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News from the Netherlands Antilles
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Select Caribbean resorts maintain high occupancy despite recession
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| Published on Thursday, October 1, 2009 | Email To Friend Print Version
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CORAL GABLES, USA -- In the current economic climate, the hospitality industry has been feeling the effects of travelers cutting back, and no place is this more evident than in the Caribbean. In spite of this, some Caribbean resorts are weathering the storm thanks to solid service and marketing programs and an emphasis on the importance of repeat business.
Within this group are St. Lucia’s Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa and Aruba’s Bucuti Beach Resort, which have maintained high occupancy rates at a time when other island resorts are shuttering. Below, decision makers at both resorts offer an inside perspective on how they’ve kept guests coming through the doors.
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa, Vieux Fort, St Lucia
Over the past few months, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa has consistently achieved the highest occupancy levels in St Lucia, reaching nearly 99 percent at times - an impressive feat, especially in low season. The resort team attributes this success in part to creative value-added promotions, laser-beam pricing strategies and travel agent incentive programs.
“These days, deals are everywhere and travelers know that now is the time to shop around for the best ones,” said Mark Adams, president of National Continental Hotels, the parent company of Coconut Bay. “To remain competitive, we used creative pricing and paid attention to yield management, which allows us to maximize revenues while still offering great deals.”
For example, the resort has launched a "Recession Relief" package where kids stay free (along with a paying adult) and adults receive two complimentary massages. Similar programs for girlfriend getaways, couples and honeymooners are also available with all-inclusive rates starting at a low $97 per person with a $350 weekly resort credit. Some of these special packages offer savings of more than 55 percent.
Though the resort is offering deals too good to pass up, they aren’t holding back when it comes to infrastructure improvements. In response to guest feedback, Adams has invested heavily in the resort throughout the recession and Coconut Bay is now home to a paintball field, an on-site water sports complex with kitesurfing, an expanded pool deck, an adventure desk for island attractions, upgraded premium rooms and a new stage for nightly cultural entertainment.
“We want our guests to know that we understand the economic challenges out there and don’t want that to prohibit them from coming to Coconut Bay,” said Adams. “Many of our guests have stayed with us before, and we value their loyalty. We are committed to providing them with a top-of-the-line experience and will continue improving the resort so they are always wowed. We also want to make a great impression on new guests taking advantage of our deals so that they want to come back again in the future. Neither service nor quality should fall victim to the recession, and that approach has helped us weather the storm at Coconut Bay.”
Bucuti Beach Resort & Spa, Eagle Beach, Aruba
At Bucuti Beach Resort in Aruba, the sales and marketing team has maintained high occupancy levels by focusing on what differentiates the resort from others in Aruba and cultivating close, personal relationships with loyal guests instead of offering discounts.
Since opening in 1987, Bucuti has maintained an annual occupancy level of 90 percent or above and has not fallen victim to the low numbers being reported throughout the industry over the last year. Resort owner and CEO Ewald Biemans believes this is a direct result of the loyal repeat guest base that has been cultivated through years of personal relationship building. In fact, return guests have accounted for nearly half of Bucuti’s bookings in 2009.
“It has always been our philosophy to treat the resort as our home and guests as family,” said Biemans. “We know our guests by name and work to develop a personal connection with them, whether it’s making sure every member of the staff congratulates newlyweds when they see them or having a drink with a couple at dinner. We hope they feel so at home that they are planning their next trip before they ever check out.”
The Bucuti team stays in constant correspondence with guests through a resort Facebook page and Twitter account, as well as a Facebook page run by the resort’s wedding planner. Bucuti has more than 1,000 fans on Facebook, may of whom interact directly with one another and resort management by sharing their photos and experiences. This open stream of contact has allowed Bucuti’s ownership and management to correspond directly with guests now more than ever before.
In addition to attracting business from repeat guests, Bucuti has placed an increased emphasis on the fact that it is the only beachfront hotel in Aruba that caters exclusively to couples, and those in the market for romantic travel have recognized this. For example, Bucuti’s Tara Suites were built to honeymooners specifications, and because of this, they are always the first to sell out even though they are the highest priced rooms.
In Biemans’ opinion, couples will still be getting married and celebrating anniversaries regardless of what is going on in the economy, and Bucuti will continue to deliver a top-notch experience that keeps attracting guests.
“We are confident that by keeping our price structure intact and not discounting, we are supporting the value of our product and this has not distracted the type of customer we target from booking their wedding, honeymoon or vacation at Bucuti,” said Biemans. | | | | Reads : 1374 | | | |
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