Hospitality Industry Questions and Answers

Introduction

What is Hospitality? People serving you popcorn when you entered a cinema, concierge in a five – star hotel and the museum tour guide have the common? They are all work in servicing which is under the house of hospitality industry. Do you know that hospitality industry is the largest industry throughout the world? It is the main source of income for majority countries. Hospitality is not just about a simple servicing, but it involves in showing respect for one’s guests, provide for their needs and wants, and treating each other as equals. Hospitality industry involved hotels, casinos, and resorts which provide comfort and a sort of guidance to guests. The term hospital, hospice and hostel are deriving from ‘hospitality’ and these establishments protect more of the connotation of personal care. It refers to a types of establishment where provide shelter and foods for people which is in needed or away from their home. Hospitality was founded by Bob Luitweiler in year 1949 and this establishment are responsible in setting up a building, provide secure, pleasant place for a temporary stay, cleaning and maintaining premises. Now days, customers expectation is high. Quality is perhaps the most variable feature in hospitality industry.

Answer for Question 1

Hospitality, a contemporaneous human exchange, which is voluntary entered into, and designed to intensify the mutual well being of the parties’ concerned through the provision of accommodation, and / or food, and / or drink.

Hospitality industry had a wide scope. According to the historians, the development of hospitality industry had been traced in a thousand of years and many cultures. A professional hospitality industry must always keep updating according to the needs and wants of the societies. Success in the hotel industry are always relies on catering to the needs of the targeted clientele. Besides, providing a wide variety of services and pleasantness desirable atmosphere will always drive the hospitality industry into a large, multi – faceted and diverse industry. The main component in hospitality industry is all about dealing with customers and lead to the satisfaction of the customers in every service provided since the yore days.

Hospitality industry has begun since 3000 B.C ago. The field of hospitality encompassing travel, tourism, restaurants, and recreation. There are some advantages and disadvantages for every business and staff. This happen same to hospitality industry. For your knowledge, hospitality industry is a very wide scope; it mainly concentrated in two largest establishments throughout the world. Example for these two establishments is stated in the figure below…

Lodging

What is lodging? It means the lodging segment of the hospitality industry example like hotels, inns, motels, resorts, chalet, and others more. In summary, lodging means any establishment which provides ‘a bed for a fee’ or embrace of rent and a reasonable allowance for utilities and use appliances and furniture. Basically a lodging establishment always included elements of entertainment, personal services, recreation and food service for wayfarer. Majority of lodging facilities in the world extend from tiny bed and breakfasts meal to the latest development, megaresorts. Niches between these ultimate include commercial hotels, city center hotels, resort hotels, suburban hotels, highways hotels/motels, airport hotels, economy properties, conference centers, all suite hotels, and casino hotels.

Essence of a successful set of business operations means the successful in exchange products or services for value. In a set of business, it’s a chain of supply with demand. Luxury hotels are selling their suite and other kind of facilities in the hotel to the guests which provide their demand. Supply and demand is the point where profits earn in a business. Product and services in a service industry like lodging, is a holistic concept. It consist of tangibles like hotel type and physical amenities and intangibilities like services provided by the lodging staff. Customer wants and needs are always changing and varied. As customer are becoming increasingly demanding, hotels must be designed and created to be more responsive and effective in order to achieve different travelers needs and wants.

Advantages

In 21st century, people have a necessity in staying at some city or town for an extended period of time. When a people are away from home, lodging is the only accommodation for them to have a stay. Many people are worried about how much they are going to spend for the accommodation. As a matter of fact, staying in a hotel got a couple of benefits. Privilege of day services such like room cleaning and laundry really put away the stress of the guests in doing the laundry them self after a tiring working day. Leisure places like gymnastic room or swimming pool are other attractions for customer to choosing in staying in a hotel. Since price is the first priority to the customer, hotel must be always updated to the latest promotions and events from the competitors.

Furthermore, localization played an important role in advantages in lodging. There are two types of location of a hotel which is more preferred by peoples. First of all is conference hotel which is located in a city or a conference area of a country. These hotels normally targeted more on businessman. The location of the hotel enables them to travel to the work place or meeting center easily. Secondly are vocational locations. Hotels which is located near a beautiful view example like beach resort or a hotel located in a tourism area are mostly targeted on family. These hotels are free from the peak working hour in a busy city, free from noise and air pollution is always the selection of a family vacation. Environment is another factor of advantages in lodging. Example like a hotel located on a beautiful waterfront enable the guest to enjoy the mesmerizing views from their room. It is an indeed to stay at one of these hotels for stressful or a busy businessman. Do you know that other than the view of a lodging, customers demand for quality entertainment too? Good entertainment example like a luxury pub, sea diving or even a luxury swimming pool will attracts more guests with stress release and entertainment seeker demand.

Disadvantages

Large hotels with thousands of rooms, modern leisure facilities and wide choice of dining options are always the advantages in lodging. But, this also causes disadvantages to the lodging. A waiting line in reception area always can be seen in large lodging. A large hotel requires good management. A failure management will just slow down the running process in a hotel daily. We can’t predict whether the guest will have a late check out and this causes the incoming guest to have a wait before they can check into their room.

Secondly, a large hotel sometimes will face the problem of insufficient staffs. In a luxury dining, due to the staff are insufficient, they are always run off their feet by the number of guests. Unfortunately, guests will be kept waiting when they need something while the staffs are busying in handling another guest. Example like you ask for a menu, you might be able to be waiting for the menus to be brought to you until your stomach start rumbling.

Food service

Food service is a large industry which deals with all the preparations of food outside the home. Example like establishing a restaurant, catering a wedding party, and running a cafeteria are all forms of food service. Normally these restaurants lay institutional food service in business, colleges, hospitals and remedial faculties.

A bunches amount of goods and services fall under the coverage of food service, example like establishment which transport food and equipment related to kitchen, silverware and so forth. Job opportunities had been wider up due to human energy is needed in this set of industry. Restaurateurs, waiters, dietitians and chefs are some example of worker needed in food service industry. Some people in this industry are sent for training so that they are qualified to work in this industry. High class luxury dining needs talent and qualified people to work in it. Colleges now days are offering hospitality courses.

In year 2008, there were 546,300 privately owned food service and drinking places around the United Sates. 47 percent of these establishment primarily serve patrons who order and pay before eating while 39 percent of establishment offer full – service restaurant; being served well and after consume their delicious cuisine only make a payment. Another 9 percent had been comprised by drinking places and special food service like caterers had comprised about 5 percent of all establishments in this industry. Food service can be defined as world’s most widespread and familiar industry.

Advantages

In food service industry, human energy is needed in a big amount. From the chef, assistant chef until waiter got quite a many positions. Here is where the job opportunities once again wider up. The requirements for these positions example like a cleaner in a dining or waiters do not need high education levels. People with a diploma or degree on hand can hold the position of a manager in a department. As there is getting more and more lodging and dining is developing, it is quite an opportunities for younger’s out there to get a bright future for themselves through hardworking.

Besides, food industry targeted people which are looking for foods when they are starving. This is why choosing a correct location will be the final judges on how well the set of business will go. A restaurant which located in a down town of course will grab some customers from the busy working life in the city. First it’s easy to find, save up the customer time, and even some time rusher people can just have a take away meal near a restaurant near his / her company.

In this highly competitive hospitality industry, a well and professional trained staff is essential to the key of success of any food service establishment. Besides, technology influences the food services industry in many ways by enhancing efficiency and productivity. Order are being taken down by electronic devices, patron seating are all contributing in an efficient fast serving

Disadvantages

Yes it is an advantage when the job opportunities are getting wider and a student which is just graduated will be easier to get a job in hospitality industry. But, a new staff with just a piece of diploma or degree and without any working experience will eventually affect the efficiency of service in any establishment. Some time in on – the – job training will be needed again before these new employees are able to handle the tasks and responsibilities in a restaurant.

Besides, location of a restaurant in down town is a good starting point in successful service industry. But, do you know it is very expensive for the rental for the shop which is located in down town? Shop lots in down town got limited quantities too, and competitors are many out there.

Another factor which leads to disadvantages in food service industry is about the working hour. Works in the food industry are always grueling and demanding. Working hours are often long and irregular and dealing with varied and complex situation. Besides, people also must highly attune to the need of customer satisfaction. However, wages are heavily based on the tips from customers, and employees may have a limited access to the benefits and protections from the government such as minimum wage laws.

Conclusion

In hospitality industry, good service is the top priority and is the primary focus in order to achieve customer satisfaction. Working in hospitality industry must always keep this in mind, ‘Customers do not buy service delivery but they buy experiences; they do not buy service quality but they buy memories; they do not buy foods and drinks but the buy meal experiences; they do not buy event or functions but they buy occasions. In hospitality industry, ‘we are the dreamers of dreams’. We are required to make the guest to feel that the host being hospitable through feelings of generosity which is a desire to please and a genuine regard for the guest as an individual. Remember, hospitality industries are always an honorable profession and we are the industry which mostly deals with customers’ needs and wants.

Question 2

Find out the factors that affecting travel and tourism. Explain in detail

Introduction

Travel and tourism is mainly for recreation, leisure or business purposes. Tourism is very important to the hospitality industry as it is the main support of the revenue in lodging. Tourism refers to the activities of persons travelling to and staying in a place outside for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purpose. Therefore, these people are considered to be tourists; on a visit that is temporary and short term. These organizations include restaurants, hotels, motels and resorts. There are two types of tourism which is domestic tourism and outbound tourism. Domestic tourism refers to people which take holidays or a few days trip in their own country. Example like a family is visit to another part of the country. Outbound tourism refers to people which travel away from home and visit to another country for leisure or business purpose. However, no matter what type of travel it is, these people will always ended up in staying in lodging. This is where the revenue of the hospitality industry started.

Answer for Question 2

Travel and tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. Tourists are generally classified in statistics according to the duration and purpose of their journey. Day trippers refers to tourists which is away from home just for a day and don’t need any accommodation. Visitors which need an accommodation can be classified by their length of stay, such as one night or more. These visitors may be classified as to whether they are touring for business or leisure purposes. People travel for leisure is because they are living in a hectic life style, they are seeking for a relaxation which is away from a busying life, and they need a rest and prestige. There are a few factors which affecting travel and tourism.

Growing Leisure

Leisure can be defined as the opposite meaning of idleness. People now days are busying in working, keeping themselves in a busy and hectic life style. But, as the world is neither changing, nor the policies in any organization is changing too. Most of the companies out there had been generous in providing their employees paid holidays and even some large organization are providing a three – day weekends. A more flexible arrangements has been added into people’s leisure time, and eventually, these liberal company policies had enable the employees to go for a vacation or travel to give themselves a break.

Income

In the 21st century, most of the women are working in order to maintain their family income. What does it mean by maintain the family income? It is more on referring if one spouse loses a job, that won’t causes elimination of all the family income. Besides, due to the education which is though is school or college, women had more motives in working outside. They seek for challenges, they seek for work which is professional and excitement and another reason why women choose to work after marriage is they want to give a more comfortable and satisfying life to her family. Everyone works in maintaining a comfortable life style. Of course, when you are busy in working, especially for a marriage person, after a tiring working day, they might still need to take care of their children at home in the night and some house works still need to be done. Eventually, leisure time for our own will be immolated. So, if there is a time for them to get away from this hectic life style, it is not surprising when they spend their money on the goods and services they demanded. Time will be a bounty for them. They won’t bother about the price for their travel, because it is not easy for them to get a rest in such pressure and hectic life style, good and quality travelling will always be their wise choice.

Push and Pull Factors

The travelling motives for people tend to categorize as escaping from and / or escaping to a particular destination. Push factor brings up the meaning of a person who travel to a place due to his / her response in what is missing. Pull factors brings up the meaning of attractiveness of a places and attract the people to visit to it. Push and pull factor can be classifies into nine motives to travel which seven of those are socio – psychological or known as push motives; the other two are defined as cultural or pull motives. Push motives are escapism, relaxation, retrogression, social inter – action, self – exploration and prestige while pull motives are innovation and education. There is also two main type of push and pull factors which is personal and interpersonal. Interpersonal is a result of social interaction. Personal rewards are self – determination, sense of competence or challenge.

Technology change

Technological changes within tourism included several different factors from medical advances to the innovative tourism. Better communication, transport like cruise ships and safety have emboldened new customers which demand easier, quicker and cheaper service, this demand can only be fulfill by the help of technology. Besides, new transportation also got an advance in time management. Shorter and efficient time period is just needed for a person to travel from a country to another side of the planet. Furthermore, through technological advances, online booking has been one of the biggest factors in affecting travel and tourism. Users are enabling to check for travelling packages from tour agencies websites and direct purchase it by just a few clicks at home without need to go to the agencies. With the association and sponsored from different tour agencies and organizations, ‘MATTA FAIR’ had been organized. ‘MATTA FAIR’ is an open public fair which offer supreme packages which can be afford by economical income family. Development in technology had leads more and more people are getting to travelling around the world rather than remain at their own country and stick in the hectic daily schedule.

Demographic

The topic ‘middle – aging of America’ which is a significant demographic change had proved that middle age generally indicated to higher income and a greater propensity to travel. The group of people with age around 35 to 44 is most likely to stay in accommodations or a longer outstation trip, whether is for leisure or business purpose.

Another significant demographic development for tourism is about the growing of the mature market which mean group of people with age over 55. This group of people got their mortgages paid and a large proportion of them have a ‘nest egg’ of savings and retirement benefits to withdrawn. This had enabled these groups of people to travel around the world and enjoy for the rest for their life. This people with age 55 – 65 years old as the first baby boomers which move into their mature years will be very excited and active in seeking a whole new experience which is deal with the travel and leisure moment in their life after being retired. And this is the reason they are able to have a long period vacation. Another group of aging people which is over the age of 85 normally suggest an expansion in assisted – living facilities.

Safety & Security

Safety and security have been identified as one of the global forces that would drive the tourism industry in a new millennium. Things that tourisms worried when they are staying in a hotel at any destination are all about the same which is:

• Assault
• Raping
• Larceny
• Robbery
• Fire within premises

Protecting the lives of guests and workers, property and assets of the business from criminal actions includes security checks on existing design and technology. Lighting of the public and external areas, building access, key control, security of guestroom doors, and guarding of the property must be always keep updated and check by the maintenance department. All the employees should be trained to know about all the appropriate security procedures when there is an emergency happened example like a fire situation.

If the safety and security in a lodging establishment is good and well management, eventually guests which stay at the first time will get good impression from it and eventually will recognize it to their friends when they back to their country.

Conclusion

Travel and tourism is important to the hospitality industry. The most common reason why people go for travel is leisure, and sometimes followed by business. An attractive environment appeals to tourists, whether is natural or built, and the development of the industry in a locality will relate to the surrounding area. People are travelling by car more than any other means. Travel by air had been increase over the last 10 years. But, the fares begin to rise and this causes people taught that travelling is expensive. This is why some people just ignore travelling and keep themselves in busy working. Communications between air lines and tourism industry should make an agreement in order to bring up the tourism industry. Rising of fares will never give any help in bringing the tourism industry to a new millennium.