Business tourism in Kaluga region : Attraction of foreign business customers to Hilton Garden
Litke, Vita (2015)
Litke, Vita
Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015061413336
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015061413336
Tiivistelmä
The research was conducted for Kaluga Hilton Garden Inn hotel recently opened in Kaluga, Russia. The objective was to study the business tourism segment and the factors influencing foreign business tourists’ behavior, discover whether Hilton corresponds to the needs of corporate travelers. French and German businessmen were chosen as the target as they are the most frequent foreign travelers visiting Kaluga. Another objective was to give recommendations for Hilton Garden Inn about how to attract members of this target group to the hotel.
The theoretical background was based on the overview of business tourism, MICE industry, and hospitality consumer behavior. The service design concept and cultural differences were also discussed. The main literary and Internet sources included such experts as Swarbrooke and Horner, Kotler, Hollins, Moritz and Hofstede.
The empirical research was conducted using a qualitative method, applying a visual tool from the Service Design framework. The data was gathered by conducting eight semi- structured interviews with French and German businessmen who travel to Russia for business purposes and are well acquainted with Kaluga city. The research data was analyzed by coding and grouping the answers by the differences and similarities. The information collected from the participants was evaluated according to the theories discussed in the work earlier.
The results showed that the most important factors influencing booking decisions were the comfort of the room, Wi-Fi and the location of the hotel. The respondents provided informative feedback about the hotel and the services provided. Overall, the Kaluga Hilton Garden Inn corresponds to and fulfills business tourists’ needs and expectations. Based on the interviewee’s comments, recommendations for improvement were given to the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel.
The theoretical background was based on the overview of business tourism, MICE industry, and hospitality consumer behavior. The service design concept and cultural differences were also discussed. The main literary and Internet sources included such experts as Swarbrooke and Horner, Kotler, Hollins, Moritz and Hofstede.
The empirical research was conducted using a qualitative method, applying a visual tool from the Service Design framework. The data was gathered by conducting eight semi- structured interviews with French and German businessmen who travel to Russia for business purposes and are well acquainted with Kaluga city. The research data was analyzed by coding and grouping the answers by the differences and similarities. The information collected from the participants was evaluated according to the theories discussed in the work earlier.
The results showed that the most important factors influencing booking decisions were the comfort of the room, Wi-Fi and the location of the hotel. The respondents provided informative feedback about the hotel and the services provided. Overall, the Kaluga Hilton Garden Inn corresponds to and fulfills business tourists’ needs and expectations. Based on the interviewee’s comments, recommendations for improvement were given to the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel.