Stephen Lee

Acknowledgements and Future Plans

2010-04-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

It seems like just this past week that I stepped into the Wingteam LLC office for the first time nervous but ready to undergo a three month long internship. Fast foreward three months and here I currently stand. It has been one of the most beneficial and positive experiences that have been shared on both sides. I have added more tools to the toolbox and cannot wait to build something great! The extensive knowledge of Yvette Ponte and Dave Wiggs and their passion to ensure that Wingteam will continually develop, grow, and succeed is quite motivating. I cherish the work relationship that we have had and will definitely keep in close contact in the future to use as a reliable resource for knowledge and understanding. I would also like to thank my friend and co-worker Kimberly Hayden as it's been a great experience working alongside her as well. I feel that it is hard to find a business, relationship, friend etc. that is not only accountable, but shares the same common goal to simply succeed through dedication and hard work.
After graduation, I will be taking a couple trips over the summer and I'm almost tempted to say i'll be living a nomadic life with no fixed destination until November where I will be making the biggest move of my life. I will be moving to the North Island of New Zealand for at least one year for a graduate hospitality internship with a company called internoptions.
There I will be taking another internship with plans for employment with a particular resort in the north island after my one year internship placement has ceased. Thanks again Wingteam for your help and support and look foreward to seeing whats in store for the both of us!

Executing Managerial Decisions As a Rookie

2010-04-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

When I took the internship offer with Wingteam I never would have imagined that I would have the ability to hire event staff for the variety of different events that we do around the nation. Some of these event staff are older than me and already have an established career in a relative field and simply looking for side work. For myself "the intern" this could pose as intimidating seeing that I have never hired anyone for anything in my entire life. My supervisor walked me through the blueprint as to what to look for when hiring staff members, what questions to like, and close them on their punctuality. As a rookie in the field, what was most beneficial for me was to reflect upon my past experience as a front desk agent with the Four Seasons and deliver that same type of personable approach but only this time it will carry more status and value. Working at the Four Seasons, service and hospitality were the number one priority with the customer always being satisfied. The position that I am in with Wingteam means that our company needs to be satisfied with me looking for staff with hospitality and service that are held in high regard. The roles were reversed so as I thought about this, it made the hiring process easier for me.
I feel that it is this skill that I have aquired of hiring over 50 staff members for different events around the nation that has given me the tools to separate myself from the competition. Over the past months I have become very comfortable in dialing into what our company needs from our staff members depending upon the event. I would say that regardless of experience in dealing with a managerial decision, it's important to self reflect upon past experiences and understanding your strong points in order to succeed.

Attention To Detail

2010-04-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I reach the end of my internship and review the past events that I have worked with regards to my supervisors midterm evaluation feedback I now understand the strongpoints and other factors that I need to work on in order to be where I need to be and have a successful transition from the student/intern position where I currently stand into a professional in the field. I will use an example of an event where I had to hire four different people for a corporate team building event in Boston, MA. This particular organization (our client) is Impact4Good and they specialize in corporate team building events that help improve the quality of life for NPO's such as Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA. As I monitor my skills from the beginning of my internship till where I currently stand, I notice that my attention to detail has greatly improved, which has been a lagging skill that can always use improvement.
When I contacted our Boston staff two days prior to our event, our typical order of procedure includes an event sheet that portrays all the necessary information to make the event a success. "Start times, dress code, meeting place, etc." What was missing in the past event sheets that I decided to add to this one was a visual representation of where the location sits. I have included the same picture in this blog that I included in the event sheet to show exactly what I'm talking about. This simple initiative helped all our staff arrive on time and minimized questions to create for a fluid and successful event.

Working at the JW Mariott

2010-04-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights I have had thus far is working at the JW Mariott Desert Ridge in Scottsdale, AZ. There were a variety of different independent destination management companies that helped put on a particular three day event for Loreal Matrix. Working among these various meeting professionals gave me insight to what it takes to put on this type of production. In addition, working this particular event allowed me to see how its important to be a multi faceted person when it comes to hospitality and serivce to different company cultures. For example, there was a particular event that I worked with Deloitte. This company structure and overall appearance was very different from Loreal Matrix, which specialize in latest hair trends and designs. Another eye opening experience that I had while working at the JW Mariott would be the continuous support of the hotel staff which almost acted as an extended Wingteam staff in terms of thier versatility.

Importance of Branding A Company

2010-03-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

As the weeks continually pass, they seem to move faster and faster while I am mastering my internship with Wingteam Event Staffing Services. Let's stop for a moment... Let's think of any brand name that sticks with us. Perhaps it is the UPS commercial with a simple white background and brown marker to symbolize the company for easy recognition. Maybe it is Subway and their non stop message portraying the infamous 5 Dollar Footlong. Ok thanks Subway, we get it! The message is simple, proper branding of an organization creates name recognition and familiarization among the public, "specifically, target market." Over time, the successful marketing of a product or service while increasing clients to the product or service, correlates directly to economic numbers. Within the Wingteam organization, we have a simple branding logo portraying three women with clipboards and the tagline, "Smiley People With Clipboards." Our competition of event staffing may have more successful marketing and branding outlets due to name recognition and longevity of the organization.
This past paragraph has just been part of my reflection and observations over the past weeks as I analyze our brand of wingteam versus our competition.

A graphic design comparison between Wingteam LLC and a competitor:

Fusion Event Staffing

http://www.fusioneventstaffing.com/?gclid=CMbzjYrJ1aACFRJWagodrBkutg

Wingteam Event Staffing Services

http://mywingteam.com/

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-03-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Aside from academics, it has always been the love of sports that I have been familiar with my entire life. It was either football, basketball, or baseball depending on the season of the year. One of the most important, perhaps even cliche piece of advice that is interrelated between athletics, academics, and profession is the saying, "practice makes perfect." As my internship with Wingteam continues to blossom and take it's own shape, the same can be said with my skills and functions as a Sales and Marketing Intern. The more events I continue to control, the more hires and managerial situations I am placed in, the more fluid and avid my skills are. I am beginning to see the benefits of repetition play in the field of this particular profession. Now, throwing a football over and over would not necessarily sculpt my skills to hire event staff, but it is the same exact principle that should be understood. For example, over the weekend I had the opportunity to hire five event staff for an event taking place in Miami, FL. It was an assignment I was given the same day from my boss. From past experiences of making larger quantities of hires for different events, I was able to enable five qualified hires without any doubt, mistakes, or questions. It was after the five hires I made that it became evident my work skills have been improving. A positive sign and future outlook for my relationship with my co-workers, boss, and Wingteam itself.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Professionalism

2010-02-26T12:20:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned in a previous blog, part of my responsibility as a sales and marketing intern with Wingteam is to interview and hire staff for a variety of different events we have across the nation. I now have a heightened sense of professionalism and all of it's counterparts that come with the word. For example, professionalism is not just how you visually present yourself whether it is a unwrinkled suit and polished shoes or freshly pressed khakis and a button down. Professionalism exceeds this standard. It extends to your verbiage, what you say and how you say it. Professionalism will reveal your character and what you stand for. Even the way you shake a persons hand can reveal certain aspects of yourself. I receive many resumes for the variety of different events that we do and it when it comes to the initial phone call upon new hires, I am sculpting my skills to seek that certain type of professional. A couple of websites that I monitor are:

http://www.mpiweb.org/Home.aspx

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phoenix-AZ/Wingteam-Event-Staffing-Services/48575776755?ref=ts

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Business Ownership/ Entrepreneurship

2010-02-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

After over a month into my internship with Wingteam LLC, I am beginning to understand the value and importance of being a business owner. They way it breaks down is as follows: Graduate from college and latch on to a company with a decent salary and get ready to climb the biggest ladder of your life... Let's fast forward 40 years from now and after countless weeks working 40+ hours a week, it's time to begin your LIFE! Now this statement may sound a little extreme and over-exaggerated but still carries some points of truth to some extend. Now, on the other hand, I feel never has there been a better time for our future leaders of the US to strike up innovation, creativity, and resourcefulness for the option of creating your own business. Working with Wingteam has opened my eyes to the benefits and advantages owning a business can offer. One initial advantage with owning your own business would be the abilities for tax write offs. What's even more intriguing for me is to set your own hours and you are your own boss. One website that I am affiliated with is:

WWW.ECOCLUB.COM

This particular organization showcases many job opportunities and business ventures that are among the field of ecotourism and sustainability. This website also stands as a forum for many like-minded individuals to discuss a variety of different topics within ecotourism.

The more I continue to work with Wingteam, the more I see the exciting possibilities of a future I am in control of. In other words, I see a viable option to my career as working for myself, rather then someone else.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Adaptability

2010-02-21T13:18:00.000-08:00

Throughout the past month as my internship is beginning to evolve and become more and more comfortable, I have realized the importance of being acceptive of change and constantly adapting to a new environment. In the field of event planning, we deal with a variety of different organizations ranging from your stereotypical corporate groups with fitted suits and black briefcases to your hair stylists with sleeves of tattoos and wide variety of colors on their head. With this being said, I have not only been mindful, but tailored a process to adapt accordingly to each group at hand as they all have different cultures and backgrounds.
The degree is adaptability will ultimately measure the success of service and hospitality outcomes for the event itself. The more events we continue to plan and execute, the more comfortable I am suiting different needs for our clients and have a new appreciation of the often times overlooked profession of meeting planning.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Well It's True, I Hate Math

2010-02-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Wingteam
Ok so here's the thing... I always joke with people when they ask me if I enjoy math, I'll usually respond: "You know, I'm more of a shapes and colors type of guy." They'll chuckle and I'll try to change the topic as quickly as possible. As mentioned in my other blog post, It takes a certain type of person with a certain type of personality for the tourism industry. More specifically speaking, the MICE segment of tourism. I had the opportunity to work Wednesday to Monday with a lead from Deloitte at the Scottsdale Conference Center and Resort. It was an impressive sight to see as I mimicked the work ethic of a professional with 20+ experience in the field. Here I am, a young hot shot thinking he's too cool and can handle anything that is thrown at him, well young child, guess again. This particular person had a knack for organizing and executing different plans and layouts to make everything more efficient. Now, as for myself, I am a neat freak. I enjoy having things a certain way, a certain distance apart... So on and so fourth. Having said that, he was the exact same way so when It came down to organizing welcome packets, distributing materials, or any other task I had, we tended to headbutt a little bit but It could have been worse. One of the main reasons why I feel so comfortable in this particular internship is the variety of like-minded people I am privileged to work with. We are all shapes and color type of personalities. I feel that were the type growing up that decided to take things apart for no particular reason, stacked crayola markers on top of each other for no particular reason until it collapsed. Oh well, were a different breed, but I love it!

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

So This Is Real Life

2010-02-04T14:53:00.000-08:00

WINGTEAM
So... What do you want to be when you grow up? What a question to ask at any age. Whether your six years old and say an astronaut or fireman, or sixty years old and still don't have an answer to that question. Could it be that we want to stay forever young? That were scared of the unknown and want to never grow up and live in never never land and fight off pirates and Captain Hook? Well, maybe not as far fetched as that last sentence, but let's make one thing clear. From my standpoint, I feel that asking that question is the equivalent of asking, "So... What's that single occupation your going to be stuck with for the rest of your life?" There's never just one thing I aspire to be when I "grow up." There are countless things to discover and learn, but here's the kicker, which is quite simple: One step at a time.
With Wingteam, I finally get to apply my 16 years of classroom knowledge into the field. There are many dimensions of the tourism industries and Wingteam falls under the 'MICE' category. Meeting, Incentives, Conventions, and Expositions. We are an event staffing company that simply makes sure every single aspect of a MICE runs as efficient and smooth as possible with high regards to hospitality and service. It is an excellent industry for a certain type of person. One of the main differences that I've experienced as I am making the transition from student to professional, is the responsibility of 'real life' scenarios.
Here's a story:
Just the other day, I was working from the Scottsdale office for an event that we were working at the Sheraton Marina in San Diego. I hired a total of 7 people for which we only needed 6. (1 backup.) Night falls for the event and I stay in close contact with our lead contact as our staff begin to arrive. Only six people show up and our person that is MIA does not answer any emails, phone calls, or text messages that we sent out. That is fire number 1. The second fire occurred when it came to my attention that there was no public parking for our staff and it would cost $4.00 per hour which, by the end of the night would be an expense of $120.00 out of our pocket. Our final fire of the night came when I received a text message from one of our staff members saying she left the event unexpectedly because it was simply, "To crazy for her." The moral of these three "fires" is to show right of the bat, within three weeks of the start of my internship, I am experiencing a variety of different managerial decisions and responsibilities. It is a great power to have, but can be quite nerve wrecking and stressful at times.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Classroom To The Field

2010-02-04T14:39:00.000-08:00

WINGTEAM Event Staffing Services
Well, I think it is safe to say that all good things must come to an end. At least for some this may be. As for myself, there has never been a more exciting time in my life. School is over! Well, sort of. In terms of classroom lectures, powerpoint upon powerpoint, midterm and final exams, school is over in every sense of the word. This Is It! No, not the Michael Jackson movie, but our final chapter at ASU. I decided to do my internship with Wingteam Event Staffing Services based in North Scottsdale, AZ. This particular decision was made after my original plan to pursue an internship overseas fell through due to an issue of timing and paperwork.
Nonetheless, I found overwhelming excitement and opportunities that Wingteam has to offer. It was sort of like flipping a coin in terms of what to expect. Heads meant that it was going to be 14 weeks of excel spreadsheets, filling, and making sure the coffee pot was full at all times. Luckily for me, It was tails. Wingteam has approximately 12 events this semester to keep me more than busy with empowering work. As a sales and marketing intern, I am not only responsible for creating excel grids and accounting data, I have the privilege of interviewing and employing event staff which is a first for me and almost unheard of duty for an intern. This is where the word trustworthy and accountability come into play. I trust my boss Yvette Ponte and Dave Wiggs just as they put their trust in myself. Together, with these two vital character traits, I feel it will make for one successful final semester at ASU.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this blog is to document a college internship experience. Content published on this blog represents the author’s ideas, opinions, and experience. This does not necessarily represent the views of the internship organization.

Blog #4

2009-11-29T20:03:00.001-08:00

1. Budapest, Hungary

http://www.travelistic.com/video/show/8830/Budapest-Hungary---Budapest-Hungria

2. Costa Rica [Official Promo ICT]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5hA-i-1Ssg

3. Aldealia, Rural Tourism in Spain

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/532437/aldealia_rural_tourism_in_spain/

4. The Dutch Coffeeshop Experience with Big D

http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Video-v66378-Amsterdam-The_Dutch_Coffeeshop_Experience_with_Big_D-Video.html

5. Helicopter Tour: New York City

http://www.nyctourist.com/video-helicopter-new-york-at-night.htm

6. Hastily Made Tourism Video

http://www.positivelycleveland.com/hastilymade

7. Thailand Beaches

http://www.tourismthailand.org/movie-clip-video/clipvideo-detail-346.html

8. Experience Arizona

http://www.arizonaguide.com

9. Tourism Australia

http://www.media.australia.com/en-au/

10. Tianjin, China

http://www.cntovideo.org/detail.asp?Filmid=1

11. New Zealand- “The Youngest Country on Earth”

http://www.newzealand.com/travel/usa/usa_home.cfm

12. Brazil, A Lifestyle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko7ORaBdC78

13. Antarctic Tourism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU1k3ZWrVqE

14. We Are Fiji

http://www.fijivideos.com/music/we-are-fiji

15. 24 Hours in Waikiki

http://www.gohawaii.com/stories/stories.html?video=21&cid=2009r3stories_home01

Boy, That Was Some Good Green...

2009-10-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

Blog #3

Rancho Margot

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

It seems today in our world of tourism, we are fixated on the abundance of trends. Just like the latest fashions from Marc Jacobs or Mr. Ralph Lauren, it seems that the masterminds behind the latest trends in travel are becoming the fashion rockstars of the tourism industry. It is becoming more and more apparent that the word green is no longer a color, but could be argued as a belief, a lifestyle, a message, and to some extremists, even a religion! For the focus of this article, let’s just say green echoes the words sustainability, renewable resources, and conscious thinking. Never has a trio of these words defined so perfectly the trends that are occurring at the Hotel Rancho Margot, Lake Arenal, Costa Rica.

Over the past summer I had the chance to experience the sights, sounds, smells and culture of the ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle in Costa Rica. Particularly, this trip included a three-night stay in the middle of the rainforest. No seriously, this hotel is completely off the grid and is so sustainable, even recycled newspaper tends to get a little jealous. One of the major aspects that make this hotel operation not only practical, but successful is the management team. Rancho Margot was first designed to be an organic farm, but after a few pitched tents from friendly expats and outdoorists alike, it quickly remodeled itself into becoming a fully sustainable ecolodge. I mean fully sustainable in every sense of the word. Practically everything that is utilized throughout the ecolodge is made onsite of the property or somewhere within the general region of Costa Rica. This is important to note since green tourism was made a national policy in Costa Rica. Everything from the bar soap, to the benches were made on property. All of the daily food for guests and workers are derived from Rancho Margot’s organic garden, cows, pigs, and chickens, which make’s way for the ultimate in healthy dining.

There have been many definitions to the concept of ecotourism, and many corporations and hotels alike have utilized this concept of not only ecotourism, but similar catch phrases like sustainability, and going green to jump on the green train. It is important to distinguish particular entities that simply claim they are sustainable, but simply lack in the actual substance otherwise known as “greenwashing.” Let it be known that Ranchot Margot clearly stands as a living and visual definition of what it means to be sustainable.

One key aspect to note about the background of Rancho Margot is that it is family owned and operated, which can ultimately ensure a stable work environment. Additionally, some of the philanthropy that Rancho Margot includes would be it’s reforestation, ranger station, animal rescue and reintegration center, and it’s future developments for a on site school for local persons of Costa Rica. Keeping in mind that there is no actual requirement for any of these good works to be in existence, but when talking to Frederick Sostheim who is the Director of Operations, he simply replied, “It’s the right thing to do.” Perhaps many lessons can be learned by taking one trip to this fabulous place. Lessons about sustainability and organic farming, or deeper lessons about one’s self and attaining or restoring that balance of harmony with nature. Not too many hotels and resorts with 1,000 count sheets and convey the magnitude of that message. It is important of visiting the property, to take a tour by Fredrick of the Ranch to fully understand and appreciate all the innovative technologies and projects that are occurring and in progress at Rancho Margot.

Resource:

Sostheim, F. (2006). Rancho margot. Retrieved from http://ranchomargot.org/

Book Review on Management !

2009-10-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

Blog #2 Assignment:

On Becoming A Leader

By, Warren Bennis

The author of this book is a Professor of Business Administration at the University of Southern California as well as a consultant to a variety of multinational companies and governments that span the globe. In addition, Warren also sits as chairman of the board of the Kennedy School’s Center for Public leadership at Harvard University. Through this article, we will discuss the major hotspots of his book, which include the characteristics of a manager vs. a leader and what differentiates the two. What is often missing or overlooked in the common workplace is the managers art of leadership. Aside from the “corporate clichés” of management that echo words such as micromanagement, promoting synergy, and scheduling, it is the ‘how’ that plays a big role that ultimately brings out the x-factor of leadership among management. The overall objective of this review is to provide a guiding light and relight the match of leadership and let it burn the candle of management to provide for a more successful and balanced manager.

In chapter 2 of Bennis On Becoming A Leader, the majority of the chapter deals with a manager vs. leader and the distinct differences between the two. Bennis describes the importance to develop and implement leaders, not managers. Personally, the way I distinct managers from leaders is that manager’s ideas tend to be scripted over rehearsed, and monotone compared to that of a leader who’s ideas and tendencies are fresh, innovative and based off inspiration and motivation catered through this idea of a guiding light. Through the areas of the manager, the leader, and the intervention between the two, let us begin to understand what makes these certain ideas tick.

Among the list of what differentiates a manager from a leader on page 39 of the textbook, I’ve decided to choose three that stuck with me the most. First one being “The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.” The second is, “The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.” The third and final is, “The manager maintains, the leader develops. It is these three ideologies that differentiate a manager from a leader. The manager’s tendencies tend to be structured and read from a book. Oftentimes throughout the jobs I’ve had in the past, the managers words were not heartfelt, they’ve always seemed as if it followed a structure from a corporate policy rather than an actual meaningful, insightful and developmental methods. According to the international journal of project management, “Today’s project managers may not be equipped or trained adequately to handle complex projects even though significant efforts have been put into professionalizing project management and providing an ever growing number of project management education courses based on the traditional project management tools and techniques.” (Mengel 2008) This shows how the majority of managers are missing this “x” factor and to me I believe that is where self-reflection, inner-voice and independence come into play once again.

A leader already has these qualities, I believe a leader contains all the aspects of a great manager but has that x-factor that brings inspiration and progress to the table. Granted managers and leaders can both be successfully applicable pending on the type of work. For example, a General Manager for a winning professional baseball team, we would aim for consistency and sticking to the script so the qualities for the manager would be most applicable here. However a General Manager for a marketing firm, one would search for a leader with management qualities, keeping your head on the horizon and adapting effortlessly to change in trends.

I believe the main factor that differentiates a manager and a leader is experience within diversity, experience within adversity, and learning from experiences to fuel independence and self governed thoughts while maintaining this guiding vision. Anyone has the ability to become a manager or a leader. Same goes with the fact that a manager can become a leader, it just takes experience within these three criteria and reflection upon them.

Let’s not think that a manager is lets say, “better off” than a leader, or vise versa, but rather think if a having both management and leadership skills coupled together is the importance of management in a profession. Warren Bennis book opens new light to the term manager, and should be on the shelf of any aspiring, existing, future leaders and managers for tomorrow.

Works Cited:

Mengel, T (2008). Preparing Project Managers to Deal With Complexity-Advanced Project Management Education. International Journal of Project Management, 26, Retrieved October 9th, 2009, from http://www.sciencedirect.com

Bennis, W (2003). On Becoming A Leader. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books

SWOT Analysis of 5 Tourism Websites

2009-09-09T00:58:00.001-07:00

Blog #1 Assignment

EXAMPLES OF STRENGTH:

1.) The Official Website of Costa Rica

a.) Strengths- A very ‘user friendly’ website that gives ten different categories of types of traveling that are available at the bottom of the welcome screen. The technology that is utilized is not only up to date but is conveniently interactive to link the welcome screen to a variety of different sectors of tourism. “Accommodations, Transportation, Food and Beverage, etc.” Offers easy vacation planning opportunities. Offers vivid pictures of locations around Costa Rica.

b.) Weaknesses- Although the technology is up to date, the overall format that is used to transfer from site to site within the main welcome screen could be to basic and does not tackle enough visual senses quickly enough. Even though galleries, and videos are available, it takes to many clicks to view them. Too much simplicity of the website. Shows small tagline of country, “No Artificial Ingredients.”

c.) Opportunities- Since Costa Rica is already known for it’s natural attractions, there is a great opportunity to expand it’s market towards other types of travelers in the areas of shopping, heritage, and agricultural tourism. Expand further on existing green tourism practices. Continue to drive tourism numbers through innovation. Over a larger variety of vacation package to tailor different target markets.

d.) Threats- Other central American countries who have seen the positive economic impact of Costa Rica while containing the same, of not more natural resources can utilize this model from Costa Rica to compete in the market share from a tourism standpoint. Current state of the economy can deter potential travelers. Influx of increasing tourism arrivals can reduce the demand and authenticity of Costa Rica.

2.) The Official Website of New Zealand

a.) Strengths- A large portion of the home screen reveals an option to watch a welcome video of New Zealand which has great visual effects and shows the history of New Zealand and how it is the youngest country on earth. The website also reveals beautiful pictures of the natural landscape. Easy to use and extremely organized. Offers current news lines to give up to date information of NZ.

b.) Weaknesses- Even though the welcome video portrays great visual effects and images of New Zealand, the people portrayed in the video was a specific demographic of a middle aged, upper-class, and well educated outdoor enthusiast. There was a lack of photos for the accommodations portion of the website.

c.) Opportunities- There is a large opportunity to expand the market share of tourists that visit by creating more upscale lodging opportunities for that particular demographic. Have a comment section on the welcome screen to show true-life visitor experiences and recommendations. Offer 360 view panorama focusing on the natural landscape of NZ.

d.) Threats- The fact that travel New Zealand is relatively expensive from other countries, there is a threat that travel will decrease. Another threat is competition of the market from it’s nearby neighbor Australia. Seasonality of tourism and motivations to travel is another threat.

4. The Official Website of Singapore

a.) Strengths- Offers an option of twelve different language to suit interested travelers from around the world. Incredible welcome screen with enticing music to interest the traveler. Convenient website that allows easily accessibility to a variety of topics regarding travel to Singapore and upcoming events. Offers a newsletter for the latest information regarding travel. Offers an on site currency converter. 2006 Official Honoree for website layout. Voted #1 Website in 2008 from July to September by Hitwise Corp.

b.) Weaknesses- Does not readily offer natural attractions. Singapore’s welcome screen only depicts the upcoming Formula 1 race. Aside from these two aspects, this is a flawless website.

c.) Opportunities- Adopt the United States current trend of a ‘staycation’ that allows travelers from Singapore to utilize the services and amenities that it has to offer. Focus on current environmental trends and perhaps adopt renewable resources and green tourism as a national policy.

d. Threats- A lack of knowledge of attractions and activities of Singapore can deter potential travelers. Language barrier of Singapore can also deter potential travelers. Long distance travel from other countries.

5. The Official Website of Jordan

a.) Strengths- The cultural/Biblical significance of the country alone makes Jordan readily marketable. Reveals a variety of pictures on the homepage of natural, cultural, and archeological aspects of Jordan.

b.) Weaknesses- Seems to only cater to the outdoor enthusiast or person interested in a cultural/historical trip. This seems to be the only weakness of the website.

c.) Opportunities- Expand existing market to surrounding countries through the option of a staycation. Offer other types of reasons to travel to Jordan aside from cultural and natural attractions. Ensure, or show statistical evidence of safety throughout the country.

d.) Threats- Since Jordan is located in the middle east, this can cause potential tourists to travel elsewhere because of political and religious conflicts. Language barrier would also stand as a large deterrent of Jordan.

EXAMPLE OF OVERALL WEAKNESS:

3. The Official Website of Tanzania

a.) Strengths- Offers a conveniently located tourism directory that entails a variety of activities, accommodations, transportation, and tour operators within Tanzania. Reveals easy access to game reserves and national parks, and the top dive sites off the Swahili Coast.

b.) Weaknesses- Lack of technology and innovation for the website itself. Uses a youtube video to showcase a featured destination of Tanzania, rather than a self-produced video. The descriptions of the accommodations are poorly worded. Lack of visual components to interest a potential traveler. Overall, a poorly constructed website.

c.) Opportunities- A large opportunity to improve the overall maintenance and quality of the Tanzania website. Create a larger awareness of potential travelers to Tanzania through other mediums, i.e. “Facebook, Twitter, word of mouth, etc.”

t.) Threats- Consistent news of other African countries such as Rwanda and Somalia and the ongoing problems of stability they face can deter travelers. Long distance travel could be postponed because the state of our economy. More developed African countries can have a better chance for tourist arrivals.

There were a variety of factors as to why The Official Website of Singapore stood past the other four country oriented tourism websites and will proportionately improve tourism spending to the entity featured. The first type of criteria that was judged was my initial reaction to the content layout and convenience of use. As I compared all five websites, the Singapore layout was not only convenient; it was the most advanced in terms of graphics and technology. It was simply effortless to move from various categories of where to stay, where to eat, and what to do, the very essence of why one would explore a countries tourism website.

The second reason why I feel Singapore’s Official Website will continue to proportionately improve tourism spending to this entity is because of the variety of world renown events that are in the near future. The first thing that is depicted on the welcome screen is a promotion for Singapore’s first Formula 1 race, which will be taken place throughout the normally busy streets filled with skyscrapers that will bring a huge economic growth to the local economy and local businesses. Singapore will also play host to the 2010 World Expo, which draws international attention that will also drive tourist arrivals, create an increase in foreign exchange, and draw high volumes for a variety of tourism related enterprises. No other website that I analyzed carried the same magnitude or significance for upcoming events like Singapore’s website. In addition, with the changing market of the United States tourism industry and baby boomers becoming the leading force, I feel that there will be a change in demand from visiting European countries, to explore places less travelled such as Singapore. According to Channelnewsasia.com, Singapore missed it’s target goal for tourism receipts for 2008, with 10 billion US dollars, from a projected 15.5 billion dollars. (Channelnewsasia.com)

One final reason why Singapore’s Official Website distinguishes itself from the other four websites would be it’s amount of resources and links to other information that is conveniently and readily available by the click of a mouse. No other website that I analyzed has the same amount of resources readily available like Singapore’s website. The tagline itself gives a good description of what is at hand, “Uniquely Singapore.” This is exactly what the website stands for, to separate itself from the rest and be a unique tourism product. One important fact to keep in mind is the potential for growth that Singapore has compared to the other four websites. I feel that It is a combination of these three main components that will give Singapore’s website and overall tourism product that will distinguish itself from the rest. According to Business.gov, Singapore’s main tourism arrivals were from regional countries with 1.73 million visitors arriving from Indonesia. (Busines.gov) This shows huge potential for Singapore to grasp the United States market.

Resource(s) Cited:

. (n.d.). Singapore News. Channelnewsasia. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/401557/1/.html

. (n.d.). Singapore’s Tourist Arrivals Dip 2% In 2008. Enterprise One. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.business.gov.sg/EN/News/Jan2009/20090113singapor.htm

. (n.d.). Welcome to the Offical site of Costa Rica. Costa Rica Tourism Board. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.microsites.visitcostarica.com

. (n.d.). Welcome to the Youngest Country on Earth. Tourism New Zealand. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.newzealand.com/travel/

. (n.d.). Welcome to the Wonderful Country- Tanzania. Tanzania Tourism Board. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.tanzaniatouristboard.com/

. (n.d.). 2009 Reasons to Visit Singapore. Singapore Tourism Board. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home.htm

. (n.d.). The Official Website of Jordan Tourism Board. Jordan Tourism Board. Retrieved (September, 8th 2009) from http://na2.visitjordan.com/Default.aspx

2009-09-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hola TDM 401! So I am still new to this world of blogging so bear with me! Aside from that, I am here at the Downtown Phoenix Campus at the moment on this lovely tuesday afternoon pretending that I see clouds outside and that it's raining with a temperature of 50 degrees. Reality just hit me and realized I can make a nice three egg omelet on the sidewalk of Van Buren and Central! Oh well, that's life right!? Anyway, I think im gonna continue to figure out how to make my profile all 'decked out,' so stay tuned!