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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Competitor Web Analysis
Here is my analysis of my competitors for Seri Malaysia Hotels. I recently found out that Seri Malaysia is STILL a budget hotel despite what I've read in certain travel magazines online. However, I think I can make good use of its 'budget' fame and upgrade them to at least a three star status. So what I'm analysing now are potential competitors and how Seri Malaysia can launch themselves into the game with their advantages.

First competitor I'm analysing is Swiss-Inn. It's been known to be a backpackers' luxury hotel because of it's location in Chinatown and the facilities it offers compared to all the surrounding guesthouses and backpackers lounges. Its main target audience is of course backpackers but it is only applicable within Chinatown, because Swiss Inn does have another branch in Sungai Petani, Kedah and this is mainly targeted towards tourists foreign and local comprising of families. The main advantage on it has besides being a part of Swiss Garden International Hotels, is that it offers a wide range of facilities and is strategically located. The price range is well within three star rates and both branches also offer seminar/banquet packages at a reasonable price. However, Swiss Inn may have some difficulties with the lack of space as Chinatown can be a very crowded area and it may be easily mistaken as a motel instead. It does not look exclusive enough and may need to stand out more. The website is fairly simple and straightforward. Online reservation section is up and running well and I like that it includes a visual calender as it is helpful. Corporate branding is not distinctive enough as usage of corporate colours are limited. However the logo of the company is widely seen throughout the site.









The second competitor also comes from a well known established chain of hotels. Hotel Capitol is located in within the Golden Triangle but is still regarded as a three star hotel. It is perhaps the most exclusive looking of the lot and most convenient in terms of transport. The main target audience are foreign tourists that are looking for a short trip of a few days within the capital city and business travellers. Advantages include a very good location in the heart of KL with everything within walking distance. Offering not only good service but also good restaurants and a great view. Disadvantages may just be the price as it may be a bit too pricy for a three star hotel. The website is nicely done and the exclusiveness of the hotel is reflected well through the website itself. On top of offering the user the option to reserve a booking online, the contact page has all the information needed to get a booking with a dial. It has information on all of the hotels under the parent company Federal Hotels International.








The last but not least of our list is a newcomer, Tune Hotels. For those of us who are familiar with AirAsia, you will be delighted (or not) to know that Tune Hotels is the other half of it. Only recently having opened two branches, KL and Kota Kinabalu, Tune Hotels is planning to sweep over its rivals and is set on appearing on top. Its main target audiences are both local and foreign tourists and in my opinion, backpackers. More so than business travellers. Its advantages are low prices for 5 star services or so it claims. Its ultimate advantage includes allowing the guests to choose what to pay for and what NOT to pay for. This includes deciding NOT to use the toilet rolls (for example) and guests will not be charged for it, also the option to choose a fan room for the option of a lower price. Which is of course unheard of previously for hotels. Disadvantage; non-standardized rates for rooms which could prove to be frustrating. Tune Hotels are front runners for online booking to get the best rates, therefore it can be disappointing to know that you paid more than your neighbour just by a short of a few minutes or hours. The website is a bit too commercial for me, in fact it looked almost exactly like AirAsia's site. The corporate colour is seen everywhere; its navigations and banner s soaked with it. Otherwise, fairly informative and simple site to navigate.








posted by Red @ 11:23 AM  
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