{"id":4441,"date":"2014-05-08T19:35:36","date_gmt":"2014-05-08T19:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketingteacher.com\/sandals-swot\/"},"modified":"2021-12-26T17:43:16","modified_gmt":"2021-12-26T17:43:16","slug":"sandals-swot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/sandals-swot\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandals SWOT"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>SWOT Analysis Sandals<\/h1>\n<h2>Company History<\/h2>\n<p>Sandals (Beaches) is a Caribbean Based Resort Hotel Chain, that was   only recently established, but has proved to be highly successful, based   on their innovative marketing concepts. This <a href=\"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483swot-analysis-marketing-tools-from-marketing-teacher\/\">SWOT analysis<\/a> is about Sandals.<\/p>\n<p>Winner of thousands of awards, including: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Six time winner of the Gold Travel Life Award by Virgin Holidays.<\/li>\n<li>Nine time winner of the Baxter Travel Media award for Favorite   Resort.<\/li>\n<li>2008 Thomas Cook Award for Best Hotel Chain, and Best Wedding and   Honeymoon Hotel.<\/li>\n<li>TripAdvisor awarded them the 2007 and 2008 World&#8217;s Most Romantic   All-Inclusive Resort. <\/li>\n<li>Travel + Leisure Magazine awarded them one of the top 25 hotels in   the Caribbean for 2002, 2006 and 2008.<\/li>\n<li>Cond\u00e9 Nast Magazine Readers Choice Poll awarded them one of the top   25 Caribbean Resorts for 2006, 2007; and the top 15 Caribbean Resorts   and Spas for 2000, 2004 and 2005.<\/li>\n<li>They have made the Cond\u00e9 Nast Magazine Gold List every year from   2000-2007.<\/li>\n<li>In 2007, they were given a World Savers Award by Cond\u00e9 Nast Magazine   for their Adopt-A-School program.<\/li>\n<li>In 2006 they won second place in the Caribbean Travel and Life   Magazine Reader&#8217;s Choice poll for Best All-Inclusive Resort.<\/li>\n<li>In 2005 Modern Bride Magazine voted them the Favorite All-Inclusive   Resort and in 2008 the Best All-Inclusive Resort chain.<\/li>\n<li>American Express gave them the Caribbean Environmental Award for   Green Hotel of the year, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.<\/li>\n<li>They earned the Travel Weekly Magellan Award for Overall   Eco-Friendly Resort in 2008.<\/li>\n<li>They were voted Travel Weekly America and UK Readers Choice for Best   All-Inclusive Resort, six years in a row.<\/li>\n<li>TravelAge Editor&#8217;s Pick Award for Best Caribbean Resort  in 2006,   2007 and 2008.<\/li>\n<li>World Travel Magazine award for Caribbean&#8217;s Leading Resort Hotel   Brand winner 14 years in a row; Best All-Inclusive Company winner 12   years in a row, World&#8217;s Most Romantic Resort winner 11 years in a row.<\/li>\n<li>2006 British Airways Best Independent Hotel Group.<\/li>\n<li>2007 British Travel Awards for Best All-Inclusive Resort-13th year   in a row-and the Consumer Favorite All-Inclusive Resort.<\/li>\n<li>Porthole Cruise Magazine Editor-in-Chief Award for Best   All-Inclusive Resort, 2005-2007.<\/li>\n<li>Selling Long-Haul UK Travel Award for Best All-Inclusive Resort, and   Best Hotel in the Caribbean in 2003.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sandals and Beaches resorts offer an innovative concept in their   all-inclusive environments, contrived to give vacationers completely   worry-free accommodations. Guests do not have to pay for food,   activities, babysitting, or entertainment while at their resorts. This   allows guests to relax and more effectively utilize their vacation time.<\/p>\n<p>They employ guest coordinators, trained to be experts in human   relations, to make guests feel at home, coordinating the guest   activities and making sure that everything works the way it should.    They practice TQM throughout all levels of staff.<\/p>\n<p>In the couples only market (that they created) they cater to   different markets by offering three different levels of suites: the   basic all-inclusive suites, the crystal suites that have their own   private pool and the millionaire suites that are separate villas with   butler   service.<\/p>\n<h2>Weaknesses<\/h2>\n<p>They need to communicate the resort&#8217;s view on environmental issues.   For instance, Sandal&#8217;s beach resort received a Green Globe Certification   for commitment to natural resources, but they don&#8217;t advertise or   communicate it! In this economic downturn, Americans want to feel good   about spending their money in socially responsible ways and the Green   Globe Certification is highly prestigious.<\/p>\n<p>They spent a huge amount of capital setting up a new resort in   Barbados, only to have it sit there, unoccupied. The government of   Barbados does not allow their beaches to be blocked off with fences, and   Sandals requires that their guests be kept separate from other people   to prevent crime and interlopers. They have been at odds about this   issue since 2001 and their fully completed resort there has yet to see   its first guest.<\/p>\n<p>As with all tourist destinations, they are dependent on a healthy   economy in countries whose citizens have more discretionary income to   spend, and vacation regularly. The American trend toward &quot;staycations&quot;   will cause their revenue to decrease. <\/p>\n<p>They need to better position themselves against competition, other   luxury resorts, Breezes All-Inclusive Resorts and other popular   destinations for honeymoons and families.<\/p>\n<h2>Opportunities<\/h2>\n<p>Opening new resorts in Belize, or Hawaii, and some non beach areas   such as Alaska and Colorado; they could also open resorts in other   International settings such as China, Japan, Taiwan, France, Spain,   Italy, Greece, Australia, Mexico and Brazil.<\/p>\n<p>Promote their resorts at all Bridal and Child\/Baby Expos in major   cities, in order to reach the largest numbers of their target market.   They can make use of high definition, interactive sales pitches that   will allow honeymooners and families to book their vacations on the   spot. Attending the National Wedding Show in London every February.<\/p>\n<p>Creating a joint venture with David&#8217;s Bridal, creating a presence on   all of the major wedding planning websites, Parents&#8217; Magazine and on   Nickelodeon.<\/p>\n<p>During the economic downturn, they need to play up the   &quot;all-inclusive&quot; angle of their resorts: creating a marketing campaign   that emphasizes the money saving aspects of their vacation destinations,   and the fact that guests don&#8217;t need to worry about extra expenses.<\/p>\n<p>July 2009 Sandals announced that they will partner up with Martha   Stewart to Launch Martha Stewart Weddings Program in the Caribbean   beginning in 2010. Guests will be able to book a Martha Stewart Wedding   at any of the 12 Sandals Resorts or four Beaches Family Resorts. In   addition, they will introduce Martha Stewart Crafts classes for adults   at Sandals Resorts and craft camps for families at Beaches Resorts in   2010. The Futures Company (formerly Yankelovich), said that destination   weddings are on the upswing with 31% of brides ages 21-30 planning to   have a destination wedding; previous studies indicated that destination   weddings represented 10% to 20% of all weddings.<\/p>\n<h2>Threats<\/h2>\n<p>One threat that cannot be controlled is the weather. Hurricanes are   bad for business all over the Caribbean; however, they can offer   guarantees so their guests will feel more secure when booking a   vacation.<\/p>\n<p>There are several ethical arenas that need to be understood when   dealing with the tourism industry. If any of these becomes a problem or   causes bad PR it can affect the company and eventually their profit   margin. <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Crime rates typically increase with the growth and urbanization of   an area and growth of mass tourism is often accompanied by increased   crime. The presence of a large number of tourists with a lot of money to   spend, and often carrying valuables such as cameras and jewelry,   increases the attraction for criminals and brings with it activities   like robbery and drug dealing.<\/li>\n<li>Tourism can also drive the development of gambling, which may cause   negative changes in social behavior.<\/li>\n<li>Many jobs in the tourism sector have working and employment   conditions that leave much to be desired: long hours, unstable   employment, low pay, little training and poor chances for qualification.   In addition, recent developments in the travel and tourism trade   (liberalization, competition, concentration, drop in travel fares,   growth of subcontracting) and introduction of new technologies seem to   reinforce the trend towards more precarious, flexible employment   conditions. For many such jobs young children are recruited, as they are   cheap and flexible employees.<\/li>\n<li>The commercial sexual exploitation of children and young women has   paralleled the growth of tourism in many parts of the world. Though   tourism is not the cause of sexual exploitation, it provides easy access   to it. Tourism also brings consumerism to many parts of the world   previously denied access to luxury commodities and services. The lure of   this easy money has caused many young people, including children, to   trade their bodies in exchange for T-shirts, personal stereos, bikes and   even air tickets out of the country.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<p>Akrofi, J. 2006, Recreation   and Tourism: Impacts of Tourism: Socio cultural aspects: Ethical Issues,   retrieved on March 2, 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Anonymous. (Jul 27, 2009). Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and   Sandals Resorts to   Launch Martha Stewart Weddings Program in the Caribbean; Martha Stewart   Weddings at Sandals Resorts Available Beginning January 1, 2010; Martha   Stewart Crafts Programs to Launch in 2010. PR Newswire. New York.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sandals.com\/about\/\">Sandals   Resorts.<\/a>. Retrieved on March 2, 2008<\/p>\n<p class=\"note\"><strong>Disclaimer: <br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/strong>This case study has been compiled from   information freely available   from public sources. It is merely intended to be used for educational   purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>In Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1981, Gordon &quot;Butch&quot; Stewart, took notice   of an old hotel sitting on Jamaica&#8217;s largest private white sand beach,   bought it, fixed it up and opened the hotel doors for business. With no   prior experience, the investor envisioned a marketing plan for the   resort to cater to couples only. Sandals Montego Bay became the first   all-inclusive vacation concept, and by year-end of 1988, Sandals refined   and perfected concepts, such as, swim-up pool bars, royal treatment   with private beaches, breakfast in bed, and beachfront gourmet meals.<\/p>\n<p>In 2004, the resort hit great heights with the creation of the   company&#8217;s ultimate all-inclusive butler service. With thriving   expansions, Sandals currently holds locations in Jamaica, St. Lucia,   Antigua, and the Bahamas, totaling 12 resorts. A long way from one, run   down hotel on a private sandy beach! Today, the resort offers luxury   package vacations, fine dining, night entertainment, scuba diving and   water sports, golf and land sports, spas, and wedding   packages.<\/p>\n<p>Sandals&#8217; is committed to the resort&#8217;s mission of &quot;.attaching a   premium to human resources and being among the most environmentally   responsible and community friendly groups in the hospitality industry&quot;   (Sandals Resorts, 2007). Sandals resorts continue to penetrate the   market with their couples&#8217; only concept, and have expanded this concept   with accommodations for families through other beach resorts, branded   Beaches.<\/p>\n<h2>Strengths<\/h2>\n<p>They created the idea of a couples only resort by introducing the   Sandals resort; they also opened Beaches, a family luxury resort; Royal   Plantation, three exclusive luxury oriented resorts with butler service   and private airplanes; and the Grand Pineapple, a value resort for   families.<\/p>\n<p>All Sandals resorts are Green Globe Certified; it means that the   staff is continually trained by local government run environmental   organizations, they monitor and conserve all water use on property, they   use times on all electrical equipment such as; Jacuzzi blowers, steam   rooms at the Spa, outdoor lighting for walkways, refrigeration equipment   in the kitchens, etc., recycling food, and office paper, reducing the   use of all hazardous chemicals and Inviting local craft vendors to the   hotel at least once per week to display and sell their craft items.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sandals SWOT is one of 50+ FREE examples of SWOT analysis on Marketing Teacher.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-swot-analysis-examples"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4441"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7153,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4441\/revisions\/7153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marketingteacher.com\/staging\/5483\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}