HTM13O Hospitality

HTM13O Hospitality

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You have just been hired as marketing director of the convention and visitors bureau in Elderville, a small but prosperous southern community. Because of its name, the town has an image of being a retirement community. The business leaders in town want to build a convention center to attract more businesspeople to Elderville. However, the retirement image doesn’t appeal to many businesspeople, who are looking for a meeting and convention area that offers a variety of entertainment as well as up-to-date meeting facilities.
After a few weeks in Elderville, you find out that it’s an ideal spot for business. It’s close to a major city, but still quiet. There are three golf courses, two lakes, an attractive country club, excellent schools, an airport within twenty-five miles, and lots of specialty shops and restaurants. Plus, Elderville is named after the kind of trees in the area, not an older population.
 
1. What is the first thing you would do to change the image of the community?
2. How could you establish Elderville as an exclusive, classy destination rather than a retirement community?
3. Why would business leaders want to attract businesspeople rather than vacationers? Could you do both successfully in Elderville? Explain.