Supplementary accommodation plays a very important role in the total available tourist accommodation in a country. This type of accommodation can cater to both international as well as domestic tourist traffic.
In fact, in some countries more tourists utilize this type of accommodation than hotels. In France and Italy, as also in some other countries in Europe and elsewhere, there are more campers than hotel clients.
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Some of the principal forms of supplementary accommodation are:
(i) Motel,
(ii) Youth hostel,
(iii) Camping sites,
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(iv) Pension,
(v) Bed and breakfast establishments
(vi) Tourist holiday villages, and
(vii) Time-share and resort condominiums.
1. Motels:
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The concept of motel and motel-hotel originated in the United States of America. Motel was meant for local motorists and foreign tourists travelling by road. Primarily designed to serve the needs of motorists, motels almost exclusively meet the demand for transit accommodation.
They serve the function of a transit hotel except that they are geared to accommodate motor-travelling guests, for overnight stay.
The services provided by motels include parking, garage facilities, accommodation, restaurant facilities, public catering and recreational facilities. With a view to provide the above services to the motorists, all the motels are equipped with filling stations, repair services, accessories, garages, parking space, elevator service to the automobile entrance, restaurants, etc.
There is also equipment and tools available which the guest can use himself if he wishes to repair his vehicle. The price charged for accommodation and meals/refreshments is much cheaper as compared to that in hotels.
Motels are mostly located outside the city limits in the countryside along with the main highway and preferably at an important road junction.
2. Youth Hostels:
In the form of a movement, youth hostels made their first appearance in Germany in about 1900. The movement which spread rapidly all over the world was based on the educational principles emphasising the need by youth of large cities to travel on foot throughout the country.
In order to provide some sort of accommodation and services, the dormitories in the inns were equipped with cots, mattresses, sheets and blankets. Large rooms in inns were used as dining and living areas providing full board at low cost to the guests.
There was also provision of additional kitchen where travellers could themselves prepare their own meals.
Since the movement was started with a view to encouraging youth to travel in order to learn and know more about the country and also to socialize, it had an educational value. As such, no service was provided in the inns.
The persons staying were themselves required to look after the unit. Subsequently, exclusive youth hostel buildings were constructed to accommodate young travellers.
Youth hostel can be defined as a building which offers clean, moderate and inexpensive shelter to young people exploring their own country or other countries and travelling independently or in groups on holiday or for educational purposes.
It is a place where young people of different social backgrounds and nationalities meet together and come to know each other.
The objective of youth hostel is therefore not merely to provide accommodation and board, but also to serve as centers which offer opportunity to young people coming from different parts of the country as also young travellers from abroad to know and understand each other.
3. Caravan and Camping Sites:
Caravan and camping sites constitute a significant accommodation category in many holiday areas. These are very popular in some European countries as also in the United States. These are also known as open air hostels, tourist camps or camping grounds.
Camping, originally practiced by hikers on foot, is increasingly giving way to car camping. The sites are usually located within the large cities in open spaces.
Equipped to receive mobile accommodation in the form of caravans, the camping sites provide facilities for parking, tent- pitching, water, electricity, toilet, etc.
Tough the services provided generally include restaurants, recreational rooms, and toilets and at certain places a grocer’s shop, the type of services often vary from place to place. Some countries have enacted legislation establishing the minimum facilities that must be provided which include health and sanitation standards and prices to be charged for providing various services.
4. Pension:
Pensions are very popular in certain European countries, particularly in Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. These establishments are used extensively by the tourists. A pension is also described as a private hotel, a guesthouse or a boarding house.
Catering facilities are optional and are usually restricted to the residents. Many of them stay for a longer period than a week or a fortnight. The reservation for accommodation is made in advance. Mostly managed by a family, pension accommodation is much cheaper than hotel accommodation.
5. Bed and Breakfast Establishments:
Also known in some countries as apartment hotels and hotel garnish, they represent a growing form of accommodation units catering for holiday as well as business travellers. These establishments provide only accommodation and breakfast and not the principal meals.
These are usually located in large towns and cities along commercial and holiday routes and also resort areas and are used by en-route travellers. Some of these establishments are very popular with holidaymakers.
6. Tourist Holiday Villages:
Tourist villages were established in some European countries after World War II. These villages are situated at warm seaside’s and in the regions which offer certain facilities for the tourists.
In some countries like Italy and Spain, tourist villages are located in the regions which are economically not developed thereby helping the region economically. The villages are mostly promoted by important clubs, social organizations and also by tourist organizations.
The village complex is a centre of accommodation providing extensive sports and recreation facilities, riding, swimming, tennis, volleyball, football, sauna, mini-golf, badminton, table tennis and yoga.
These provide both board and lodging. The atmosphere in these villages is kept as informal as possible. Telephones, radios, newspapers and TV are banned unless there is an emergency. Wallets and other valuables are locked away at the beginning of one’s stay. Instead of money, one uses colorful beads which can be worn anywhere as bracelets, necklaces, etc.
The staff is educated young people who live on an equal basis with the holiday makers. The accommodation provided is usually in multiple units and may provide for self-catering. The furnishing provided in the rooms is minimal.
The easy mixing of guests is encouraged by the banning of advance booking of tables in the village restaurants so one rarely finds oneself sitting with the same group twice.
The holiday villages are usually based on family units, each providing a convertible living room, bath/shower and sometimes a kitchen. The villages are self-sufficient providing almost all necessities required by the residents.
There is also a small shopping complex where one can buy articles of daily need. The services of a doctor are also available in the village.
The accommodation is sold for a week or a fortnight at an all-inclusive price. In Spain and Italy, these are classified into three categories according to the service and amenities provided.
7. Time-share and Resort Condominiums:
Time-share and condominiums provide a unique range of accommodation to a tourist. This type of accommodation provides on-site fun, flexibility and affordability to a large number of tourists around the world.
In the case of condominium, a tourist owns a room or a suite within a condominium or hotel complex and uses the same as required. The same accommodation unit can also be rented out to her tourists.
Normally, the owned condominiums are located within a complex of rooms or suites that are rented out as regular hotel or resort rooms.
Time-share holiday, on the other hand; represents a very unique example of both international and domestic accommodation. It is a modification of condominium-ownership concept.
In the past, in Western Europe the tradition has been for prosperous individuals to buy or build second homes. However, as these properties are often empty for large parts of the year, these are costly to maintain.
Resort Condominiums International (RCI) in the world’s premier and largest exchange company in the field of time-share resorts. Established in 1974, RCI is widely recognised as a catalyst for the growth of the global time-share industry.
RCI is credited with having invented and pioneered the time-share holiday concept worldwide. Today, RCI is the largest time-share exchange company with over 3,300 resorts in 90 countries with more than 2.4 million time-share-owning households.
Many hotel properties around the world have benefited from this concept. This concept enables them to tide over low occupancy rates during lean or low seasons.
Several hotel chains worldwide have opted for the mixed use concept whereby a certain number of hotel rooms are put into time-share. This enables them to tide over the problem of low occupancy during lean seasons.
Many time-share properties are affiliated with a time-share exchange programme that permit members to trade their weeks for time at another property with which it has an affiliation agreement. RCI exchange programme works like this.
When a member asks to make an exchange request, his/her weeks are deposited into the SPACEBANK Pool for someone else to take. The computer searches through its data bank to find a suitable holiday match to the member’s request.
If a match is found immediately then the member will receive confirmation in writing within 21 days. If a close match is found, the same will be offered to the member. If the member accepts, then the confirmation is made immediately and member’s holiday booked.