Hospitality means the creation and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers with liberty and goodwill. Hospitality refers to a warm welcome, reception, and pleasant environment by means of its available facilities and activities.
In the hospitality industry, the warm welcome includes providing a pleasant and friendly environment by means of various facilities and activities available. The hospitality industry provides not only the product but also the services. The service is about creating well-being in guests, making them feel welcomed and valued, and at the same time ensuring that their needs are met.
In this industry, goods, service, means, giving the guest a little more than expected. To fit in hospitality services, one should have the virtue of friendliness, helpfulness, and willingness towards the guest.
Sector of Hospitality
I) Private Sector
The private sector refers to various private organizations which provide accommodation, catering service, transport, entertainment, travel agency, and various information related to tourism.
II) Government Sector
The government sector provides the basic and necessary facilities such as planning, development, transport, communication, immigration, and certain rules, and regulations related to tourism.
Characteristics of Hospitality
1. Intangibility
The customers cannot touch, feel or smell. They can simply develop an imaginary picture of what they are going to see at the meeting point or service point.
2. Inseparability
The person who possesses a particular skill by using equipment to handle a tangible product provides a service. Therefore, service cannot be separated from the person or firm providing it.
3.Heterogeneity
In this industry, the service and product are offered to humans simultaneously. The human element is very much involved in
providing and rendering services. For example, a chef who cooks the best dishes in the best possible manner with full attention but every time the same chef may behave differently while preparing the same dishes or while presenting it.
4.Perishability
In hospitality, services cannot be stored because they are perishable. For example, a vacant bedroom in the hotel or an unsold seat in the dining room represents a total loss or even fluctuating(changing) demand.
Types of service
Personal service (service with intangible behavior)
Material service (service with the tangible product)