilton, the largest modern hotel in Geneva, stated that the hotel's ambience is created by people assembled in hotel's theater or people crossing the entrance hall. The Noga Hilton strives to create the dynamics of a small town atmosphere. The general manager of the Hotel De La Cigogne, the only member of the celebrated international “Relais et Chateaux” association of hotels in Geneva, said that it is the visitors themselves who feel the ambience of the hotel: in the discovery of a new decoration, or the recollection of an antecedent stay. In La Cigogne, the image of a charming Swiss house is presented to visitors. The wide range of comments by the different general managers illustrates that every hotel uses the discourse of ambience to constitute and diffuse to the public its original social and spatial territory: the Beau Rivage is a symbolic and legendary palace; the Noga Hilton is a vivid and crowded town; and the La Cigogne is a warm and friendly home.

Long-Span Double Tees Enhance Spacious Convention Facilities in Chateau on the Lake

A major requirement in the design of the Chateau on the Lake - a $35 million hotel and convention center in Branson, Missouri -was the need for a nearly 130 ft (40 m) clear span for ballroom and exhibit space and large conference rooms, as well as parking space for a below-ground garage. The solution was provided by an all-precast/prestressed concrete structural shell together with a two-span double tee floor over below-floor parking, and a 128 ft (39 m) double roof clear span using 8 x 4 ft (2.44 x 1.22 m) double tees. Design and logistic challenges were met successfully with a fast-track schedule that incorporated the fabrication of more than 1800 precast/ prestressed components for a combined hotel and convention area of 350,000 sq ft (32550 m 2 ). This article presents the design, production, transportation and erection highlights of the project.

Effluent re-use in a tourist resort - larnaca sewage treatment and irrigation project - cyprus

Designs for sewerage, sewage treatment and effluent disposal prepared in the 1980's, included for marine disposal of secondary treated and disinfected effluent via a 1.5 km long sea outfall. A reappraisal of the scheme in 1990 reviewed alternative options with a view to reducing costs and utilising effluent. An economic comparison showed that effluent storage and irrigation was an attractive alternative to marine disposal. A scheme was designed whereby all effluent will be given secondary treatment, stored in reservoirs until required for irrigation, withdrawn through sand filters, disinfected and pumped to an irrigation distribution system serving public amenity areas throughout Larnaca, including parks, gardens, road verges and hotel areas. A sea outfall will not be provided. The advantages of the scheme are conservation of water, improvement to the environment and prevention of marine pollution at a reduction in cost compared to the originally proposed scheme.

Effluent re-use in a tourist resort — Larnaca sewage treatment and irrigation project — Cyprus

Designs for sewerage, sewage treatment and effluent disposal prepared in the 1980′s, included for marine disposal of secondary treated and disinfected effluent via a 1.5 km long sea outfall. A reappraisal of the scheme in 1990 reviewed alternative options with a view to reducing costs and utilising effluent.An economic comparison showed that effluent storage and irrigation was an attractive alternative to marine disposal.A scheme was designed whereby all effluent will be given secondary treatment, stored in reservoirs until required for irrigation, withdrawn through sand filters, disinfected and pumped to an irrigation distribution system serving public amenity areas throughout Larnaca, including parks, gardens, road verges and hotel areas. A sea outfall will not be provided.The advantages of the scheme are conservation of water, improvement to the environment and prevention of marine pollution at a reduction in cost compared to the originally proposed scheme.