Emergence and Importance of the Hospitality Industry
The Hospitality industry has emerged as one of the most important industries of the contemporary times and the rise of this industry can be paralleled or correlated with the tourism industry (Li and Singal 2018, p. 124-133). As a matter of fact Cetin and Walls (2016, p. 395-424) are of the viewpoint that both of these industries are associated with each other to a great for their business activities and one would be incomplete without the other. In this regard, it can be said that the hospitality industry is mainly concerned with providing a plethora of services to the individuals or the customers like lodging, dining, food, entertainment and others (Singal 2015, p. 116-119).(Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan (2015, p. 379-414) are of the viewpoint that the hospitality industry is important not only from the perspective of the tourism industry since it usually caters to the various needs or the demands of the tourists but it is also important from the perspective of the national economy of the various nations as well. For example, the net revenue generated by the hospitality industry in 2018 until September is USD 500 Billion and the revenue generated by the hospitality industry of the United States of America for the same period is more than $200 Billion (Li and Singal 2018, p. 124-133). These facts and figures when viewed through the lens of the current economic condition of the world are not only important but impressive as well.
In the recent times, questions have been raised as regards the nature and also the motives with which the hospitality services are being provided by the customers. For example, there are individuals who are viewpoint that money or the commerce gain is the main motive behind the services which are being provided to the customers (Singal 2015, p. 116-119). On the contrary, others are of the viewpoint that the joy of serving and providing assistance are the primary motivations of this industry (Jani and Han 2014, p. 11-20). The presence of the inhospitable elements has become an indispensible part of the services offered by the hospitable industry and is likely to adversely affect the prospects of the industry. The essay argues the fact that the hospitality industry “features inhospitable elements as seen through the past, present and future”. The essay begins by providing an overview of the hospitality industry and the services that it provides to the customers. Next, the essay describes the ideal behavior that is expected from the industry and the actual behavior that is being provided to the customers. Finally, the essay concludes with a discussion of the motives behind the kind of behavior which is meted out to the customers and the reasons for the presence of the inhospitable elements in the industry.
Defining the Hospitality Industry and its Features
The art of being a host or providing hospitality is of the most traditional ones and it is only recently that these aspects of the human behavior had been commercialized (Jauhari and Bharwani 2017, p. 159-180). However, at the same time, it needs to be mentioned that this nascent industry has not only become an integral part of the economic backbone of some of the major nations of the world but also serves the interests of billions of people (Xiang et al. 2015, p. 120-130). It is pertinent to note that different scholars hold diverging views as regards the exact definition of the hospitality because of the plethora of services which it offers to the customers (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin 2015, p. 243-254). According to Brotherton (1999, p.168), hospitality is the art of providing hospitable services related to lodging, food, entertainment and wherein both the parties who are involved in the interactive process stands to gain a substantial amount of profit. On the other hand, Morrison and O’Gorman (2006, p. 455) are of the viewpoint that the essential features of the hospitality industry are “cordial reception, welcome and entertainment of guests or strangers of diverse social backgrounds”. Hemmington (2007, p.13) adds the attributes of “host-guest relationship, generosity, theatre and performance, lots of little surprises” to the above provided list of features. It is pertinent to note that most of the definitions of hospitality industry and its features agree on the points that the human interactions and the sense of security are the two most essential and the basic requirements of the industry under discussion here.
The origin of the concept of hospitality had not only had both religious and social connotations. For example, O’Gorman (2005, p.142) commenting justifying the origin of the hospitality industry on the basis of religion stated that in the traditional times the popular opinion was that the Gods visits the houses of the people in disguise as poor alms seekers. The individuals who helped these alms seekers and provided them hospitality were considered to be blessed whereas the ones who turned them away were considered to be cursed (Elnasr and Jones 2015, p. 161-177). On the other hand, there are social as well as economic motives as well whereas it was seen that the individuals would host other people not only to make good social connections but at the same time to further their economic interests as well through these social bonds that they formed through their hospitality (van Rheede and Dekker 2016, p. 30-39). In this regard, the opinion of Telfer (2000, p.42-45), these hidden or inherent desires of the individuals or the host deterred them to achieve the ultimate goal of hospitality and formed the inhospitable part of the hospitality that they provided to the other people.
Historical and Social Background of Hospitality
The presence of these inhospitable elements is felt even in the modern day commercialised form of hospitality. For example, although the majority of the organisations related to the hospitality industry claim that their primary goal is to provide the best quality experiences as well services to the customers and also to make them feel at home yet it is seen that the majority of these organisations are motivated by profit (Tasci and Semrad 2016, p. 30-41). The focus of the organisations to earn an enhanced amount of profit not only makes the hospitable elements of the services that they provide to the customers ineffective and mere facade but at the same time aggravates the effect of the inhospitable elements of the hospitality that they provide to the customers as well (Blain and Lashley 2014, p. 1-8). However, when the same is analysed through the monetary or the economic perspective it becomes apparent that the process of commercialisation despite increasing the inhospitable elements within the framework of the services that the industry is currently providing to the customers has boosted the industry and also the process in a substantial manner (Xiang et al. 2015, p. 120-130). At the same time, it needs to be said that the services are dictated by the inherent desire to make more profit rather than to do good. Thus, it can be said that by failing to take into effective consideration the inhospitable elements or rather choosing to ignore it, the industry is hampering its own long-term growth.
Cetin and Walls (2016, p. 395-424) are of the viewpoint that the host as well as the guests are required to display certain sets of ideal behavior for the experience to be not only moving but at the same time an effective one for the guests that they would like to experience again. Furthermore, since the traditional times good as well as virtuous behavior has formed the fulcrum of the art of hospitality and forms one of the core components of the hospitable elements of the services which are being provided to the customers. In addition to this, the hosts are also required to have a genuine concern for not only the wellbeing but also for the safe accommodation, entertainment, the basic requirements of the guests and others (Jani and Han 2014, p. 11-20). Li and Singal (2018, p. 124-133) have shown that it is the conglomeration of these factors which makes the hospitality experience, a memorable one for the guests. According to Telfer (2000, p. 45), “acts of hospitableness involve being hospitable for genuine motives. It could be adapted to the hospitality industry context to mean that…..charges them a reasonable price, then that is a ‘hospitable’ setting”. Thus, it can be said that as per the ideal behavior that is required of both the hosts and also the guests they are supposed to be moved by the wellbeing and also the comfort of the guests. However, with the process of commercialization this idea behavior is no longer being exhibited by the various hosts rather the sole emphasis of theirs is on the factor of profitability and revenue.
Presence of Inhospitable Elements in the Hospitality Industry
As per Telfer (2000, p.40-42) “hospitable person, … is someone who entertains often, attentively and out of motives appropriate to hospitality”. Thus, it can be said that an ideal hosts needs to have a genuine desire for entertaining the guests who take shelter under their roof. However, when a look at the contemporary hospitality industry it becomes apparent that the industry takes the help of various kinds of simulated settings and environments to offer thee desired kind of services to the guests (Singal 2015, p. 116-119). In addition to this, rather than having a genuine concern for the entertainment, wellbeing and safety of the guests, the hosts are more concerned about providing the kind of services to the guests which would encourage them to return back to the hotel (Jauhari and Bharwani 2017, p. 159-180). This is important from the perspective of the hotel not out of their need to entertain the same guest over and over again but from the perspective of profitability since the more number o guests a hotel will get the more are its chances to earn a higher amount of profit (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan 2015, p. 379-414). In this context, it can be said that the inherent motive for entertaining the guests has undergone a substantial amount of transformation in the recent times and this had an effect on the kind of services which are being provided to the guests. In this regard, Ritzer (2007, p. 129) has stated that “being hospitable to win favor or advantage with others, or for reasons of personal vanity — behavior is not genuinely hospitable. For this reason, it is possible to argue that commercial hospitality is inhospitable because hospitable behavior is being provided for ulterior motives to gain commercial advantage”. This statement of Ritzer clearly indicates not only the process of commercialization that the hospitality industry has undergone in the recent times but also the manner in which the lacuna of the motives of the services offered by this industry has undergone change in the recent times.
The changing nature of the concept of hospitality is not only affecting the behavior of the hosts but at the same time it is affecting the manner in which the services offered to the guests are being perceived to them. For example, in one of their studies Warde and Martens (2001, p.117-134) related to the opinion of the guests about dining found that the majority of them concurred on the point that the commercial hospitality industry took the help of simulations to create the ambience of private hospitality. In addition to this, it is also seen that the interpersonal connections which defined the relations between the host and the guests and made the hospitality services offered to the guests by the hosts really effective ones in the prior times has also deteriorated currently (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin 2015, p. 243-254). Furthermore, Ritzer (2007 p. 130) argues the fact that the urge of the various organizations to gain an enhanced amount of profit while reducing the labor cost and other kinds o production means had increasingly made these organizations to depend on the constructs of adaptation, standardization and others. These measures have no doubt enhanced the prospects of the hospitality industry and as a matter of fact had made it one of the highest revenue generating ones of the world yet it has increased the inhospitable elements in the service which is offered to the guest (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin 2015, p. 243-254). However, at the same time it needs to be mentioned that the hospitality industry is likely to grow in the same manner in the future as well irrespective of the fact whether it features hospitable or inhospitable elements within its framework (Xiang et al. 2015, p. 120-130). The close association that the industry has with the industry and also the inherent desire of the human beings to get entertained as well as treated in a lavish manner contributes in a significant manner towards this trend.
Ideal Behavior and Actual Behavior in the Hospitality Industry
The unprecedented growth that the hospitality industry has attained within a very short time has lead to various kinds of debates regarding the future of the concerned industry and also the manner in which the services offered by it can be improved so as to earn more revenue (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan 2015, p. 379-414). In this regard, arguments have been placed by the various experts stating the fact that in the future the inhospitable elements within the services offered by the industry will increase in an exponential manner because of the desire of the industry to earn a higher profitability (Xiang et al. 2015, p. 120-130). Ritzer (2017, pp.291-295) , on the other hand, has stated that no doubt the inhospitable elements within the services offered by the industry will increase in an exponential manner yet the quality of the services offered will improve because of the usage of the recent technologies for the same. The extensive of smart technologies, internet of things, virtual reality and other kinds of emerging technologies is not only likely to improve the quality of the services offered by the industry but at the same time will make the services more personalized as well (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan 2015, p. 379-414).
An important trend which is likely to affect the hospitality industry in the near future is the emergence of the technology of robotics (Jauhari and Bharwani 2017, p. 159-180). It is pertinent to note that already there are various organizations which are taking the help of these robots to substitute the work performed by the human beings. Thus, it is likely that in the future to make the services offered by them more person-centric the industry can take the help of these robots. An important trend seen in the behavior of the individuals of the present times is the fact that they are increasingly withdrawing from the folds of society and moving on to silent quarters (Xiang et al. 2015, p. 120-130). Thus, it is likely that in the future the pattern that the hospitality industry is following currently for entertaining the customers or the guests through banquets, dance parties and others would become rare. These in short are some of the trends which are likely to affect the hospitality industry in the near future.
Conclusion
To conclude, the hospitality industry has emerged as one of the most important industries of the world not only because of the nature or the kind of services that it offers to the customers but also because of the revenue that it generates. This industry is mainly concerned with catering to the accommodation, food, entertainment and other related needs of the guests or the individuals. Furthermore, it needs to be said that since the traditional times hospitality is considered to be a noble affair and this is perhaps one of the major reasons why in the earlier centuries it was considered to be an art. In addition to this, it was seen that doing good and helping others were the major motives for the individuals who indulged in the various acts of hospitality. Thus, in a way it can be said hospitality is more than just a service which is being provided rather it is an experience. However, in the recent times, especially after the commercialization of the hospitality industry not only the nature of the services offered by the industry but also the ulterior motives of these services has changed in a drastic manner.
Commercialization and Inhospitable Elements
The major focus of the industry and also the services offered by the industry is on the aspect of profitability and revenue and not only the comfort as well as the experiences of the guests. This has made the industry to take the help of various kinds of stimulated situations wherein they try to emphasize on the hospitable elements in order to please the guests so that they return bask to their hotel. However, at the same time, it needs to be said that the sole focus of the industry on the factor of profitability has increased the inhospitable elements within the services offered by the industry to the guests. These inhospitable elements are not only affecting the experiences of the guests but also the services offered by the industry as well by reducing the revenue generated by it. Thus, it can be said that the presence of these inhospitable is likely to affect the long-term prospects of the industry in an adverse manner.
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