TH1801

Classification of Resorts
A resort is a compound of building and facilities located in a scenic area, providing lodging and entertainment
and a relaxing environment for people on vacation. In the Philippines, it largely attributes its success to
succulent beaches of the orient and may be classified according to any of the following (Cornell, Abellana, &
Bernardo, 2015):
• Seasonality means that resorts may be classified depending on the time of the year, which may be any
of the following:
o Year Round are resorts continuously run throughout the year regardless of the season. An example
of this is Solaire Resort & Casino in Manila.
o Summer Resorts are resorts that people visit for holidays or vacations during summer. An example
of this is Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Cebu.
o Winter Resorts are resorts that people visit for holidays or vacations during winter (not applicable
to tropical countries such as the Philippines and Brazil). An example of this is Yongpyong Ski Resort
in South Korea.
• Proximity to primary market refers to the proximity of a resort to its target market, which may be any
of the following:
o Destination Resorts are miles away from their target market. Guests or clients who would like to
visit these resorts may use land, sea, or air transportation. However, if they intend to minimize
their travel time while maximizing their guest experience, they should prefer air transportation.
Usually, these resorts are visited once or twice a year. An example would be people from Manila
traveling to Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa in Boracay Island.
o Non-Destination Resorts can easily be reached by land transportation for about two (2) to three
(3) hours where guests or clients may wish to visit whenever they wish to. An example would be
people from Manila traveling to Club Manila East in Taytay, Rizal.
• Setting and primary amenities means a resort can be classified based on its location and the services
it offers, which can be any of the following:
o Ocean-Based or Beach Resorts rely on sand and sunshine along with various activities that could
be done within the setting. An example would be Boracay Ocean Club in Boracay Island and Infinity
Resort in Puerto Galera.
o Lake- or River-Based Resorts are situated on lakes or rivers that offer activities such as fishing and
boating. An example could be Caliraya Resort Club in Laguna.
o Golf- or Tennis-Based Resorts rely mainly on weather conditions because of the nature of the
activities they offer. Golf courses are scattered on these resorts with lodging facilities. An example
would be Camp John Hay Golf Club in Baguio.
o Mountain-Based or Ski Resorts are located on a mountainous area which usually offer winter
sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing, and ice skating. During summer, activities such
as mountain biking, mountain boarding, and hiking are what guests or clients opt to do. An example
would be Tagaytay Highlands Country Club in Tagaytay.
• Size means a resort can also be classified based on the size of the property, which can be any of the
following:
o Mega-resort is a type of resort where rooms range from 500–3000 with different recreational
activities. An example would be Okada Manila with 993 guestrooms.

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o Boutique resort has at least 10 villas with luxurious design and ambience. An example would be
Sheridan Boutique Resort in Iloilo City.
• Mix of residential and lodging properties means a resort can also be classified based on its systematic
plan on which lodging and accommodation are based.
o Traditional Lodging is considered the most common form of resort development. Guests from this
type of resort usually visit for leisure, while clients or business travelers choose one that is close to
the road or the places they must go to. This is sometimes known as a resort hotel. Any resort that
matches the description given can be classified as a traditional lodging resort.
o Timeshare/Vacation Ownership can be any resort with shared ownership. A management
company handles the construction and sells shares, which entitle shareholders to spend a specified
amount of time (usually one [1] week for free annually) on this type of resort. This is usually located
on a vacation property, especially during peak season. Any resort that matches the description
given can be classified as a timeshare resort.
o Destination Clubs can be any resort that targets families who want the benefit of second home
ownership. Its members gain access to a collection of vacation resorts in various locations around
the world in exchange for a one-time membership fee and annual membership dues. Any resort
that is part of this club can be classified as a destination club resort.
Management and Operations of Resorts
A resort is usually divided into three (3) main divisions. However, some resorts may have four (4) divisions.
Refer to the following for their functions (Chibili, 2016):
• Rooms Division. Like a hotel’s rooms division, this handles all matters pertaining to room
accommodation and maintenance. It houses three (3) separate departments: housekeeping
department, front office department, and room sales and reservations which operate similar to that
of a hotel.
• Food and Beverage (F&B) Division. This prepares and provides food and beverages to the guests and
covers different food and beverage services such as room service, food outlets, banquets, and catering
services. There are some resorts which also operate like a hotel, wherein the staff’s and employees’
food and beverage are also covered.
• Administrative Division. This takes care of administrative and back office matters, as well as the
following: human resources management, engineering and facilities maintenance, accounting,
purchasing, cost control and warehouse management, and security office management. If a resort
does not have a recreation and entertainment division, the management of recreation and
entertainment facilities and attractions are under the responsibilities of this division.
• Recreation and Entertainment Division. This handles all the recreation and entertainment facilities
and activities for the guests. This division is considered one of the main operational areas in a resort.
It creates exciting activities for the guests to enhance their vacation experience, from wellness spa and
fitness center to events organization and other types of recreation. Some resorts may also have
shopping centers, boutiques, and even movie theaters.
References:
Chibili, M. N. (2016). Modern hotel operations management. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Cornell, D. V., Abellana, E. L., & Bernardo, B.G. (2015). Resorts & recreation management. Manila: Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Mill, R.C. (2012). Resorts: Management and operation (3rd ed.). Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Tuazon-Disimulacion, M. A. (2016). Principles of tourism 2. Mandaluyong: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.

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