THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: ONE OF THE BROADEST INDUSTRIES

Depending on your personal interests, the Hospitality industry offers many areas of interest and a world of possibilities. You may think Hospitality = Hotels, right? Wrong! Hospitality actually is a word derived from the Latin word “hospes”, meaning both visitor and stranger. While Merriam Webster defines the term as “the activity or business of providing services to guests in hotels, restaurants, bars, etc” there is so much more that is entailed in this industry! Event Management, Airline Operations, Management Services, Theme Park Design, and Operation – any many more!

The four general areas of the Hospitality “umbrella” are:

• Lodging
• Food and Beverage
• Recreation
• Travel and Tourism

Under these 4 segments of the Hospitality industry “umbrella”, you can find different types of sub-industries, all with the main goal of providing a quality service to their guests. They are all dependent on each other. Here’s an example, people cannot travel to Paris without taking a mode of transport, whether it be by plane, train, or automobile. They will need a place to stay, something to nourish them, as well as things to do – recreation and entertainment!​​​​​​​

STEPPING UP THE PACE THANKS TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

As mentioned above, the Hospitality industry revolves around guest service. The recent global pandemic of 2020 has pushed Hospitality managers to evolve how they direct their strategies to support the changing customer behavior. The guests’ needs and wants are now, more than ever, the focal point.

Guests entering a hotel, restaurant, or event venue, are looking to have a sense of security but now, it is even more important! The implementation of safety procedures and standards must be met in order to retain guests, and reach into new markets. Hotels are now offering virtual tours of properties, events have moved to the virtual arena, restaurants expanding to only offering take-out menus – and anything in person definitely requires the provision of gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer.

What is next for Hospitality? How can the Hospitality industry adapt and continue to keep guests at the center of it all?