Introduction to Hospitality –
Tourism is not just about the facilities and attractions provided for visitors. It is about people and especially about the relationship between the customer and the individual providing service. Everybody employed in tourism needs to have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide the standard of product and service that customers expect. Knowing about the tourism industry, its component parts and especially where you fit in is an important starting point to a successful career in tourism. Tourism may be described as the activities of tourists and those who cater for them. It is a highly diversified business with many component parts ranging from airlines to hotels.
Hospitality is the act of kindness in welcoming and looking after the basic needs of guests or strangers, mainly in relation to food, drink and accommodation. A contemporary explanation of Hospitality refers to the relationship process between a guest and a host. When we talk about the “Hospitality Industry”, we are referring to the companies or organisations which provide food and/or drink and/or accommodation to people who are away from home. However, this definition of the “Hospitality Industry” only satisfies most situations.
Online Hospitality –
Information systems form a fascinating and rapidly expanding field of study. Hospitality traditionally lags other sectors in adopting information technology but this has changed in recent years and research into its application has followed suit. Researchers stress the importance of technology for the hospitality industry and highlight that it has become an indispensable part of hotels’ everyday operations. Interestingly, the bigger a hotel and the wider the number of services provided (restaurants, sport facilities, spa centers, golf courses, etc.) the higher reliance on technology. This happens because technology has