One of the economic sectors that has seen tremendous growth in recent years is the hospitality sector. Significant implementations are being incorporated into the sector on a daily basis to make sure that it offers top-notch services to its clients across the world. The concept of visitor profiles has recently been brought into the hospitality industry as one tactic for enhancing client services. To create a visitor profile, a specific database must be created. This database will be used to store all pertinent client data, enabling quick client identification and reducing service ambiguity in the hospitality industry. Many academics have produced visitor profile studies to better understand this topic, and this debate examines explores some of the exemplary.
Investigating Visitor Profiles as a Valuable Addition to Museum Research
In their study, Lewalter and Phelan focused on investigating the impact of visitor profiles in generating more value to museums. Through assessing visitors’ backgrounds, interests, and preferences, they used a more integrative approach to study the transformation of museums into meeting customers’ expectations and desires, and still improve the museum's value in the process (Doris & Sielle, 2015). Examining the authors’ approach in discussing this topic, it is an excellent technique since they have used the Latent Class Analysis(LCA) in presenting on the factors that they look for when collecting important visitor information including personal characteristics. Since the basis of the study is on the importance of visitor profiles, the LCA technique was thus crucial hence I support the angle from which the study was built on regarding this topic.
Moreover, the study used two sets of museums in investigating visitor profile in association with increasing the value of museum studies, two science museums and also two cultural ones. The LCA technique was then used in analyzing the outcome of the museums. This step further shows the effectiveness of the study in explaining the impact of visitor profiles since by using groups that can be compared gives valid and reliable results. However, to acquire more information concerning visitor profile and museum research, the study would have also involved museums that have never incorporated visitor profiles technique in their systems in the study, to efficiently compare the effect of both the presence and absence of visitor profiles in museums.
The museum environment and the visitor experience
Christina Goulding has also done a study on visitor profile which is a valuable reference tool in this discussion. The article explains that over the years, museums have faced substantial pressure regarding offering a pleasant experience to their visitors. Christina further writes that this objective can only be achieved if the management systems in museums have sufficient knowledge on aspects that facilitate customer satisfaction, fulfill their expectations and also offer them new experiences (Christina, 2000). To set museums according to the above descriptions, visitor profile is essential in making the management systems improve the museums to the required standards. The approach that Christina has used in presenting this study is outstanding since she took the initiative of using social, cognitive and environmental perspectives in conducting the survey. The above aspects are crucial to the study since they have been used before in conducting studies on museum visitor behaviors hence the study was based on stable and reliable experimental procedures.
Additionally, the study directed its objective towards analyzing customers’ profiles that have an impact in the management systems changing their methods of offering services to their clients, an indication that the study was visionary, which is a good element in any research. Considering the presentation of objectives and the aspects included in the study, Christina’s research is excellent since it has outlined its objectives through explaining on what the study will focus on regarding customer profiles, the methods that have been used and why those specific approaches. It thus gives the readers direction and adequate understanding of the study.
Information Technology Applications in Hospitality and Tourism
Finally, Rob law also conducted a study on visitor profile, basing his arguments on information technology. This article discusses how information technology has become part of the tourism and hospitality industries in improving their operations and services to customers (Rob, 2009). The significance of this study is that it has approached visitor profile from a somewhat different perspective, which is information technology in the hospitality industry. These aspects distinguish it from the above articles hence its uniqueness cannot be underestimated. The report emphasizes on improving the quality of customer service and experience, which are only achieved through understanding what various clients desire and prefer. The study included information from hospitality research journals conducted between 2005 and 2007 which is a good strategy in this study since the sources played a significant role in providing adequate information on the study topic.
Besides, the data collected in this research can be confirmed to be factual since the data is from reliable sources. However, despite the study highlighting on improving customer quality, satisfaction and experience, it has not directly reflected on visitor profiles aspect as a subject on its own. It has instead mentioned attributes that can be achieved in the tourism and hospitality industry by adopting visitor profile networks. The surest way to understand how to offer high-quality services to customers and offer them satisfaction in return is through visitor profile measures, which the study has not directly addressed. The author would have discussed further on visitor profile by expounding on the research that its adoption into the hospitality industry will contribute significantly to improving customer services and satisfaction.
Comparisons and Contrasts
From the articles presented above, it is possible for one to compare and contrast their objectives and presentation techniques. For instance, Lewalter and Phelan’s report and that of Christina present their arguments based on museums as their point of discussion regarding visitor profile. Both have used museums to express on how visitor profiles have a high impact in realizing customer desires and references which further helps management teams in this sector improve their sites by equipping them with features that will achieve customer satisfaction. Rob’s study, on the other hand, is different since it has focused on the tourism and hospitality industry in general without selecting a single section of the industry to incorporate into the study.
Also, contrasts across the three articles are notable regarding the approaches they have used in presenting their discussions. For example, Lewalter and Phelan have used the Latent Class Analysis in examining the impact of visitor profiles in museum researches; Christina used social, cognitive and environmental aspects while Rob Law has used the information technology point of study in building up his research. Evidently, there exists a number of differences, but it is important to note that despite the disparities observed, all articles are crucial in creating more understanding on visitor profiles. The differences are an indication that studies can be approached from different views but have the same objectives and achievements in the long run. For example, in all the three discussion articles above, all of them have shown that visitor profiles can contribute substantially in facilitating the provision of high-quality customer services in organizations within the hospitality industry. Also, customer satisfaction can be achieved in the process since visitor profiles allow administrations in specific companies in the industry understand what their customers desire to accomplish after making visitations to their particular organization.
Conclusion
Evidently, this study has shown that indeed visitor profile has a huge impact economically especially in the hospitality industry. Numerous benefits can be achieved with visitor profile including maximization of profits in the hospitality industry which in return improves the economy and the people’s welfare at large. Additionally, it facilitates the establishment of sites that meet the desires and expectations of visitors hence offering them the fulfillment they desire and deserve. The articles analyzed have further provided sufficient information on visitor profiles creating more insight and emphasis on how crucial they are in the contemporary world. This discussion together with the investigated articles is essential resources in understanding significant factors concerning visitor profiles. Conclusively, it is factual to say that organizations need to develop this network into their systems to improve their profitability and quality services provided to their customers. Visitor profiles thus should not be limited to the hospitality industry only, but can also be applied in other business sectors so that the economy can grow uniformly and faster. The advantages that come with adopting the program are numerous hence embracing it would be beneficial.
References
Christina, G. (2000). The museum environment and the visitor experience. European Journal of Marketing , 261-278.
Doris, L., & Sielle, P. (2015). Investigating Visitor Profiles as a Valuable Addition to Museum Research. International Journal of Science Education , 357-374.
Rob, L. (2009). INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM: A REVIEW OF PUBLICATIONS FROM 2005 TO 2007. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing , 599-623.
