UNIVERSITY OF ST.

LA SALLE BACOLOD
YU AN LOG COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTANCY

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT

TML204 Recreation and Leisure Management

RESORT RECREATIONAL GUEST ACTIVITIES BENCHMARKING ASSESSMENT

Submitted by:
MARANON, HANNAH - 2010685
PANGANIBAN, RHEYLENE - 2200952
RIVAS, JANIELA - 2201411
ESPANOLA, SHIELA -2201676

TML204 TTH 2:30-3:30

Submitted to:
OSTEIN EARN GEMOTEA, MBA-HTM
Ass. Professor, TMP204

December 5, 2023
 INTRODUCTION

The tourism and hospitality industry is dynamic and customer-centric, where guest
activity plays a pivotal role in shaping the overall experience. According to recent studies, one of
the primary factors influencing guest satisfaction is their level of activity and engagement during
their stay (Johnson & Brown, 2019). Guests who actively participate in hotel and resort
amenities, events, and services tend to report higher levels of satisfaction compared to passive
guests. For instance, a study by Anderson et al. (2020) found that guests who utilized the hotel
and resorts recreational facilities and participated in organized activities were more likely to rate
their overall experience positively. Two resorts that are comparable to one another are La Luz
Beach Resort and Fairways and Bluewater Boracay. In a market where competition is prevalent,
resorts can gain an advantage by offering a carefully chosen range of recreational activities. By
prominently showcasing a diverse range of recreational activities, the website can influence
guests' decision-making processes. One way to assist potential guests visualize their stay is by
giving them an overview of what's in store through the website's visual presentation, engaging
descriptions, and easy-to-use interfaces. Despite being in such different places—one in San
Juan Batangas and the other in Boracay—these two resorts offer almost comparable
recreational activities. Firstly, Fairways and Bluewater Boracay is located in Boracay Island,
Aklan.This resort provides guests with a wide range of enjoyable recreational activities to
choose from. Furthermore, the activities they offer include zipline and cable car, horseback
riding on the island’s shore, segway at the beachfront, and diverse watersports activities such
as island Hopping, crystal kayaking, banana boat, UFO, parasailing, Windsurfing, Scuba Diving,
Snorkeling and Jet Ski. Additionally, they have different types of pools that families can enjoy
and a wide range of facilities such as fitness and wellness facilities, an exclusive clubhouse, two
relaxing spas, and 20 food and beverage outlets. On the other hand, La Luz Beach Resort is
located in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. This beach resort is the ideal getaway for those looking
to rest and relax as well as those who wish to participate in water sports. They offer a wide
range of activities one can choose from, such as, board games, biking, fat bike, hiking, and
water activities such as Helmet diving, snorkeling, kayaking, flying fish, banana boat, disco boat,
Jet Ski, and WindSurfing. In contrast, these two resorts provide nearly identical watersports
experiences, yet despite this, they both maintain a positive image with many tourists and visitors
due to the variety of experiences and activities they provide. It is apparent that by making
investments in a wide range of activities catered to their specific locations and guest
demographics, these two resorts can offer a comprehensive and unforgettable experience,
making them stand out as the best choices in the competitive industry.
Benchmarking Analysis

a. Clarity and Accessibility

Fairways & Bluewater Resort in Boracay offers a wide range of conveniently

accessible activities on their website. The resort's website is easy to use, and it offers
clear and concise information regarding its recreational activities in terms of accessibility
and clarity. Their website provides you with all the information you need to know about
the resort, including information on lodging, activities, amenities, and news and
promotions. You may find the resort's overview of its recreational activities, together with
clear and simple information, on their website. Additionally, you may reserve your stay at
the resort using their user-friendly website, which is hassle-free for guests to use. The
website of La Luz Beach Resort, on the other hand, is equally easy to use and presents
the activities that are available in a clear manner, however it lacks a description.
Additionally, guests may browse and choose from the sections provided in their website
such as lodging, reservations, activities, and galleries. You may also go through their
special offers and deals for guests.

b. Engagement and Interactivity

The Fairway and Bluewater resort does not have any virtual tours or videos on its
website, but it does include photos of the accommodation and activities. However, their
Facebook page has pictures, videos, and virtual tours of the resort. The La Luz Resort
promotes photos of its services, activities and facilities on its website, but neither virtual
tours nor videos are available. However, you can see that they are active on their
Facebook page, uploading pictures, videos, and virtual tours for people to browse, which
can influence how potential guests’ online experience.

c. Personalization

When it comes to providing personalized recommendations for guest

preferences, both the Fairways and Bluewater Boracay and the La Luz Beach Resort
have their own contribution to put forward. Fairways & Bluewater Boracay respects the
choices of its visitors in a lot of ways. For instance, if you want to have fun with your
family, children, or friends, you can go and try their water sports. Banana boats, UFO,
Windsurfing, Scuba Diving, and Jet skis are available. If you would prefer to go on a
romantic getaway as a couple or by yourself. You can try their popular Instagram
activity, crystal kayaking. If you don't want to engage in any water activities, they also
offer land activities like Segways and horseback riding. If neither of those options
appeals to you, they also offer a few aerial activities, such as parasailing or via their zip
line and cable car. Additionally, its golf course, which has a pro shop, locker rooms,
club rentals, tee houses, and beverage carts of its own, is its most notable feature.
Ideal for golfers of all skill levels due to the availability of professional caddies and the
willingness of experienced professionals to lend a hand. Whether you're alone or with
someone else, you'll undoubtedly enjoy whatever activities you choose. The following
resort, La Luz Beach Resort, offers a variety of watersport activities such as kayaking,
disco boat, flying fish, banana boat rides, flying fish, wind surfing and jet skiing in an
effort to exceed and meet the preferences of its guests. However, snorkeling and
helmet diving are available if you'd want to explore the sea under the surface. You may
have your own private bonfire where you can spend time telling stories, roasting
marshmallows, making S'mores, jamming to your favorite music, and much more if you
want to spend your evenings with friends or someone special.

e. Social Proof and Reviews

We have looked through each of the two resorts' social media sites. Fairways &
Bluewater Boracay appears to provide reviews for its visitors, according to our
research. On its homepage, they have highlighted the guests’ reviews about their
experiences in the resort. They also provide a messaging section on their website,
which you can utilize to leave them reviews. On the same website, they have
included a Google map website where you can leave a comment and read
evaluations left by previous guests about the resort and their experiences. With
2,312 reviews, they now have 4.3 stars, the majority of which highlight the resort's
excellent customer service. The only issue they mentioned was their transportation
system, which requires a shuttle service to access other amenities because of their
wide distance from one another. Additionally, the resort has 121 reviews with an
average rating of 4.3 stars on Trip.com, most of which praise the quality of their
 services. The same issue, shuttle services, is present in negative ratings. On the
other hand, neither its website nor any other social media platform of La Luz Beach
Resort is open for guest reviews. However, they have included reviews of guests
from other sites in their official website’s homepage. Their resort has received a
rating score of 7.4 out of 577 reviews on Agoda, with most reviews praising the
peaceful environment it is. However, there have also been some concerns, such as
the fact that food is not permitted to be brought in and that payment for their meal
services is required. They have 445 reviews and a 3.5 rating on Tripadvisor, where
they also have their own reviews. There are many unfavorable reviews of the resort
online, most of which focus on how pricey their meal services are and how dirty
some of the furniture—such as the TV, table, and chairs—is. Overall, in terms of
social proof and review accessibility, Fairways & Bluewater Boracay is a far better
choice.

c. Recommendations

The accessibility of virtual tours at Fairways & Bluewater Boracay resort might
use some improvement. Despite the fact that they have posted videos of their virtual
tours on Facebook, It is still important to incorporate those videos on their official website
because this will give an overview about the visitors’ experience, services, facilities and
the activities that they offer along with important details about the resort itself. It could
convince potential guests to select their services more and offer more detailed
information about the resort. They could also incorporate an events and activities
calendar on their website. This aims to inform guests about the activities that are coming
up, which will assist them in organizing and planning their trips. This would also help
guests in selecting the events they wish to participate in.

We recommend that La Luz Beach Resort incorporate virtual tours and videos
into their website to boost engagement and offer prospective guests a clear image of
what to expect at the resort based on the information provided online. We observed that
the website's main page area has testimonials and reviews, but you are unable to add
your own review of the experience. Thus, we recommend including direct reviews on the
official website to promote greater transparency and authenticity. Establish an events
and activities calendar so that guests are aware of what's coming up and can arrange
their stay appropriately. This not only heightens the feeling of anticipation but also
motivates guests to return when they are informed about fresh and interesting events
and activities. They should also give clear and enticing descriptions of each recreational
activity. Both resorts should prioritize ongoing personalization efforts for a variety of
visitor types and they should frequently update their content across all platforms.
La Luz Beach Resort’s Website
Fairways and Bluewater Resort’s Website
References

Anderson, R., et al. (2020). The Impact of Recreational Engagement on Guest Satisfaction.
Journal of Hospitality Research, 15(2), 75-90.

Johnson, A., & Brown, C. (2019). Guest Engagement and Satisfaction in Luxury Hotels.
International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(3), 123-145.