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Abstract

Holiday Inns Worldwide has recently acquired the management contract for Australia's largest and most diverse resort. Hamilton Island Resort is situated in the Whitsunday Islands off the Queenslaud coast. Though well positioned as a global hotel operator, Holiday Inns lacks awareness in Australia. This paper addresses the following key issues:

— Holiday Inns' regional ambitions;

— why Holiday Inns needed Hamilton Island;

— how the resort's new branding (positioning) was determined;

— how the product was modified to satisfy the branding;

—how it is communicating its marketing strategy; and

— the level of success of branding (positioning).

The fate of the newest and biggest Crowine Plaza Resort may well determine the immediate success of the Holiday Inns chain in this country. The future marketing direction of the operators will impact on the perception within the market. Follow-up papers and comparative analysis will detail the ongoing marketing efforts and their performance in this new market for Holiday Inns.

Keywords

Australian case study management contracts marketing positioning branding consumer expectations product development

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References

Litteljohn, D. and Roper, A. (1991) 'Changes in International Hotel Companies' Strategies', in R. Teare and A. Boer (eds), 'Strategic Hospitality Management', Cassell Educational Ltd, pp. 196-204.

Paulon, D.H. (1993) 'Hamilton Island Limited Prospectus', Australia.

Ibid.

Harrison, L. and Johnson, K. (1992) 'International Hotel Groups Directory', Hotel Portfolio Research, Queensgate, UK.

Ibid.

Lewis, R.C. (1989) 'Crowne Plaza/ Amsterdam' , in 'Cases in Hospitality Marketing and Management', citing Rose, John Wiley & Sons, USA.

Lippiatt, C. (1994) 'Accor Asia Pacific's Tough Pragmatist', Travel Week, Peter Isaacson Publications , Australia, No. 817, p. 6.

Cooper, J. (1994) 'Hotelier Fighting Battle for Survival in Paradise', The Weekend Australian, 17th-18th September, p. W3.

10.

Hutcheon, H. (1994) 'H.I. Plans 20 New Hotels' , Travel Week, Peter Isaacson Publications, Australia, No. 817, p. 11.

11.

Williams, K. (1989) 'The Hamilton Island Story' , 2nd edn, Hamilton Island Enterprises , Australia.

12.

See ref. 8 above.

13.

See ref. 1 above.

14.

See ref. 2 above.

15.

Lewis, R. and Nightingale , M. (1991) 'Targeting Service to Your Customer', The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, Vol. 32, pp. 18-27.

16.

Muhlemann, A. , Oakland, J. and Lockyer, K. (1992) 'Production and Operations Management', Pitman Publishing , London.

17.

Ibid., and ref. 15 above.

18.

Grant Samuel & Associates ( 1995) 'Hamilton Island Limited', Report by the Directors recommending rejection of the inadequate take-over offer from BT Australia Ltd, Australia.

19.

Ibid.

20.

Ibid.

21.

Ibid.

Holiday Inns Worldwide launch down under: an Australian preliminary case study

Abstract

Keywords

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References