Product and experience analysis:
The product under research is Hotel Arpanaa, a holistic hotel located at Tiruvanamalai, India. It is a holitel that offers holistic experience to the spiritual travellers who come from various parts of the world. Travellers who visit the hotel will have a holistic experience and luxury at the rooms and restaurant. It follows unique marketing approach to reach the potential customers in the tourism industry.
The hotel is located at a pilgrim place of tiruvanamalai, which is the abode of lord shiva. According to Hindu mythology, this place is considered to be the one among the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), which signifies fire. There exists a mountain named arunchala which is located in the town which is worshiped as a form of lord shiva by piligrims who visit this place.
Every month, during the full moon day the town has a floating population of 5 million people who come from various parts of the world to experience girivalam. They walk around the holy hill of lard shiva and offer their prayers every month. Hence the place has a huge potential of travellers who visit this place every month for stay and food. Arpanaa is a four star hotel who exist in the town of tiruvanamalai to cater high end pilgrims from various countries. The ambience of the hotel starting from the front desk to the banquet hall offers a spiritual experience about the history of lord shiva.
The restaurant named Aakash in Arpanaa is a multi cusine vegetarian restaurant which caters to the need of the travellers who visit the holistic place from several countries .It provides high quality healthy food for the travellers.
In present days, Hospitality and tourism industries are laying more importance to tier 1 and 2 cities but Arpanaaa has extended its services to tier 3 cities due to the high potential of pilgrim tourists at tiruvanamalai. Hence i think it is very unique with its presentation and beautiful ambience that caters to the needs of the upper middle class people who visit the town. It is one among the best example for spiritual tourism.
The rooms are well carefully designed to meet the international standards and amenities from the restroom to the bed at the rooms in arpanaa. The hotel has been designed specifically with great importance to the design and infrastructure such that it meets the needs of the foreigners who visit this place from different countries every month.
The paintings that are put up across the rooms and the restaurant reveal the culture and art about lord Shiva who is being worshipped by the tourists in the town. The boutique shop located within the hotel premises helps the guest to carry their spiritual experiences in the form of souvenirs with them when they leave the place. People in today's world spend time not only for materialistic comfort but also for peace through olden tradition and culture. Hence there has been a rise in the number of pilgrims who visit the town every year which serves as a huge potential for spiritual tourism.