LIKE THE AIRLINES WHO ADD FUEL CHARGES, SECURITY, TAXES, SURCHARGES AND OTHER CHARGES, HOTELS ARE NOW FOLLOWING SUIT.
The 'timeshare industry' refer to most of us as OPPS or Opportunities. They strategically hunt us, track us down to pitch and then sell us lifestyle. Hoteliers are more soft touch or at least were. Now when we check in, we are fair prey!!
Now the hotel industry is starting to cotton on to the concept of opportunities to raise the average expenditure from a basic room charge to a host of other goods and services. Not only are guests OPPS to the hoteliers, they are also OPPS to the politicians who view guests and visitors the world over as 'non-voting taxpayers' and now charities who have collectively added a slew of taxes and extras to the hotel visits, some voluntary, some not.
The days are gone where your room rate covered a range of goodies or enticements that served as standards of excellence, expressions of welcome, hospitality amenities but have now turned into a series of 'got yous'.
Here are the ones that are particularly annoying to me.
- Bed Tax
- Room Tax
- Gasoline Tax
- Internet Access
- Bottled water
- Room Service minimum
- Charitable donation
The other area which is less visible is 'yield management'. "Here is the price for the room on this slow day when you are welcome. However you are not so welcome on this busier day so we will 'get you' at this price, no apologies, not my fault, it is the system". I may not like it as a guest but I must accept it. The product is the same, the services deteriorate a bit because we are busy but you must pay a premium.
And perhaps worst of all are those 'great' hotels in developing countries that charge Paris, New York and London rates for 4 Star rooms and trainee services where labour rates for both construction and operations are a fraction of their big city-centre brothers and sisters, never mind the levels of services.
But no industry is perfect, but this one is near perfect to work in!! I love it but love to complain.
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