I was just flicking through a First Choice promotional brochure that came through the letterbox today telling me about a new family resort to open up within Playa Dorada in Nov'06 to be called 'Holiday Village Golden Beach'.
I hadn't heard anything about such a resort and went onto their website to read some more. Apparently there are a number of these so called First Choice 'Holiday Villages' opening this year around the world, exclusive to First Choice customers.
So, what's the difference between a Holiday Village and an AI resort? Well it seems that this new Holiday Village will contain all the usual AI features - 3 pools (one adults only), 5 restaurants, bars, spa treatments, spanish lessons, gym, clubs etc.....together with:
- a cinema showing 2 English films a day (1 for children, 1 for adults)
- the main pool will feature slides and a wave machine (apparently the first hotel in the DR to have one)
- trampolining
aranoid:
- a nightclub and casino open to the public (OK so this isn't anything new....Paradise and Jack Tar offer this)
- family rooms feature a partitioned themed 'Kid's Den' with additional TV and Playstation 2!
- Holiday Soccer School for 5-16 yr olds to improve their football skills
- Swim Kids whereby kids aged 3+ and adults can learn to swim
- Wannaplaytennis for those who want to learn how to play tennis
- Stagecoach for kids aged 6-15 yrs where they can learn dance, drama and singing supervised by qualified teachers (July & Aug only)
- Point Blank DJ workshops (July & Aug)
- a private adult only area of the resort with a private patch on the beach and Royal adult suites have hammocks on the balcony
A couple of thoughts spring to mind:
1. FC have obviously done their homework and must believe that the demand for such a resort on the north coast of the DR exists. I wonder whether in opening this resort, exclusive to FC customers, this means that FC will look to drop many of the other hotels within Playa Dorada that they currently offer in their brochure and supply guests to? I assume that this would be the case, in order to ensure a healthy number of bookings to their new resort by reducing the number of bookings to competitors. If this were to be the case, how much of an impact would this have on the success of those hotels affected?
2. Is this attempt at differentiation good enough to sway people to book at the Golden Beach v's any other AI in Playa Dorada? I mean - look at the differentiators, for example:
A cinema - who wants to sit inside and watch a movie when on holiday in the sunshine? (could be good for those rainy days when there's not much to do though)
Playstation 2 in the room - don't people go on holiday to get outside and enjoy something different to what they can do back home? (again, possibly good for those rainy days)
slides and wave machine - yes, probably onto a winner with the kids
stagecoach/soccer school/trampolining......yeah maybe, what do you guys with kids think?
It looks like they are trying to appeal to all - those with kids and those who want adults only.....but can you successfully combine them both in one resort? :ermm:
3. How can they expect to fill this hotel all year round with just First Choice guests? Well, after a little digging it turns out that First Choice Holidays Ltd (UK based tour operator) are in fact a subsidiary of First Choice Holidays PLC which has a number of subsidiaries across the world incl. Signature Vacations (always thought their logos were similar!). Could this be the sign of things to come....now looking into forward integration, whereby the tour operators not only book your holiday, fly you to your destination in their own planes........ now they own the hotels you will stay in.....transfer you back to the airport and fly you safely home. The complete package?
Apologies for the long post - I got kind of carried away!:cheeky: Wanted to know if anyone has heard about this new resort due to open in Nov'06....and where exactly in Playa Dorada it's going to be located? It says it's going to be right on the beach, 800m from the plaza which means that they must have bought one of the 14 hotels already there?
Any thoughts welcomed
Daydream.
I hadn't heard anything about such a resort and went onto their website to read some more. Apparently there are a number of these so called First Choice 'Holiday Villages' opening this year around the world, exclusive to First Choice customers.
So, what's the difference between a Holiday Village and an AI resort? Well it seems that this new Holiday Village will contain all the usual AI features - 3 pools (one adults only), 5 restaurants, bars, spa treatments, spanish lessons, gym, clubs etc.....together with:
- a cinema showing 2 English films a day (1 for children, 1 for adults)
- the main pool will feature slides and a wave machine (apparently the first hotel in the DR to have one)
- trampolining
aranoid: - a nightclub and casino open to the public (OK so this isn't anything new....Paradise and Jack Tar offer this)
- family rooms feature a partitioned themed 'Kid's Den' with additional TV and Playstation 2!
- Holiday Soccer School for 5-16 yr olds to improve their football skills
- Swim Kids whereby kids aged 3+ and adults can learn to swim
- Wannaplaytennis for those who want to learn how to play tennis
- Stagecoach for kids aged 6-15 yrs where they can learn dance, drama and singing supervised by qualified teachers (July & Aug only)
- Point Blank DJ workshops (July & Aug)
- a private adult only area of the resort with a private patch on the beach and Royal adult suites have hammocks on the balcony
A couple of thoughts spring to mind:
1. FC have obviously done their homework and must believe that the demand for such a resort on the north coast of the DR exists. I wonder whether in opening this resort, exclusive to FC customers, this means that FC will look to drop many of the other hotels within Playa Dorada that they currently offer in their brochure and supply guests to? I assume that this would be the case, in order to ensure a healthy number of bookings to their new resort by reducing the number of bookings to competitors. If this were to be the case, how much of an impact would this have on the success of those hotels affected?
2. Is this attempt at differentiation good enough to sway people to book at the Golden Beach v's any other AI in Playa Dorada? I mean - look at the differentiators, for example:
A cinema - who wants to sit inside and watch a movie when on holiday in the sunshine? (could be good for those rainy days when there's not much to do though)
Playstation 2 in the room - don't people go on holiday to get outside and enjoy something different to what they can do back home? (again, possibly good for those rainy days)
slides and wave machine - yes, probably onto a winner with the kids
stagecoach/soccer school/trampolining......yeah maybe, what do you guys with kids think?
It looks like they are trying to appeal to all - those with kids and those who want adults only.....but can you successfully combine them both in one resort? :ermm:
3. How can they expect to fill this hotel all year round with just First Choice guests? Well, after a little digging it turns out that First Choice Holidays Ltd (UK based tour operator) are in fact a subsidiary of First Choice Holidays PLC which has a number of subsidiaries across the world incl. Signature Vacations (always thought their logos were similar!). Could this be the sign of things to come....now looking into forward integration, whereby the tour operators not only book your holiday, fly you to your destination in their own planes........ now they own the hotels you will stay in.....transfer you back to the airport and fly you safely home. The complete package?
Apologies for the long post - I got kind of carried away!:cheeky: Wanted to know if anyone has heard about this new resort due to open in Nov'06....and where exactly in Playa Dorada it's going to be located? It says it's going to be right on the beach, 800m from the plaza which means that they must have bought one of the 14 hotels already there?
Any thoughts welcomed
Daydream.
