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All India Resort Development Association
Young professionals on what
they look for at a vacation resort
We’re already sailing through September, and December 2022 is around the corner. And over time, we can try and forget the anxiety spells of the two previous years. Looks like all that is behind us now, and we’re cruising comfortably towards near normal. In a way, this is the best that you can expect looking forward. You now have the freedom to travel, within a safety net that you can define for yourself - measures that you can keep in mind and follow.
People are flying out on work and vacations, they're doing long distances on buses and trains, and they can look forward to planning that annual vacation. In a way, we're coming up for air, as they say.
To find out more, we reached out to a group of professionals who are roughly between 30 and 40 years old – these are people who are active on the travel and vacation front. And as we mentioned in our previous interview, this demographic is useful to us – and relevant, in terms of vacation interests and feedback. (Where they go, what they do, and what they look for at a vacation resort.)
For this feature, we asked them just that, and here’s what some of them had to say.
Mallika Kumar – IT consultant
For us, a swimming pool comes first at a vacation resort. We’re not club members in the city that we live in, and do look forward to just hanging around in a pool setting. All resorts have pools these days, and many of them also have a junior pool which is extremely useful, according to me. The little ones can be reasonably safe out here.
I must add here that the pool needs to be safe to swim in when it comes to water quality. Some of them overdose on chlorine, which is not exactly desirable. We also look forward to clean changing rooms, shower heads that work, and a good supply of well-laundered towels and accessories.
What else? Resort pools these days don't have a lifeguard at the pool location, and I wonder if this is too much to ask because it gives you some reassurance. Even if a guest in the pool can do a rescue job, you need someone from the assigned pool staff to know and administer first aid procedures.
Veena Bhaskaran – interior designer
Pools are high on our list as well, but I’m curious about what the resort has to offer in terms of unique activities. The last resort we went to had a long list of activities for guests. Trekking, water sports, zipline rides for younger guests, and nature trail walks for older folks. My parents also liked the plantation visits that the resort organized for us.
So while planned facilities at the resort offer the anticipated comfort levels, and are part of the blueprint, I look at things with a broader arena in mind. I also say this from an extended family perspective: our parents need something to do, our children need something to do, and we too look forward to activity options that we don’t encounter back home. And that’s something to look forward to, I guess.
Gauri Srinivasan – investment advisor
Mallika and Veena talk about two very important aspects of a holiday. And what they say goes a long way in adding interesting dimensions to a vacation. Now here’s my slice of the pie on vacations – I’m a passionate foodie, so F&B is right on top of my list.
Do they have theme restaurants? Do they have experienced chefs? How good is the room service? Do they have a 24/7 restaurant or coffee shop? And more importantly, do they pay as much attention to a vegetarian listing as they do to non-vegetarian fare?
I guess I've asked too many questions out here. But I must confess that good food is one of the ways you will keep your guests happy during their vacation week. When I’m on vacation, I call the restaurant four times a day. What’s for breakfast? What’s for lunch? What’s for those in-betweens? And what’s for dinner? (Sorry, if I sound like a question box.)
Vinod Prabhu – banking professional
This conversation is getting interesting. You have people talking about facilities, activities, and F&B options. That’s a great place to start. All three points figure high on my list. Additionally, here’s what I look for: I look for local flavors and design elements at the resort. If it’s a resort in Kerala, does it draw from local architectural concepts? If it’s food, does it give you a taste of traditional local cuisines and flavors? Does the resort have activities that take you to the workspaces of home-grown artists and craftsmen - or other must-see stopovers that can be interesting?
The points I have drawn your attention to can make my vacation special. But, if the resort does not give me the sights, sounds, and atmosphere that are uniquely local, why would I travel the distance? I can drive down to the nearest affiliated resort that gives me a nice pool, plenty of activities, and food that keeps me happy.
Hope resort owners and managers can read between these lines and work towards a uniquely different experience.
There you go – you’ve just heard what young professionals have to say about the things they look for on a vacation. Each one of us may have a leaning toward a particular feature or activity, but the sum total of what people are looking for makes it a complete experience.
It can make people change their plans and head in an entirely different direction – towards your resort location. Which can be quite a welcoming thought.
All images used with purchased credits from www.123rf.com
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