Sheraton Hotels – Nature, extent and location
Nature:
+Sheratons hotels and resorts are one of the most recognizable brands operating in the hospitality sector, with hotels located in all major cities, throughout the developed and developing world.
+The Sheraton is owned by the Starwood hotels group, a US based Trans-national Corporation.
+Starwood focuses on entertainment and gaming including five key brands: the Sheraton, Western, Four-points, Saint Rigis and W hotels.
+Started 1937 first came to Australia in 1972 and today targets the more affluent business and leisure traveler highly centralized decision-making processes, conducted at a corporate level.
+In 1997 valued at $14.6 billion.
+In many countries Sheraton operates as a management license, with the actual physical property and fixtures owned by individual business and government. 46% of hotels are franchised and 48% are managed in the Starwood group, 6% are owned directly by the group. There are 418 Sheraton hotels.
+Goals of the organization, include profit maximization, increased market share, global expansion strategy, horizontal integration,
+Starwood offers a preferred guest program that promotes customer loyalty and credits/benefits for patrons to redeem within the Starwood group; this includes car use, facilities or accommodation at any of the participating hotels.
+First hotel chain to list on the stock exchange offered in 1947.
+Sheraton is tourist based and operates as part of the tertiary industry sector.
Extent.
+In 2011There are more then 400 Sheraton hotels in seventy countries with 92% global awareness among business travelers.
+The hotel chain employs 147 000 employees worldwide.
+Sheraton sub-brand controls 40% of all Starwood hotels conglomerate.
+60% of properties are within three years of renovation or construction.
+First hotel chain to operate in PRC 1985.
Location factors
+Located on all continents and major cities, and all generally within 1 hour of a major airport.
+204 hotels located in the North America, 94 in Europe, Africa and the Middle- East, Asia-Pacific have 91 hotels and Latin America 29.
+ Climate and tourism attractions e.g. Sheraton Mirage Resort