Repositioning Spa as a source of competitive advantage in Health Tourism: Case of 5-star Hotels in Hong Kong

by

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACT

This research explains the concept of positioning and repositioning. It highlights the benefits of repositioning with respect to health tourism industry. Since the health tourism industry is growing day by day, managers and marketers from different countries try to highlight facilities and services provided to customers that would enhance and improve their health. Spas are one of the most prominently highlighted aspects of tourism; thus, marketers can very efficiently and effectively use them for attracting more and more customers' and tourists' attention. Due to continuously increasing rate of diseases and illnesses, people have now become very conscious about their health. More and More people, both customers and tourists concentrate on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. People get stressed and wear out with everyday's hectic life and work load, and thus, they look for activities and facilities that would help them in maintaining and balancing their life as well as their health. Throughout Asia, health resorts are trying to meet the needs of the growing health tourism market. There is also considerable growth potential in the leisure side of the spa and health resort business. People visiting spas or health resorts either sought medical treatment or had traditional tourist motivations. Health-oriented social trends, the aging population, the desire to maintain youth and health and the back-to-nature movement are factors stimulating the wellness tourism demand. The research incorporates two cases studies, analysing how they have been using spas for attracting tourists. Furthermore, the research also examines how spas can be used a competitive advantage for hotels in increasing health tourism.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Research Background1

Research Aims and Objectives1

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW2

Introduction2

Positioning Strategy-Marketing Perspective2

Repositioning5

Spa- Evolution and Emergence9

Health Tourism Industry10

Competition in Tourism Industry12

Health Tourism in Hong Kong14

Literature Gap16

Summary16

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY18

Research Methodology18

Qualitative Design19

Research Design20

Data Collection Method20

Secondary research21

Questionnaire Survey21

Research Strategy: Case Study22

Sampling22

Choosing a Case Study Type23

Data Analysis23

Reliability24

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS27

Results from Survey27

Cases Study Analysis32

Case 1: Mandarin Oriental- Hong Kong32

Case 2: Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong34

Spa as a Competitive Advantage for Health Tourism36

Repositioning of Spa- Health Tourism Industry37

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION41

REFERENCES43

APPENDIX47

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Research Background

In today's economically slow world, spa performance is also significantly affected. A service which started out as an amenity for occupancy and drive rate, in a number of cases it is becoming a liability. This is because of the increasing popularity of spa industry between 2002 and 2007 causing a number of spas to be built having short-term branding and marketing objectives (Tsui, 2008, ...