CC BY
52
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/EJEMS-17-3-32-35
Lulcheva Ivanka, Agrarian University-Plovdiv, PhD in Economics, the Faculty of Economics, Department Tourism
E-mail: ivanka.lulcheva@yahoo.com
EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF THE HOTEL PRODUCT IN FAMILY HOTELS
Abstract: Developed a methodology for assessing the quality of the hospitality product family hotels are specified. Basic and additional criteria by which to carry out the evaluation. There are gaps mainly in: flexibility of the supply of the hotel product, organisation of leisure services; means for diversification of stay; the presence of database for permanent customers. Synthesized are important conclusions about the level of quality of the hospitality product and outlines opportunities for enhancing it.
Keywords: family hotel, hotel product, measurement of quality.
Introduction
In recent years, in mountainous and rural areas of our country are built or upgraded to meet the needs of rural tourism private guest houses, family hotels, villas, private rooms and other hotel sites of family type. These sites offer an authentic and original Bulgarian atmosphere, lifestyle and architecture [1, 140-149], high quality service, and successfully implemented the concept of rural tourism. According to us, the family hotel represents business of providing accommodation in a small means of shelter, which is realized by the owner and his family and offers an original, territorial deterministic, hotels product, with a distinctive atmosphere in an authentic rural environment. Characteristic features of family hospitality are: the activity is carried out by the family, there is connectivity, integration between family and business; the size, the capacity of the bed base is small-from 10 to 20 rooms for accommodation; stupid product includes a variety of items, due to the weaker they standardization; the sale is almost always directly, without intermediaries. According to the definition of the S. Medlik and H. Ingram, hotel product is a combination of the following main elements: location, equipment and amenities, service and prestige [2, 14]. As a kind of superstruc-
ture, family accommodation includes the basic accommodation in rural tourism: the Guest House with/without farm cottages and family-run hotel in the mountainous and rural areas, private rooms, pensions, campsites, etc. (on the categorization of tourist facilities, 2013). Rural houses are an essential means of accommodation for tourists. Their appearance and interior fittings are subject to the characteristic features and requirements of the region. The family hotel has good market position with its unique product aimed at market niches seeking local cultures, traditions, nature, history, hospitality [1, 23].
Purpose: to develop a methodology for assessing the quality of the hotel product in family hospitality. To analyze and assess the quality of the hospitality product at the family hotel in the Eastern Rhodopes.
Material and method of study
Below we expose developed methodology to
study and measure the quality of the product in the family hospitality. The selected criteria for quality assessment are distinguished: Basic and advanced. It aims to capture a complete composition, structure, specificity and activity of family hospitality. The main criteria are the 6 criteria, each criterion is formalized, through 5 mandatory indicators. The additional criteria are 3, each criterion is formalized through 5 in-
dicators. The main criteria are actually criteria for categorizing the subject referred to in the Ordinance for the categorization of accommodation (2013). With the implementation of these criteria ensure full customer expectations. The main criteria are: 1. Construction and maintenance of the building and common areas with indicators: 1.1. Hygiene and maintenance — entrances, corridors, staircases, lobbies; 1.2. Courtyard garden, the presence and condition of the pool, green areas, parking, barbecue; 1.3. Lighting, ventilation, heating of premises; 1.4. Safety and security-availability of fire-extinguishing appliances, nameplates, facilities for people with disabilities; 1.5. Originality, uniqueness of design and layout; 2. Room — interior and status: 2.1. Amenities — furniture, lighting, heating, air conditioning, terrace; 2.2. Level of hygiene in the room and sanitary facilities; 2.3. Technical condition of the equipment in the room and sanitary facilities; 2.4. The peace, the presence of noise, security; 2.5. Originality of the furnishing of the room in accordance with the local traditions; 3. Customer service: 3.1. Check in, welcome to the room, tracking, help with transportation of baggage, getting acquainted with the hotel, etc.; 3.2. Service during stay (customer services); 3.3. Check out, payment options, ordering transport invitation to next visit, issuing a relevant document; 3.4. Degree of individual approach to guests — knowledge of the specific requirements, assistance in need; 3.5. Preparedness for emergency situations — suspension of electricity and water, fire, the malaise of the guest; 4. Nutrition: 4.1. The presence of organized dining room; 4.2. Serving breakfast in the room — homemade food; 4.3. Offering local cuisine and specialties; 4.4. Guarantees of compliance with food and beverage safety standards; 4.5. Offering purchase of agricultural products, own production, bio products; 5. Organization of leisure: 5.1. Outdoor and indoor games facilities: chess, backgammon, maps, computer games, etc.; 5.2. A library with books, children's books, newspapers, magazines; 5.3. Corner in the living room for
watching TV, movies, listening to music; 5.4. Organization of excursions, visits to cultural and historical, architectural landmarks; 5.5. Participation in local folk festivals, fairs, festivals, cooking classes; 6. Additional services offered: 6.1. Ironing facilities, dry cleaning, laundry facilities; 6.2. Providing transportation when needed; 6.3. Information and communication services, Internet access, wireless Internet access in the rooms, mailbox, etc.; 6.4. Property rental — sports, beach, SPA, mountain trekking; 6.5. Organized a specialized service for people with disabilities, caring for children, the elderly. Additional criteria into account: additional activities forming the complex nature of the proposed tourist product-related environmental protection etc. Additional criteria are: 1. Environmental protection: 1.1. Availability of local heating; 1.2. Alternative sources of electrical energy; 1.3. A basis for the separate collection of waste; 1.4. Including guests in local folklore training; 1.5. Instructions for the protection of the environment; 2. Customer feedback: 2.1. A database of regular customers and their requirements; 2.2. A book of registration of complaints and a fast and adequate response; 2.3. Conduct polls among the guests for the review, evaluation and recommendations for quality of service; 2.4. Including Internet-based reservation and information systems; 2.5. Relationship with travel agencies for the purpose of distributing advertising materials; 3. Familiarizing with local culture: 3.1. Introduction to the individual interests and desires of every guest; 3.2. Visits to craft workshops and local crafts; 3.3. Participation in local initiatives for the protection of local folklore; 3.4. Providing a guide for longer hikes; 3.5. Evenings by the fireplace and barbecue with the family. Ratings scale is from 1 to 4 points in each indicator, as a guest means: score 1 means low, unsatisfactory level of quality; score 2 - intermediate level; 3 - high level assessment; score 4 - Lux level. The developed methodology for assessing the quality of the product in the family hospitality has been applied and tested for the purpose of product quality of family
hospitality in rural mountain communities in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains, performed in the period December 2016-February 2017.
Results and discussion
In accordance with the methodology for the evaluation of quality in family hotels, the average ratings have the following meaning: - score below 1.0 means a low level of quality (corresponds to the number of points under 30); - score from 1.1 to 2.0 - average level of quality (from 31 to 80 points); - score from 2.1 to 3 - a high level of quality (from 81 to 130 points); - score from 3.1 to 4-Lux level of quality (from 131 to 180 points). Responses to the clients of their main criteria and indicators are as follows: 70% of customers are giving high assessment of the status of the property, i. e. the level of hygiene and maintenance of equipment in the rooms and common rooms satisfies them. In terms of hygiene and are given lower ratings on the premises. About 40% of the dining customers evaluate 1.8, which corresponds to (from 31 up to 80 points) — average level of quality. This affects the average score on this criterion. As regards the criterion "Actual service" also there are differences in the responses of the customers. When this criterion is found the greatest amplitude between minimum and maximum score. The coefficient of variation is above 70%, indicating that there is a great heterogeneity in the studies statistical line. Mode when the average score was 2.3, which meets from 81 to 130 - a high level of quality, but it is very near the border between the middle and high level. Negative impact on this result turns out the service at guest houses and in separate rooms, where the service is limited to the transmission of the key and clear. The criteria "Organization of leisure" gets between medium and high praise from customers. The statistical line includes units, reviewers from 1.4 to 2.8, collected from 40 to 120 points. An unsatisfactory score gets the indicator "Outdoor and indoor games facilities" and they lowered the overall assessment on this criterion. The indicator "Corner in the living room for watching TV, movies, listening to music"
receives an average mark of 1.4, because customers do not look for this service. The coefficient of variation under this item has the lowest value-20%, which means uniformity of the statistical line. A similar uniformity - 30% coefficient of variation is found in the indicators "Organization of excursions, visits to cultural and historical, architectural landmarks" and "Participation in local folk festivals, fairs, festivals, cooking classes" of this criterion, only that the evaluation is high - 3.6 - from 131 to 180 points. This result confirms once more the essence of alternative forms of tourism, including the agro tourism — to running away from everyday life and to look for exotic. The criterion "Nutrition" high score gets "Offering local cuisine and specialties" — homemade with bio products, the arithmetic mean is 3.6-131 points to 180. This shows that in guesthouses and family hotels is given great attention to this criterion. The coefficient of variation is low. Mode in the statistical line is 3.5. Maximum value-4 occurs more often than the minimum -2.8. On the subject of additional criteria — clients give high marks to the criteria "Getting to know the local culture" - 2.9, meaning from 81 to 130 points and shows a high level of employment of the family hotels in this regard. Customers of guest houses give a low score on the indicator "Introduction to the individual interests and desires of every guest" — on average an arithmetic assessment what 1.5 meets 31 to 80 points, very close to the negative assessment. In the family hotels on these indicators, the assessment is more than 2.8, i. e. in the range 2.1-3, which meets from 81 to 130 points. Customers interested in the indicator "Including Internet-based reservation and information systems" and where there's top rated - 4. But since there are guest houses and villas, this criterion is not met, the average score is reduced to 3.2. In conclusion, it can be summed up that the family hospitality in the region of the Eastern Rhodopes can highlight your product as an attractive, high-quality and sought after, which will contribute to the specific character of this region as a destination.
Conclusions
Based on research and analysis can make the following conclusions: Family hotel sites in the Eastern Rhodopes region possess a high degree of identity and distinctive image, associated with local culture and nature, reflect the spirit and appearance of the area; the atmosphere, conditions, services, kitchen are unique and specific. Distinctiveness of the objects, however, based on the de-
sign and atmosphere, however, does not ensure their sustainable competitive advantage. It is necessary to apply a specific methodology for assessing the quality of the product in the family hospitality. Methodology will assist owners and managers in making decisions and looking for ways to maintain the high quality and establishing a loyal and regular customers, who are not only satisfied, but also with exceeded expectations.
References:
1. Lulcheva I., Rural Tourism and Sustainable Development of Rural Areas, Plovdiv, - 2017, - P. 140-149.
2. Kadieva - Pancheva S., Opportunities for improving product quality in family hotels, Summary, Varna, ed. of the University of Economics, - 2014, - P. 23.
3. Medlik S., Ingram H., The Business of Hotels, ed. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, - 2000, - P. 14.
4. Ordinance on the categorisation of tourist facilities, - 2013.
