Tourism and Hospitality Industries it Is Perhaps

Tourism and Hospitality Industries

It is perhaps indicative of how interconnected the hospitality industry and the tourism industry are that they are often connected in literature as one broad industrial category, "the hospitality and tourist industry." Their aims and objectives certainly overlap, sharing a common goal of catering to the needs and desires of people who are traveling for one reason or another. It is a facile separation of the domains of each industry to suggest that hospitality pertains to where people stay and tourism pertains to what people do in the process of travel, particularly as the options become more elaborate and varied to reflect a simultaneous increase in technology and the sophistication of consumer demand. Instead of focusing upon debatable divisions between the functions of each industry, it is perhaps a better model to look at the ways in which they support each other's key services (Ottenbacher 2009).

One of the essential aspects of tourism is the marketing and branding of destinations (Silvanto 2009). It is important for the purposes of identifying unique attributes to travelers who are considering a destination-based travel experience. Domains of destination branding range from historical, climate-based, event-based, service offerings (such as conference centers for business-related destination travel), cultural/lifestyle (such as 'ecotourism'), and environmental destination aspects. Creating a brand for a destination often includes a confluence of multiple domains for the purposes of communicating an appealing image to consumers. The types of hospitality options and services offered at a destination often are considered in destination branding and are highly influenced by the brand image.

One clear example can be seen in safari travel. While the range of hospitality offerings range from budget to high-end, the decor of the accommodations, food menus and traveler services will all relate to the cultural and environmental aspects of the safari destination image in order to help underscore the unique attributes of the travel experience to the traveler and to assist the immersive experience of tourism aspects of the experience (Morrison et al. 1999). A hotel utilizing African themes in the decor, with locally-influenced cuisine, and a special post-expedition spa package, for example, would reflect the hospitality sector catering its offerings to the tourism brand image, creating greater destination appeal and supporting the key function of the tourism industry in this setting (Brey et al. 2008).

The element of competitiveness within destination-based travel is another example of hospitality offering key support to the primary function of the tourist industry. A wide array of hospitality services certainly assists in widening the range of interest for potential travelers (Paskaleva et al. 2009). If a tourist is motivated to some degree by budgetary considerations, finding a destination with an appealing brand image that fits the desired price point is the objective. This indicates a travel destination search in which hospitality offerings are investigated alongside destinations. This type of travel search reflects the critical way in which hospitality and tourism industries support and enhance each other by working in tandem, intentionally or incidentally, to draw consumer activity (Crouch 2011). It is important to note that destination-based travel is based not just upon naturally-occurring or historical elements. A theme park is an example of the creation of a destination explicitly for the purposes of attracting tourism and hospitality business.

One way in which the hospitality industry can underpin tourism objectives explicitly is through partnering with key tourist services to create comprehensive travel packages. Such packages often offer discounts, consumer ease, and novel hospitality and tourist service offerings in order to create consumer appeal. From a marketing perspective, this can assist business interests within both industries in drawing travelers who are looking for a particular experience based on economic considerations (Crouch 2011). A shoestring-budget package or a luxury package can be offered for the same destination-based travel experience based on accommodations, food services, transportation and auxiliary services.

Business-motivated travel has developed an entire subsection of the hospitality industry. Express hotels, airport business lounges, conference centers, and business support hospitality services all cater to the frequent business traveler, a segment of the travel population with particularly discriminating tastes and needs. Business-related hospitality is also tailored toward ensuring a level of professionalism to enhance the objectives of the business traveler. When destination-based travel is business related, it is often not the tourist industry that draws business, but the variety and appropriateness of hospitality services (McCleary et al. 1993).