Unit Hospitality Management

Textbook Knowles, T. 1998. Hospitality Management: An Introduction 2nd ed. Prentice Hall: Harlow

Series March 2020

Question Answer Annotate Guidance

1 Tourism is a developing industry which embraces a wide range of tourist services. Syllabus reference:
(a) Describe the main differences between the role of a travel agent and Ch. 1, p. 12-21
that of a tour operator. [10 marks]
(b) Explain how a weak economy may influence patterns of holiday
choice. [10 marks]

(a) Travel agent:

 Retailer
 Usually in the high street, or online, or both
 Sells other separate products (e.g. Flight, hotel) as well as package

Tour operator:
 Wholesaler
 Responsible for assembly and wrapping of travel package
 Sells package, combines transport/accommodation/retail services
 Highly competitive and unstable sector e.g. Company failures, new entrants

Both sectors represented by ABTA

(b) Consumers may:

 Take fewer holidays
 Stay in own country
 Book late to obtain bargain
 Take shorter holiday
 Choose cheaper accommodation
 Visit friends and relatives
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
2 Personal consumer expenditure is the primary measure of consumer spending on goods Syllabus reference:
and services in an economy. Ch. 2, p. 42-47
Examine the factors that will influence consumer expenditure in the hospitality
industry. [20 marks]

Examples of influencing factors:

 Increased disposable income
 More free time
 Increased holiday entitlement
 Economic climate
 Currency exchange rates
 Increases in trade and commerce will yield more business travel
 Alteration in work patterns more short breaks
 Change in consumer preferences and tastes
 Demography ageing/changing population
 Number of tourists
 Defined market segments emerging (eg: single, female)
 Older financially stable senior-citizen generation
 Better educated/more widely travelled younger age group
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
3 Investigations carried out during the planning stage of the building of a hotel will establish Syllabus reference:
the marketability of the project. Ch. 3, p. 61-67
Compare and contrast similarities and differences between a financial
feasibility study and a market appraisal. [20 marks]

Financial feasibility study:

 Estimates return on investment (ROI)
 Considers total project cost
 Financial structure of deal
 Tax implications of resulting profit/loss (final determinant is not made until
later in the
 Development process)
 Assists in obtaining financing
 Assists in obtaining and negotiation contracts (franchise/lease)
 Guide to planners/architects

Market appraisal projection:

 Based on supply/demand studies
 Identifies and quantifies potential markets
 Establishes potential demand generators
 Identifies ancillary demand
 Estimates revenues and expenses to point of income
 Usually conducted on a micro level
 Establishes reason for guests’ visit (current/future)
 Identifies type of demand
 Identifies spending potential
 Identifies seasonal/weekly patterns
 Identifies market area characteristics
 Evaluates project site/area
 Analyses competition
 Recommends facilities/services
 Estimates operating revenue
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
4 The design team employed for the construction of a new hotel should be led by a Syllabus reference:
professional project manager. Ch. 4, p. 89-113
(a) Examine the information required by the project manager to prepare
an outline design brief for a proposed hotel. [10 marks]
(b) Outline the roles of five professionals who will be appointed to assist a
client in the design and construction of an intended hotel. [10 marks]

(a)
 Grade of hotel
 Number of bedrooms
 Size of bedrooms
 Mix of bedrooms
 Range of public rooms
 Number of restaurants, kitchens and bars
 Range of leisure facilities
 Range of business meeting rooms
 Special features, e.g. Nightclub
 Car/coach parking

(b)
 Architect – assess site, liaise with local authority, draw plans
 Structural engineer – assess feasibility of building design
 Mechanical engineer – assess feasibility of services
 Quantity surveyor – establish cost of building
 Interior designer – prepare proposal for design and colour schemes of rooms
 Landscape architect – prepare plans for gardens/car park
 Kitchen designer – prepare plans of kitchens, serveries, equipment
 Conference audio/visual equipment specialist – prepare plans of meeting
rooms
 Leisure facilities specialist – plans for proposed swimming pool, gym, leisure
facilities
 Project manager – manage team
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
5 An efficient maintenance programme will help ensure continuous operation and prevent Syllabus reference:
equipment failure. Ch. 6, p. 154-167
(a) Differentiate between routine maintenance, preventative maintenance
and scheduled maintenance. [15 marks]
(b) Explain how a recycled inventory differs from a non-recycled inventory,
include an example of each in your answer. [5 marks]

(a) Routine maintenance:

 General upkeep of property
 Occurs on regular (daily/weekly) basis
 Requires minimum training/skills
 Occurs outside formal work order system
 No specific maintenance records kept (e.g. cleaning rooms, replacing bulbs)

Preventative maintenance – three parts:

(i) Inspection
(ii) Minor corrections
(iii) Work order initiation
 Contributes to guest satisfaction
 Often performed by housekeeping personnel
 Protects physical plant (e.g. checks cracks/leaking fixtures)
 Regular communication between housekeeping/maintenance

Scheduled maintenance:
 Sometimes identifies problems beyond scope of minor correction
 Work identified throughout the work order system
 Work scheduled to engineer
 Initiated on a final triplicate work order (e.g. Cracked ceiling/dry rot)
(b) Recycled inventory:
 Embraces items recycled during routine activities of a housekeeping
department, e.g. linen, equipment (vacuum cleaner], guest supplies (irons)

Non-recycled inventory:
 Consumed or used up during routine activities, e.g. soap/paper/mini bar items/
biscuits/ toiletries
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
6 A hospitality manager has a legal responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of every Syllabus reference:
customer and to quality assure practices. Ch. 7, p. 169-192
Examine how quality assurance maybe established under each of the following:
(a) Risk assessment
(b) Due diligence
(c) Codes of practice
(d) Food hygiene training [20 marks]

(a) Risk assessment

 Identification of risk areas
 Covers all processes and procedures
 Reviewed constantly
 Documentary evidence
 Examples of areas (e.g. temperature control)

(b) Due diligence

 Ensures a safe and efficient system of food handling exists
 All reasonable precautions are taken
 Caterers must show system (i.e. Precautions) works
 Monitoring (i.e. Due diligence) is established
 Management supervision and control must be effective

(c) Codes of practice

 Issued by Ministers to local authorities
 Regarded as accepted good practice
 Brings everyone up to standards of the best
 Should ensure more even patterns of enforcement
 Can be produced internally
(d) Food hygiene training
 Given to all food handlers
 Basic understanding of bacteriology
 Covers personal hygiene
 aim to prevent food poisoning
 Part of due diligence
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
7 Restaurant chains offer a familiarity throughout all their branches and are most popular in Syllabus reference:
areas frequented by travellers and tourists. Ch. 8, p. 194-232
(a) Discuss how restaurant chains may achieve consumer confidence. [8 marks]
(b) Compare and contrast the cook-chill food production system with the
cook-freeze system. [4 marks]
(c) Describe the characteristics of the partie system used in a traditional
kitchen. [8 marks]

(a)
 Standard menu through all branches
 Uniform atmosphere
 No surprises for regular clients
 Guaranteed quality

(b) Cook-chill
 Full cooking followed by fast chilling to 3°C or less, 5-day storage

Cook-freeze
 Full cooking followed by fast freezing to -18°C, long storage

(c)
 Traditional kitchen brigade
 Clear division of tasks
 Separate autonomous sections
 Many staff
Question Answer Annotate Guidance
8 While most bars and public houses (pubs) are owned by a national branded company and Syllabus reference:
run by a manager, some are run by a tenant. Ch. 10, p. 233-248
(a) Explain the differences between a tenant and a manager in the
hospitality industry. [4 marks]
(b) Describe how the payment of dry rent differs from that of wet rent. [4 marks]
(c) Describe how products offered in a free house will differ from those
available in tied premises. [4 marks]
(d) Examine information that regular stocktaking will provide for hospitality
managers. [8 marks]

(a) Tenant
 Owner of business trading under national company status
 Rents the building and fixtures from the national company

Manager
 Employee of a company
 Employed by owner

(b) Dry rent

 Fixed rent
 Fixed amount at regular intervals

Wet rent
 Pre-arranged premium on supplies
 Varies with order size

(c) Free house

 Wide range of stock purchased from any number of suppliers at any time
 Tied house
 Stock purchased from nominated supplier (brewery) only
 Set deliveries at set times

(d)
 Indicates too much/little stock held
 If value of stock held is within financial policy
 Highlights differences between book and actual values
 Confirms storekeeper efficiency
 Identifies slow-moving stock
 Rate of stock turnover
 Highlights pilferage/wastage
 Determines gross profit percentage