SWOT analysis for 5 websites

For my class this fall I have been asked to do a SWOT analysis for 5 different tourism companies. I chose Knott's Berry Farm, Sandals Resort in the Bahamas, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Hawaii's Tourism Site, and the San Diego Zoo. This is what I came up with.

1) Knott's Berry Farm
Strengths

• Breaks down web options
• Shows attractions
• Shows restaurants
• Good categorization
• Great history of the park
• Informs viewer of the things just outside the park

Weaknesses

• Doesn't show all the attractions
• Limited ride information
• Not as much of an amusement park power anymore
• Doesn't talk about the connecting stores to the park

Opportunities

• Describe why they can compete
• Videos of roller coasters
• Include history of rides
• Give show times online

Threats

• Other amusement parks growing, leaving Knott's Berry Farm behind
• Limited physical space to expand
• Potential guests using money elsewhere due to a lack of attraction

2) Sandals Resort in the Bahamas
Strengths

• Good company brand
• Located in a great spot in the world
• Allows viewing to other Sandals locations
• Information of entertainment

Weaknesses

• Not a real informative website
• Doesn't really catch the viewers attention
• Limited information on the respective property

Opportunities

• Give more information on specific location
• Let people embrace the culture online as best as possible
• Try to share more facts with the viewer

Threats

• Other resorts have better websites
• Cruises may be a better option
• Difficult economy won't draw people to take a risk on somewhere they can't really research
• Very weak website
  

3) Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Strengths

• Very good overall website
• Great descriptions throughout the website
• Informs the viewer of what to expect before arriving
• Easy to navigate
• Stays updated

Weaknesses

• No menu prices
• Doesn't say when specific locations opened
• More history on all locations

Opportunities

• Keep the website updated constantly
• Learn what the competition is doing and keep a step ahead
• Make individual visits personalized

Threats

• Other restaurants of same caliber may take ideas
• Don't get complaisant
  
• Not growing locations quicker

4) Hawaii's Official Tourism Website
Strengths

• Awesome website
• Plenty of tourism information to all the main attractions
• Great history information of Hawaii
• Makes mention of all parts of the islands
• Easy to navigate
• Helps the inexperienced traveler

Weaknesses

• Has the same setup for every island
• Limited small business advertising
• Talks mostly about major cities

Opportunities

• Talk more about the local parts of the islands more
• Personalize the experience for the viewer a little more
• Illustrate the romantic aspects of Hawaii more
• Explain more about the culture to be expected

Threats

• Locals that make it tough for tourists in certain places
• Not making more mention of the local businesses
• Allowing too much competition between the islands

5) San Diego Zoo
Strengths

• Very descriptive
• Tons of photos and videos
• Easy to navigate the website
• Great information of exhibits
• Conveys a warm, inviting welcome

Weaknesses

• Redundant photos
• Small introductory page
• No stories shared from previous visitors

Opportunities

• Let guests know ahead of time what things they can participate in
• Let people know the time it takes to explore the whole park
• Emphasize that it is the biggest zoo in the country
• Let guests post comments on the website

Threats

• Set standard for other zoos to emulate
• Allow for guests to more easily find their desired events
• Other attractions in San Diego
• Problems from Mexico at the current time

The best overall website out of these five had to be Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. I was didn't think that it would be at the beginning to be honest because it is only a restaurant but it made a strong case for being a really good website that gets the point across. It was actually pretty difficult for me to say something negative or constructive about it. Maybe because I tend to try to find the good in whatever I look at. But this one was a difficult because any question that I would have, I would be able to get it answered on the website. Some other websites that I look at, I end up having to either call or email to get the information that could have just as easily been on the website. But this one definitely makes it clear that all the information can be found online. As for the website that would most likely improve tourism spending would have to be the Hawaii Tourism Site however. The Hawaii Tourism site can help anybody interested in a vacation to Hawaii find what they are looking for. It is easy to navigate and explains what can be expected. I think that anybody wanting to know more about Hawaii will not have any issues with its official tourism website.

Sources:
http://www.knotts.com/
http://www.sandals.com/main/bahamian/ba-home.cfm
http://www.ruthschris.com/
http://www.gohawaii.com/
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/

Other Tourism sites visited:
Phoenix Zoo
Elements at the Sanctuary Resort
Jet Blue Airlines
Denver Children's Museum
Chase Field
Four Seasons Resorts
Sheraton Hotels