Research on the Development Strategy of Theme Hotels in Guangdong Province Ping HE*,Yingxin CHENG Tourism and Historical Culture College, Zhaoqing University Abstract: The emergence of theme hotels is an inevitable choice for market development and a new direction for the development of the hotel industry in Guangdong Province. This paper uses the method of literature research to comb the existing research results of scholars at home and abroad, analyzes the development status of the theme hotels in Guangdong Province, points out the outstanding problems existing in the development of the theme hotels in Guangdong Province, and puts forward the rationality of the development of the theme hotels in Guangdong Province Countermeasures. Keywords: Guangdong Province; Theme hotel; Development DOI: 10.47297/wspciWSP2516-252707.20200407 1. Introduction ince the reform and opening up, the tourism system of Guangdong Province Shas been continuously improved. In recent years, the interconnection of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has created innate advantages for the development of culture and tourism in Guangdong Province, China. The “Development Planning Outline for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” proposes to jointly build a cultural bay area and a recreational bay area. It also made it clear that “a high-quality living circle that is suitable for living, working and traveling” is determined as one of the strategic positioning, which creates new opportunities for the development of the cultural and tourism industry in Guangdong Province. As a pioneer of reform and opening up, Guangdong Province has a superior geographical location, abundant tourism resources, rapid and healthy economic development, and unique Lingnan traditional culture, which gives Guangdong Province an innate advantage in cultural and tourism integration. Therefore, theme hotels have broad development prospects in Guangdong Province, and theme hotels will also become an important trend in the future development of the hotel industry in Guangdong Province. This article draws on the theories and achievements of domestic and foreign scholars on the development strategy of theme hotels, based on the status quo of 48 Research on the Development Strategy of Theme Hotels in Guangdong Province the hotel industry in Guangdong Province, elaborates and analyzes the problems in the development of theme hotels in Guangdong Province, and explores measures for the rational development of theme hotels in Guangdong Province. To serve as a reference for the development strategy of theme hotels in Guangdong Province. Conducive to improving the industry level of theme hotels. Therefore, this research has certain reference value and significance. 2. Literature Review Foreign scholars have done less research in the related fields of themed hotel management, and more researches on the concept and design of themed hotel. In foreign countries, theme hotels and specialty hotels are different concepts. Gilmore&Pine (2002) believes that in the hotel service industry, theme hotels are hotels that can provide customers with distinctive products and services, and can bring guests a different experience. The hotel can compare the advantages of the theme with its competitors as a powerful means of competition. Huang, Hui (2011) believes that the soul of themed hotels lies in the creation of themed cultural atmosphere. In the future development of themed hotels, they need to be established on the basis of ensuring infrastructure and services, and further explore the cultural connotations of themed hotels to make customers feel more authentic. , A deeper theme culture makes culture a magic weapon for hotel differentiation. Research on the concept of themed hotel. Clarifying the concept of themed hotel is conducive to the healthy development of themed hotel. Domestic scholars have expounded and defined the concept of themed hotel from multiple angles and all aspects. Wei Xiaoan (2005) proposed that theme hotels combine “theme” and “hotel”. The combination of culture as the theme, hotel as the carrier, and guest experience as the essence are considered to be the three points that constitute the basic definition of the theme hotel. Li Kunjie (2018) proposed: The theme hotel takes culture as the theme, the hotel as the carrier, and the guest experience as the essence. That is to say, the theme hotel is around a unique theme to present the architectural style and decoration art of the hotel. , To form a unique cultural atmosphere, and at the same time integrate projects and themes, and replace generalized services with personalized services, thereby creating a charm that cannot be replicated, improving customers’ cultural experience, and allowing customers to gain knowledge, excitement and joy , To achieve the improvement of hotel product quality and service. One of the humanities and history, urban characteristics, natural environment, myths, fairy tales, etc. can be used as the unique theme of the hotel. Li Tongtong and Wang Qiuyu (2016) believe that a theme hotel refers to a hotel that uses a set theme in architectural style, decorative arts, cultural taste, market positioning and service characteristics. Featured hotels include themed hotels, but they are not necessarily themed hotels. In the construction of themed hotels, they pay more attention to the development and integration of themed culture with the 49 Creativity and Innovation Vol.4 No.7 2020 environment, so as to provide a special culture that goes beyond the basic functions of traditional hotels and create a specific cultural atmosphere. Attract customers, from tangible facilities to intangible services. 3. Types of Theme Hotels (1) Natural scenery hotel This kind of theme hotel takes nature as the background, and moves the unique natural landscape into the hotel, creating a leisure atmosphere, so that customers feel like they are in the landscape, and have an immersive feeling in nature. Leisure and vacation, reflecting the harmony between man and nature. (2) Historical and cultural hotels Relying on the long history of this kind of theme hotel, a certain period of history is used as a design element, through the reproduction of scenes, etc., so that guests can feel the historical atmosphere of the backward flow of history when entering the hotel. (3) City characteristic hotels Such theme hotels usually take cities with a long history and profound cultural characteristics as their starting point, and usually re-present the style of the city through partial simulation or miniature imitation. (4) Celebrity Culture Hotel Such theme hotels usually take the stories of celebrities in the political or literary circles as the background, and often transform the places where they lived or worked to form characteristic themes. (5) Art characteristic hotel This kind of theme hotel takes music, film, art, unique construction and other artistic fields as themes, allowing customers to feel a strong artistic atmosphere in them. Such as Hong Kong Disney’s Hollywood Hotel. 4. Development Status of Theme Hotels in Guangdong Province (1) Number of hotels in Guangdong Province At present, the theme hotels in Guangdong Province are still in the initial stage of creation, and the number of theme hotels in Guangdong Province is relatively small. According to the “First Quarter of 2019” published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on November 22, 2019 According to the “Statistical Report on National Star-rated Hotels”, there are 731 star-rated hotels in Guangdong Province, including 107 five-star hotels. 50 Research on the Development Strategy of Theme Hotels in Guangdong Province (2) Distribution of theme hotels in Guangdong Province In terms of regional distribution, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have an absolute advantage in the number of theme hotels, while the number of theme hotels in nearby cities is relatively small. Hotels in tourist cities such as Zhaoqing and Meizhou are still dominated by business travel and leisure resort hotels 5. Problems in the Development of Theme Hotels in Guangdong Province Themed hotels are one of the important ways to reform and innovate hotels in response to the sluggish development of the hotel industry in China. However, since themed hotels are still a novelty, the themed hotels in Guangdong Province are still relatively new in the development process. Many problems are worth exploring and actively seeking solutions. Most of the failure cases mainly have the following problems: (1) Confusion of concepts and partial generalizations Since the theme hotels in Guangdong Province are still in their infancy, most of the operators have developed from traditional hotel operators, and they have not systematically learned the theory and knowledge of the theme hotels, and they have no practical experience in operation and management. Caused them to confuse the related concepts of theme hotels and specialty hotels. At present, some themed hotels in Guangdong Province are not really themed hotels, but to be precise, they are just special hotels. (2) Inaccurate theme positioning and weak cultural charm The culture carried by hotel products and services is the core and soul of the theme hotel, and it is the cultural extension and enrichment of traditional hotel function elements and social elements. Some theme hotels in Guangdong Province generally have the problem of weak cultural flavor in the choice of hotel themes, and do not present their own unique cultural competitive advantages. Some theme hotels even use the brand name of theme hotels to attract guests. In fact, The traditional hotels are not much different. The theme hotel takes culture as its essence. If the regional cultural characteristics are completely ignored in the selection of the theme, the hotel products have not formed a systematic and distinctive cultural feature during the construction process, and the theme hotel will be difficult to achieve long-term development. (3) Weak marketing methods and weak brand influence From the current development status of theme hotels in Guangdong Province, it can be seen that most hotels have simple marketing methods and insufficient marketing efforts to attract customers to the maximum.