1.3. Positioning and Unique Selling Points

Specific to the hospitality industry, a Unique Selling Point or USP is defined as the single most identifiable benefit a property can give to consumers. 

Unique selling points of Aktia Lounge Hotel & Spa can be stated as following:

1. The View – panoramic views of the Sea of Crete

2. Location –sea-side village of Stalis, between Malia and Hersonissos on the large sandy beach on the north coast of Crete.

3. Tranquil and Vibrant – Stalis offers a quieter atmosphere than the one of the neighboring Malia and Hersonissos, making it ideal for families and couples alike, however it still offers a vibrant and lively holiday spot accompanied by its numerous cafes, tavernas, stores and super markets that run parallel to the sandy beach.

4. Individual – In its decoration; all the hotel’s characteristics ( an independent hotel, not part of a chain)

5. Gastronomic Restaurant –the culinary delights served from the exceptional staff in one of 3 high quality restaurants. 

6. Spa signature treatments such as Cretan Herbs & Olive Oil Exfoliation, Yoghurt & Honey Body Wrap, Warm Honey Massage.

7. Concerned with the Environment / Sustainability – solar panels to heat water; low energy consumption lighting; preference for local products with the resulting benefits from the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions; composting of organic waste

8. Easy Access – It is just 35 kilometers away from the Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport and 37 kilometers from the merchant port of Heraklion.

9. Kids Club.

Competitive positioning may be seen in some ways as the outcome of companies’ attempts to create effective competitive differentiation for their products and services. However, Kotler (1997) suggests that not all competitive differences will create a strong competitive position; attempts to create differentiation should meet the following criteria: importance, a difference should create a highly valued benefit for significant numbers of customers; distinctive and pre-emptive, the difference cannot be imitated or performed better by others; superior, the difference should provide a superior way for customers to obtain the benefit in question; communicable, the difference should be capable of being communicated to customers and understood by them; affordable, the target customers can afford to pay for the difference; profitable, the difference will command a price adequate to make it profitable for the company. (Hooley, 2008)

Through its Unique Selling Points, Aktia Lounge Hotel &Spa illustrates specific reasons, which make its organization unique, credible and valued to its customers. By identifying distinguishing features including its concept, culture, location, facilities and recognition the organization fulfills the abovementioned criteria giving it a strong competitive positioning in the market.

1.4. Customer mix

The author was unable to obtain a document verifying the statistics of the customer mix, as the hotel does not hold such document. Therefore, this document will not be in the Appendices. However, the author will provide a brief overview of the type of customer visiting the spa and the target groups based on discussion with the Spa Manager and personal observation during the internship period.

A large majority of customers visiting the spa are Israeli. Many foreign customers are of French, English, German and Russian nationalities. The number of Israelis visiting Greece grew from some 150,000 in 2010 to 400,000 according to ynetnews.com and a further growth in the number of tourists is expected in the following years.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni explains the popularity of Greece as a tourist destination among Israeli by several reasons. She is convinced that the Greek popularity has more to do with Greece’s allures than to the Israeli-Turkish fracture that sent Israelis scrambling for cheap vacation alternatives nearby. Many Israelis have roots in Greece, and the wide audience receives value for money in our country with competitive prices compared to the region's countries. The Minister also noted that Greece was a safe country for tourists.

During the summer months while the tourism season is high at the hotel a vast majority of foreign customers and also Portuguese customers visit the spa. During the mid to low seasons, it is still common for foreign customers to visit, especially during holidays, but it is generally lower. The Portuguese customers visit from throughout the country as well as the local market commonly visits the spa throughout the year. The concept of a low, mid or high season does not apply to the spa but rather to the hotel. However, if the occupancy of the hotel is high, this will have an impact on the spa, as many guests will visit the spa. In terms of percentages, from January 2013 to December 2013 30% of the spa guests are local and 70% of the spa guests are guests of the hotel.

In general, the customer is mainly between the ages of 40 to 60 years old. More women are guests of the spa than are men. Hotel guests usually spend a 3 to 4 day stay at the hotel. Referring back to the occupancy concept, visits to the spa depend on the type of guests occupying the hotel. For instance, if the majority of hotel guests are families and couples, than visits to the spa will be quite high. However, if the majority of hotel guests are groups related to business trips than spa attendance will most likely be lower. In response to this, the Spa Director developed Group Activities. This includes spa relaxation and wine tasting. Group Activities provides the opportunity for this type of guest to enjoy some moments of relaxation allowing him/her to experience the hotel, even if it is for a short time. Group Activities as related to the spa include an Express Hand Massage and an Express Massage Chair. The trainee has observed a variety of customer groups, some are single, but many are couples (both middle aged and older). Families with young children (small children to pre-teens) also arrive to the spa, especially to use the indoor swimming pool. The hotel has a “Kids Club” facility for children, so families commonly visit the hotel. The customers who visit the spa are especially interested in the wellbeing area. The Brazilian market commonly utilizes each of the facilities and especially seeks interest and enjoyment in spas. This market greatly understands and appreciates the spa culture and benefits of its wellbeing. Many customers are also of an athletic lifestyle, so this customer may take the Sports Massage offered as a spa treatment and/or utilize the facilities.