Page 64 - Livre Beau Rivage Palace

100,000 12,000,000
90,000
10,000,000
80,000
70,000
8,000,000
60,000
50,000
6,000,000
40,000
30,000 4,000,000
20,000
2,000,000
10,000
0
1861 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 93 97 1901 05 09 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69
that they were entitled to expect at that time, and which the (an industry based on foreign visitors). But let us refine our
other establishments offered in abundance. Its beginnings were analysis and look more closely at what was behind the manager’s
brilliant, however, if we are to believe the report given in 1897 words. His explanation mixes factors that are specifically internal
by Jacques Tschumi, one of its most outstanding managers. ‘[At] to the Beau-Rivage with others connected to the more general
the opening of our hotel and for a number of years the Beau-Rivage was environment, both local and international.
uniquely attractive to the nobility from all over the world. From Geneva What, in particular, is meant by the term ‘circumstances’? It
to Villeneuve, there was not a single competitor, except perhaps for the must firstly be understood to refer to the recession that affected
Trois Couronnes in Vevey and the Hôtel Byron in Villeneuve, and even European economies between 1875 and 1890. The impact on
these two establishments could not compete with the location of our model the number of visitors to the hotel is clear. But it must also
hotel. People were more or less obliged to come to the Beau-Rivage; be understood to mean the management practices of Tschumi’s
high society did not have any other comfortable hotel to choose from and predecessor, Antonio Martin Rufenacht. This manager had
they came here with pleasure, certain of finding here a select company succeeded Alexandre Rufenacht, Beau-Rivage’s first manager,
where they could enjoy themselves in every respect, and the liveliness in 1876, when the latter took over the reins of the Hôtel
of the winter seasons encouraged people to remain as long as possible. National in Geneva, a new luxury hotel that had just opened.
The Beau-Rivage was at its best then; it was during that time that our According to a committee of experts, Antonio Martin Rufenacht
institution established its universal reputation.’ 3 demonstrated a recklessness that explains the excessively high
In 1870, the hoteliers at the end of the lake complained that expenditure. However, his managerial practices reveal a lot
4
the Beau-Rivage was diverting travellers from Geneva. But in the about the administration methods endorsed by the directors.
years that followed the hotel had difficulty staying on course, as is ‘The committee was astonished to note that, with regard to expenses as
evident from two sets of figures: turnover and occupancy (table 1). considerable as those of upkeep, the board of directors proceeds with no
Up to the mid-1890s, the growth curve is hardly encouraging. budget, no method and often even with no official decisions. The chairman,
After the first exhilarating years, the figures drop to quite mediocre the members of the delegation or the manager himself sometimes decide
levels. Figures for the 1880s are very depressing, in fact: turnover on this or that acquisition – sometimes considerable – with no discussion
and particularly occupancy drop significantly. It is not until the by the board and with no authorisation recorded in the minutes. And so
belle époque of the 1890s that the graph begins to climb again, in 1882, despite it being a year in which there was no hope of seeing
rising even more sharply in the 1900s. many more visitors to the hotel than in the previous years, orders were
There are several explanations for this. Before the same placed for beds and even luxury furniture, the need for which was far
board of directors, Jacques Tschumi outlined the most important: from being established.’ 6
‘Since the creation of our establishment, circumstances, the development of The report was a harsh one for the Beau-Rivage, but it
our shores and our town, the manner of travel and of spending money, the was also indicative of an imprecision that existed in Swiss hotel
quality of the travellers, the extension and the connections of the railways, management in general. Hotels must bring together a complex
the direct and indirect competition in the surrounding area and in universe comprising very different elements into a coherent
Switzerland in general, etc. have changed considerably and unfortunately whole. In the second half of the nineteenth century, hotel
to our disadvantage!’ 5 management, particularly as far as accounting was concerned,
These words describe very pertinently the evolution of the was as yet nothing more than a notion left to the discretion
industry that began to be referred to as the ‘industrie des étrangers’ of people whose sole criterion was experience, still far too
Table 1
Trend in turnover and occupancy (1861-1976).
Turnover / Room nights.
64
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
73 Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
often based on intuition or makeshift rules. The formalisation But it is difficult to excuse this precariousness when it was
of knowledge and expertise in hotel management was still the result of the failure to keep Lausanne among the choice of
in an embryonic state that could quickly result in unbridled favourite destinations. ‘Destination creation’ is a topic that has
overspending. The establishment of the Lausanne Hotel School not much been studied in the history of tourism. And yet it is
in 1893 by Jacques Tschumi was the clearest manifestation very important, as the example of Lucerne shows. Situated in
7
of this dawning awareness. In the case of the Beau-Rivage, the centre of Switzerland, and benefiting from the opening of
conclusions were drawn quite late in the day. Antonio Martin the Saint Gotthard tunnel in 1882, it had all the prerequisites to
was dismissed in 1888 and replaced by Jacques Tschumi himself, ensure an abundant clientele. It epitomises the triple combination
who remained at the helm until his death in 1912. of a lake, mountains and hotels.
Another reason – to do with the structure of the hotel Analysis of this argument also refers us back to Lausanne’s
industry, but no less insurmountable – concerns the growth of sluggishness. ‘Firstly Lausanne has not understood how to maintain
competition and market developments. ‘The Beau-Rivage has and develop the city of Lausanne as a centre for foreigners, nothing has
continued to suffer the effects of the general slump that has affected been done for the pleasure and the entertainment of people wishing to stay
the hotels located outside seaside and health resorts; we have seen the there and, above all, the doctors have done nothing to make Lausanne
hotels of Geneva and Bern stagnate alongside us, while the hotels and known as a healthy, agreeable place to stay, advantageous in every respect,
guesthouses on the other side of Vevey did excellent business. We cannot particularly in the winter and in the early months of spring. Because of
compare ourselves with the mountain hotels filled thanks to the heat of this failure, our location has gained no reputation abroad. On the contrary,
last summer, nor with those of Lucerne whose position in the centre of today Lausanne is only known for its negative side – cold, damp and
Switzerland, at the foot of the mountains that travellers flock to visit each unhealthy during the winter, not warm enough to stay there in the spring,
year and right by the St Gotthard railway, is exceptionally favourable. in the summer too hot, and in the autumn too late.’ 9
The Beau-Rivage has been empty for a good part of the year and, at the In condemning the inertia of Lausanne’s town councillors
height of the season, has scarcely been occupied except by travellers trying and doctors, Tschumi was not insensitive to fact that there was
to economise.’ 8 some mistrust of the notion of ‘propaganda’ that was beginning
These points, raised here by the chairman of the board of to creep into approaches to tourism. He demonstrated a certain
directors, Fédor de Crousaz, are just as crucial. By linking its harshness that hid an obvious irritation with the expansion of the
destiny to the burgeoning tourist industry, the Beau-Rivage merely Lausanne hotel fabric. The number of hotels, inns and guesthouses
acknowledged the endemic vulnerability of this economic sector. grew vigorously between 1880 and 1900, their numbers doubling
The instability of weather conditions made the smallest forecasts from 138 to 275, with the number of first- and second-class hotels
very uncertain. The hotel was not master of its own destiny because rising from 19 to 26 . Clearly, this development created a strong
10
its destiny was linked to… the heavens. Aside from variations in and understandable sense of anxiety at the Beau-Rivage. ‘The
the weather, the Beau-Rivage was still subject to the sociological ridiculous competition on our shore and, above all, in our town aids these
changes that affected its clientele. Although guests were no less profiteers, the guesthouses are sprouting up like mushrooms: one house
wealthy, and although the aristocracy was giving way to a more sets itself up in order to kill off another one, each charges lower prices than
specifically middle-class clientele, they were tempted by the many the next without knowing if it is making or losing money, so that we
options on offer; they were making the very most of these and find ourselves with the sad fait accompli that, for instance, Hôtel Gibbon
tending to reduce the length of their stays. takes boarders at 6 fr., Richemond at 5 fr. 50, Beauséjour starting at 5 fr.,
Table 2
Seasonal occupancy in room nights (average monthly turnover).
1876-81 / 1885-90 / 1910-15.
65