Tourism is an active part of our economy
Tourism is an active part of our economy. The global hospitality and tourism industry, which composites the lodging, food, attractions, cultural, and travel industries, is the world’s largest industry with $4.5 trillion in expenditures generating 212 million jobs. Dynamic market forces such as global competition, changing customer expectations, and new communication technology, combined with career challenges due to ongoing industry consolidation and corporate restructuring mandate continuous learning and the sharing of ideas. Global hospitality and tourism management technologies is a comprehensive collection which aims to be a source of information for all those interested in tourism and hospitality management, approaches, and trends, as well as to cover the emerging research topics which seek to define the future of IT and cultural development in the 21st century. The book provides a reference for policymakers, government officers, academics, and practitioners interested in understanding applications of IT for tourism and hospitality management.
1.1 ANALYSE THE NATURE AND SUB-SECTORS OF THE GLOBAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Sub-sectors of global tourism and hospitality include hotels, lodges and motels. The hotels are the luxurious and fabulous sectors offering excellent services for sleepover accommodations. They are sometimes for entertainment or food and beverage facilities such as lunch. They also provide conference facilities and services. Hotels are usually rated in stars whereby the higher the number of stars, the better the services, for example a five star hotel is better than a three star one. Lodges on the other hand are like mini hotels offering accommodation and they range in luxury. Motels offer accommodation and parking space for travelers since they are normally located along the highways while hotels offer large rooms which can accommodate a number of people sharing a room in a dormitory style.
1.2 ANALYSE THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS OF THE INDUSTRY
Stakeholders in global tourism and hospitality industry like the government plays a vital role in the industry by promoting its growth and success (Holloway and Robinson 1995). The government is responsible in decision making in the tourism industry through the laws that helps in developing the industry, for example the law of imports and exports promotes the industry. The government through the ministry of tourism work together with other ministries for example the ministry of transport, defense, arts and culture and health in promoting the industry through ensuring people’s safety, health, cultural diversity among other things. By so doing tourists and other locals will be motivated to utilise the services offered by the industry. Other stakeholders like traditional leaders and private companies also play a vital role in promoting the industry through the offering of services like car rentals, marketing companies, banking among others.
1.3 ANALYSE THE INTER-RELATIONSHIPS AND LINKS BETWEEN TOURISM AND OTHER SECTORS
The inter-relationships and links between tourism and other sectors like banks, transport, marketing, agriculture and information are important in the industry. Banks assist an enables tourists to use plastic money for safety and convenience purposes, also allowing a swift change of foreign currency while at the same time allowing the banking sector to benefit, boast and expand in forex exchanges and transactions even from the service providing companies and offering them swift monetary services. On the other hand, the transport sector provides transport services to tourists enabling their movement from one place of interest to the other whilst tourists funds and create employment towards the transport sector.
The growth of tourism and agriculture sector has been a great expansion in diverse crops grown for consumption in different places for different people as well. These crops are grown and ingredients are made to come up with different dishes for guests from different cultures. Marketing and information sectors have played a very important role in tourism. The internet at the center of it all, allowing the marketing of tourists destinations and all the necessary information. This has promoted the growth of tourism world-wide. Therefore it can be noted that these sectors are interdependent, they work together and if one sector is not performing well it will affect other sectors.
1.4 Explain the history of the tourism and hospitality industry
The history of tourism and hospitality industry evolved from an experience reserved for very few people into something enjoyed by many. Historically, the ability to travel was reserved for royalty and the upper classes. From ancient Roman times through to the 17th century, young men of high standing were invigorated to travel through Europe on a “grand tour” (Chaney, 2000). Through the middle Ages, many societies encouraged the practice of religious Pilgrimage, as reflected in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and other literature. The word “hospitality”, predates the use of the word “tourism”, and first appeared in the 14th century. Greek and Latin words for circle and turn, and that tourism and tourist represent the activities of circling away from home, and then returning (Theobald, 1998).
