Hospitality Industry And CSR: A Case Study Of Intercontinental Budapest In An Essay.

Describe the hotel in your own words.

The Food & Beverage Manager has identified that the hotel could do more to attract “in house” guests to dinner in the above restaurant. Suggest three (3) unique ideas to the hotel that the F&B Manager might use?

Briefly describe in your own words four (4) tourist attractions found near the hotel. Ensure to include one natural, one man made (purpose built), one man made (non purpose built) and one event attraction.

Tourism and Transport

Describe any aspect of transport as a tourism attraction from the country . *Hint: Visit the country’s tourism website. Examples could be: ocean cruising, riverboat cruising, trains, caravans, bikes, hiking etc.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Send an email to the hotel and find out how the hotel minimises its impact on the environment in the three (3) key areas of: Power Conservation, Recycling and Water Conservation?

1. Power Conservation:
2. Recycling:
3. Water Conservation:

Impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and perceived brand quality on customer-based brand preference.

What is CRS?

Corporate Social Responsibility

Build stronger relationships with the external world

Companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment

Operating a business in a manner that meets or exceeds expectations that society has on a business:

Ethical

Legal

Commercial

Public

What is the aim of PESTEL?

Hotel description

Hospitality is the very well known industry. Hotel intercontinental Budapest is being taken to describe the hospitality in wide nature. This report will be reflecting the description about intercontinental hotel and its services. Various tourist attraction points will be discussing below. The view of F&B manager and front office manger will be showing in which they want to provide more furnished services to their service users. Corporate social responsibility is the main process for environment (Stadtler, 2015). Contribution of hospitality industry in CSR and the role of academy of IHG will be reflecting in this report.

Country	Hungary
City or Town	Budapest
Hotel Name	Intercontinental Budapest
Hotel Brand (if any)	Candlewood Suites, , Even, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo Crowned Plaza, Holiday Inn Express,
Hotel Type (e.g. city, resort, boutique etc.)	Resort
Number of rooms	398 guest rooms
Number of F&B outlets (including bars)	-
Number of Conference/ Event rooms (if any)	12 rooms

Intercontinental Budapest is the combination of contemporary elegance and modern style. It has so many facilities which provide tourist a comfort environment and leisure space. Janoc Valcz is the chief Concierge of intercontinental Budapest who served his 35 years to hotel. It is providing the elegant facilities for meeting and dinner. It has 12 smart meeting rooms and ballroom in which up to 800 guests can come. The facilities are high tech which makes sense of living for a long time. It helps to tourist to make memories so that they can be in touch with this hotel and always keep in mind. It is the hotel which is known as “best view” hotel and the location of this hotel in a well known central location. There are 398 guest rooms, along with executive rooms, pool, massage area, corso restaurant, corso bar, baby sitting services, access of small sized pets and panorama room in hotel. These all facilities attract the attention of tourist heartily and they prefer to come in same hotel again and again. It is one of the famous hotels due to its surrounding because Szechenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest city centre, opera house parliament building and Buda castle are the famous in the point of view of tour and these all views can be seen by tourist by walking distance. Intercontinental Budapest hotel maintain their relation with client by providing them expected services.

A USP is the factor which makes different from competitors by providing good services at lower cost. It is the thought that described “what the organization has that its competitors do not approach”. There are major three areas which determine the hotel’s USP that is comfort, location and value. The USP will be considered as a perfect if three elements covered (Sun, et. al., 2015).  A unique selling point of intercontinental Budapest is “we look forward to introducing you to our city's fascinating past and dynamic present”.

Figure 1: intercontinental hotel

Source: (Intercontinental, 2017).

It has been found that its USP make a sense because it is having the great view surrounding which keep the ability to attract the tourist even from long distance and help to create memorable memories of them.

The hotel restaurant of intercontinental is very attractive and it has different name that is “Corso Restaurant” which means walking area. The menu of this restaurant is very different including Asians and Mediterranean season with accent of Hungarian (Hsieh, 2012). Along with them the restaurant provides various exotic dishes of Thai and Greek. There is a corso bar available in ground floor which provides the cocktails, pastries, coffees and chocolates.

Unique selling point

Figure 2: Corso restaurant

Source: (Luxury Hotels Budapest, 2011).

For its best view, it is famous. The sitting area of corso restaurant is amazing and frequent promenade can be seen by people who have dinner in corso restaurant. Theatre like show kitchen view is also available in corso restaurant for attraction. The USP of Corso restaurant is the children who below 6 years get the free menu related kids.

In overall the management of F&B operation of intercontinental hotel’s corso restaurant is good but in the point of view of manager of F&B has some suggestion which makes more attractive to restaurant in the view of service user (Zurich, 2017). There are three suggestion is mentioned below from F&B manager of intercontinental.

1- Increase the food items

The food system is already wide in the restaurant but in the point of view of manager there should be numbers of food items as per demand of customers. However, the dining system and facility is outstanding of restaurant but there should be buffet system in an adequate manner so that customer can get what he wants on single payment (Han, 2013).

2- By hosting themed event

A special event related to particular theme can attract the in-house guest of intercontinental hotel. It is the suggestion of F&B manger to think forward and make interesting dinner which makes memories in the heart of guest. Theme should be named and the facility would be within affordable cost.

3- Customer referrals

To enhance the business as well as interest of an individual, restaurant need to provide the referral business card to their service user so that promotion and interest both can amplify. Discounted facility should be there for first time customer and reward facility also as a referral reward. It definitely enhances the interest of the guest towards restaurant.

There are various forms of rooms available in intercontinental hotel. It has the executive rooms, classic rooms and suits rooms. Each has its own quality. In the description of room, executive rooms are being taken of intercontinental hotel. Along with the executive rooms it has executive floors as well. The size is so wide and executive room covers 409 square feet. There is separate living room and bedroom facilities available in executive room. The executive room has lots of features such as high speed Wi-Fi facility, two lines phones, mini bar, and table with lamp, ironing board, A.C and coffee maker (Han, et. al., 2014). Bathroom of executive room is very classy and has the separate space of bathrobes and hair dryer.

Figure 3: Executive room

Source: (Intercontinental, 2017).

These all facilities can easily attract the tourist because along with comfortable facilities from staff of hotel, the view of outside from the room is very captivating. The space and interior of room is delightful.

However, the facilities are sufficient of intercontinental hotel but there can be some addition which enhances the interest of customers rapidly towards stay with hotel services. Three suggestions from front office manager are given below:

1- Special occasion

It is very attractive way to connect with customers and make them remember about the services. Administration of hotel should call them on their birthday, anniversary and other special occasion. It would be the great way to express sincerity.

2- Offer something memorable

It would be the great surprise for the tourist who stays in the hotel if they get something memorable things from hotel. It would keep their mind that they had taken services with great memories (Prud’homme, et. al., 2016).

3- Providing deals

It can be done by providing facilities like sending the coupons and discount offer regarding booking of room. It would make them in touch with hotels. It could be sent via phones and emails to the customers (Kandampully, et. al., 2015).

Customer service management is the overall view of particular hotel. (Guttentag, 2015).

As a Manager of intercontinental hotel I wish the guest time wish and ask about his health in an adequate manner. My word to word conversation is given below:

Manager:  Good morning Sir May I help you?

Guest: actually I am disappointed with the tip policy. If I asked waiter to remove auto cash, he denied me directly which was much unexpected from you guys. Overall job is marvelous but that was spoiled my all fun.

Manager: sorry for disappointing you, Sir but the policy is genuine. Thank you for reviewing but this practice is done as per law and amount will go directly employee without any deduction.

Guest: what are you talking? If someone does not want to give tip, it means you people force them to give tip? How ridiculous or shameful it is!

Manager: sir, it is the policy or rule. Service charge is considered as income which is fully paid to employee. Thank you!

Intercontinental hotel is built at amazing place and its surroundings are very attractive. There are four tourist attraction is mentioned below:

It is the natural beauty of Hungary. Intercontinental hotel is located near Danube River for which the guest of hotel enjoys the view of natural beauty. The river can be seen by the rooms of hotel. It creates the peace in the mind of guest and attracting point also that guest never forget.

It is the bridge which is situated on walking distance from intercontinental hotel. It is the suspension bridge in which Danube river flow between Buda and pest. It is famous bridge of Hungary. The view from bridge is outstanding and most of times people prefer Hungary to see the beauty of bridge. It is manmade tourist attraction (Chain Bridge, n.d.).

It is the place which is very historical but famous now days. The distance of this place from intercontinental hotel is hardly 6 minutes. It is called as royal castle as well because it was the palace of Hungarian’s kings. Due to historical palace, government decided for modernization. It is become a culture centre where number of tourist wanted to go.  

Hungarian folk show is the prominent in Hungary. It is the show which reflects the culture of Hungarians. It is the most attraction event of Hungary. It is not too far from intercontinental hotel and due to near from hotel, tourist would like to prefer intercontinental hotel.

However, there are various tourist attraction points situated near by intercontinental hotel which may attract guest to come again but one of the most attracting tourist points is Szechenyi Chain Bridge. It is next to the hotel and the view from chain bridge is ultimate awesome. Hotel can generate more revenue through offering the advantages of Szechenyi Chain Bridge. Due to near, it would be the major attracting point in the perception of tourist. To going Buda side, guest can prefer walk and reach on Buda hill within 10 to 15 minutes which is not too much. Buda hill covers so many attracting tourist points.

Figure 4: Szechenyi Chain Bridge.

Source: (Chain Bridge, n.d.).

It is the bridge which is able to connect Buda and Pest. By providing the I formation and explanation of its beauty, hotel can generate more revenue from tourist because it is the place which enhances the beauty of view. The well worth timing is evening to walk on bridge. During festival time it covers with lots of fun and almost every festival is celebrated on bridge. Thus, it can be the major attraction point for tourist from which hotel can earn more revenue.

Transport is the way which keeps in mind of tourist firstly. Tourist go anywhere if the transport facility is there because it is not possible to everyone to walk for a mile or ride. Hungary is a very attractive country because it has so many tourist attractive points. Castle district of Budapest consider as a more attractive point. There is funicular railway in Budapest. It provides the most attractive travel to the tourist. It takes passenger from chain bridge to the top of the castle hill. It is the way of fun for so many tourists. To take the ticket long queue is made. Funicular cable car takes shorter time to reach at the top of hill. The ticket prices are 3.5 Euros around. It was on the number of second in Europe.  Buda and Pest were separated. The chain bridge and funicular donated a lot to amalgamating Buda and Pest together.

Figure 5: funicular

Source: (Chain Bridge, n.d.).

Apart from funicular there is river cruising. A river cruise is one of the major attraction tourist factors. Cruise there are various river cruise available such as from low budget to high budget, fancy cruises and functions with optional cruise dinner.

Corporate social responsibility helps to develop a relationship with external world. Companies and organization decide to make environment and society clean and green. It focuses on to do business for which the expectations of organization and company regarding public, ethical and commercial can be fulfilled. CSR not only focus on particular sector but also its impact can put on hospitality. It facilitates to reduce wastage water and money (Kim & Kim, 2014). Along with this it focuses on to minimizing the influence on environment. Three key areas of CSR will be discussing below:

Power conservation

Power conservation is the method which enhances the supplies of electricity. There are three types of conservation. Overhaul, curtailment and efficient use of energy are the types of power conservation. Less driving is the illustration of power consumption (Tingchi Liu, et. al., 2014). Intercontinental is biggest hotel it is necessary to take care of electricity because save power would be able to save the cost of living. Intercontinental hotel consider the all aspects and make tourist feel that environment safety is prior then anything. The main focus of CSR towards hospitality industry is to increase the number of greenery because green buildings which utilize natural light would contribute huge amount of save energy.  

Accommodation operations

Recycling

The responsibility of hospitality towards environment is crucial. Hotel industry should work on reduce waste, reuse and recycle. Hotel industry should keep all data regarding waste material and audit specification should be done in industry (Buhalis & Amaranggana, 2015). It should consider the reuse of furniture, plastic, paper and aluminum. In case of renovating hospitality industry should consider to include procedure of reuse or recycle. Recycling has the ability to boost up the corporate social responsibility. Hospitality industry can be the devastating industry if it contributes support to CSR. Source of hospitality should be from sustainable suppliers (Zhou, et. al., 2014).

Water conservation

Water conservation is the strategy to preventing water so that future demand of water can be fulfilled and wastage of water can be reduced within time frame (Jones, et. al., 2016). There are so many ways available which can be taken in use to conserve the water that is turn of the tap, re-use boiled water, flush with less, and utilize less power and many more. CSR is focusing on water preservation and take support from hospitality as well by conducting campaign in which people get aware about conservation of water. Water comes under limited natural resource (Kasim, et. al., 2014).

As per (IHG, 2017).Intercontinental hotel contribute to CSR in a way of reducing water use which percentage is 79%. It has been examined that 11,985 people get benefited due to its contribution towards CSR. It performs its role towards CSR by involving local community in its IHG Academy. It is the academy which enhances the productivity and interest of an individual towards hospitality industry.  It believes that academy will open the door of intercontinental and be able to provide the opportunity to all. It is the way in which hotel run the education program for which people can improve their skills and use that for purposeful meaning.

Conclusion 

It has been concluded that hospitality industry covers the lot of interest of tourist. This report is made on intercontinental Budapest hotel which provided clear understanding about the manager and the view of Budapest. The interest and comfort zone of tourist is very important. It has been analyzed that tourist attraction point can easily attract the tourist but along with them services level should be high in the hotel.

References 

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