5-Star Trip to Turkey

Posting by Ranjit Hayer, Business Studies teacher

The summer term has just begun and students are getting their heads down and revising for important exams. Doubtless some started their revision over the Easter break or even earlier. For some of the Business Studies students, the Easter holidays saw them learning about how a 5-star holiday resort operates, but if you have to work during the holidays there are worse places to do it than in the sunshine in Turkey.

I travelled with a group of 10 A2 students to the 5-star ultra all-inclusive resort called the Daima Resort in Antalya. The students had daily workshops from visiting speakers from the management team of the Daima Resort, who explained their roles in the workings of the hotel.

The students spoke to the General Manager, the Guest Relations Manager, the Marketing Manager, the Human Resourses Manager, the Accounts Manager and the Food & Beverage manager there too. They learnt how these people market the hotel, which travel agents they use, and how they maintain the costs when they are in low season. Indeed, students saw how this happens first hand, as during the visit the hotel had a cancellation from a travel agent who had pre-booked 200 rooms. The staff explained the consequences to the hotel of this cancellation and what had to be done to limit the costs. This is a typical example of how businesses have to cope with unexpected issues, so it was a valuable lesson for the students.

The students also learnt how staff are recruited seasonally and how the hotel trains them, and those staff reported back to the students on why they chose to work at the hotel and what motivates them. The students were given a behind the scenes tour of the hotel and saw the construction of the new hotel that is also owned by Daima Resorts due to open at the end of May.

The students collected information throughout the week and presented a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) to the General Manager of the hotel, who commented on how important it is that they ensure all the hotel guest enjoy their stay. This was well demonstrated by a surprise for one of our students, who turned 18 during the trip and was given a birthday cake by the hotel. Staff at the resort also arranged birthday activities for the students to enjoy and we all had a great evening. We all took time to complete the hotel questionnaire to give the resort our feedback on our stay.

When not working we all took part in other activities that the hotel had to offer, including playing water polo, enjoying the on-site aqua park, the Turkish baths, playing darts, and enjoying the beach and sunshine! The hotel recommended a boat trip out to see the cliffs and the lagoons that surround the mountainous region and we had a chance to dive into the sea and swim. We also visited Antalya to see a traditional Turkish Bazaar.

It was a wonderful trip and we are grateful to the staff at the hotel for accommodating us and passing on such valuable insights to the students. If we had to work over the Easter break, we certainly could not have asked for better surroundings to do so.

One of the hotel staff who worked with us was actually a former student of the College and it was wonderful to see how well she has done since leaving the College.

There are a few pictures below of the trip and lots more on the College's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/solihullsixthform.