A Brief History of the Hotel Industry (2023)

FAQs

A Brief History of the Hotel Industry? ›

The hospitality industry as an organised industry was formed in the 1950s or 1960s when a proper structure was formed. And, travellers always sought hospitable places to kick back and relax, away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday routine.

The hospitality industry as an organised industry was formed in the 1950s or 1960s when a proper structure was formed. And, travellers always sought hospitable places to kick back and relax, away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday routine.

The word hotel is derived from the French hôtel (coming from the same origin as hospital), which referred to a French version of a building seeing frequent visitors, and providing care, rather than a place offering accommodation.

The first real guesthouses can be traced back to the early eighth century in Japan. The Nishiyama Onsen and Hoshi Ryokan are the first hotels in human history: 47 generations later, the latter establishment is still owned by the original family.

Over the past 15-20 years, changes in hotel ownership and management, the growth and development of online reservation systems and the proliferation of lodging alternatives have altered the hospitality landscape, bringing new complexity to the industry.

The history of tourism and hospitality should be studied in order to understand how it has developed and where it can lead. Early tourism was a vestige of the privileged, and now that it is accessible to the masses, the history of the industry can teach students how to better adapt to changing trends.

While the hospitality industry covers several different services, it can generally be defined through five different sectors. These sectors include food and beverages, lodging, recreation, travel and tourism, and meetings and events.

A hotel is a commercial establishment that provides lodging, meals, and other services to guests, travelers, and tourists. Hotels can range from small family-run businesses to large international chains. Most hotels list a variety of services, such as room service, laundry, and concierge.

The hotel industry is solely concerned with providing guest accommodation and related services. By contrast, the hospitality industry is concerned with leisure in a more general sense. As a result, it covers accommodation, restaurants, bars, cafés, nightlife, and many travel and tourism services.

Etymology. Derives from the Latin hospes, meaning "host", "guest", or "stranger". Hospes is formed from hostis, which means "stranger" or "enemy" (the latter being where terms like "hostile" derive). By metonymy, the Latin word hospital means a guest-chamber, guest's lodging, an inn.

What are two facts about the history of the hospitality industry? ›

In the early 700s the first two hotels in history were registered in Japan which were called Ryokans. These Ryokans were resting spots along the Silk Road. By the 1600s more than 600 inns were registered in England and in the early 1800s the first modern hotel was built in England.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, Japan

The oldest hotel in the world, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan opened in 705 AD and has been passed down through the same family for an astounding 52 generations.

In Old times, locals used to let the travelers rest on kitchen floors or other extra spaces during their journey. There were no purpose-built resting facilities for tourists until monasteries decided to build one. This gave birth to lodging services.

2022 Update

Many industries are experiencing a labor shortage, including hotels and restaurants. Guests are now more open to seeing cleaning out in the open, but there are fewer people available to do so. Some hotels are offering higher wages, free training and other incentives to get people back to work.

Typically, hotel operators will say the cycle occurs over a 7- to 10-year basis. The lending market is the ultimate backbone of this cycle – money becomes available to lend, new hotels are constructed, and occupancy levels decline as these new hotels are absorbed into the market.

Hotels have been around a long time, popping up in the US during the 18th century; but it wasn't until the beginning of 1950s that the lodging industry started to explode.

People rely on the hospitality industry to fulfill their basic needs of transport, accommodation, food, and entertainment for work and recreational purposes.

The goal of the hospitality industry is to provide customers with an enjoyable experience. Whether that enjoyment comes from eating a good meal, relaxing in a luxurious spa, or getting a good night's rest away from home, making sure each individual guest is taken care of is paramount.

Service is the key in the Hospitality Industry

Exceptional service is achieved by anticipating your client's needs.

Hospitality is an industry that includes restaurants, hotels, casinos, amusement parks, events, cruises, entertainment, and other tourism-related services. As such, this industry isn't just important to businesses but also to customers, employees, and economies.

What are the 5 C's of hospitality? ›

The solution to hospitality interface problems however is not avoidance, but understanding the five Cs of hospitality technology interfacing (Confidence, Contracts, Communications, Comparisons and Contingencies).

The top four sectors consist of; 'Food and Beverage', 'Accommodation', 'Travel and Tourism' and 'Entertainment and Recreation'. Although the industry is segmented, there is significant overlap to improve customer experience. Below, we'll explore these sectors and how they interact with each other.

The word hotel is derived from the French hôtel, which refers to a French version of the townhouse. The term hotel was used for the first time by the fifth Duke of Devonshire to name a lodging property in London sometime in AD 1760.

A hotel is a place where bonafide traveller can receive food and shelter, provided she/he is in a position to pay for it and is in fit condition to be received. Inns –Public houses in early times in England were called inns.

Lavish bathrooms with upscale features such as heated floors and soaking tubs. High-end, lush linens and towels. Deluxe pillows and mattresses so your sleeping hours are as blissful as your waking ones. Beautiful views in every direction – inside and out.

What does hospitality mean? Merriam Webster's Dictionary defines hospitality as, “generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests or hospitable treatment.” It also refers to the industry in which hotels, caterers, and event planners largely operate.

Hospitality Function

As such, the actual function of a hotel lies not only in providing a place for people to stay but creating an enjoyable experience for guests and seeing to all their wants and needs.

What is the Hospitality Industry? The hospitality industry is a large subsection within the service industry and is comprised of four main areas: Food & beverage, travel & tourism, lodging, and recreation.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan (Yamanashi, Japan)

According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest hotel in the world is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan. This ryokan—a traditional Japanese inn—has been owned by a whopping 52 generations of the same family.

What is the brief history of tourism and hospitality? ›

The word hospitality predates the use of the word tourism, and first appeared in the 14th century. It is derived from the Latin hospes, which encompasses the words guest, host, and foreigner (Latdict, 2014). The word tourist appeared in print much later, in 1772 (Griffiths and Griffiths, 1772).

Hospitality, also called “guest-friendship,” was a social ritual expected of men in the Greek world. Under the rules of hospitality, men would be expected to host visitors, providing them with food, a bath, friendship gifts, the promise of safety for the night, and safe escorted travel to their next destination.

One of the unique aspects of the hospitality industry is that it exists to create memorable experiences for guests. This involves constantly seeking ways to exceed guest expectations and deliver exceptional customer service.

The Ryugyong Hotel (Korean: 류경호텔; sometimes spelled as Ryu-Gyong Hotel), or Yu-Kyung Hotel, is an unfinished 105-story, 330-metre-tall (1,080 ft) pyramid-shaped skyscraper in Pyongyang, North Korea. Its name ("capital of willows") is also one of the historical names for Pyongyang.

The Red Lion Inn (Stockbridge, Massachusetts)

The Red Lion Inn opened its doors in 1773 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, as a tavern for travelers to visit on their journey from Albany to Boston.

Extend a welcome: Make eye contact, smile, say hello, introduce yourself, call people by name, and extend a few words of concern. Notice when someone looks confused: Stop and lend a hand. Take time for courtesy and consideration: Kind words and polite gestures make people feel special.

Location: Motels are generally located along major highways. While some are relatively isolated, others are located close to other businesses that cater to travelers, including restaurants, service stations, and convenience stores. Hotels, on the other hand, are usually located in city centers or near airports.

What is the main challenge of hospitality industry? ›

Challenge. Hiring and retaining staff has always been one of the most common problems in the hospitality industry. Every hotel requires quality staff on all fronts; be it administration, maintenance, kitchen, housekeeping, or frontdesk.

The day in the front office is usually divided into three shifts. The first shift or morning shift typically is from 7 am to 4 pm. The morning shift arrives to relieve the night shift and take over from them for the day's operations. The second shift or afternoon shift usually is from 3 pm to 12 am.

The Guest Experience Journey has 5 different distinct stages: pre-arrival, arrival, stay, departure, and post-stay.

One of the first hotels in a modern sense was opened in Exeter in 1768. Hotels proliferated throughout Western Europe and North America in the early 19th century, and luxury hotels began to spring up in the later part of the 19th century, paricularly in the United States.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan - Wikipedia.

Hotels have been around a long time, popping up in the US during the 18th century; but it wasn't until the beginning of 1950s that the lodging industry started to explode.

According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest hotel in the world is Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan. This ryokan—a traditional Japanese inn—has been owned by a whopping 52 generations of the same family.

Hospitality refers, according to the Cambridge dictionary, to the “the act of being friendly and welcoming to guests and visitors”. It comes from the Latin “hospitalitas – hospitalitatis” which means to receive as a guest.

Over the past two decades, the hospitality industry has experienced significant growth, with international arrivals doubling from 600 million to over 1.4 billion in 2016. In 2018, the travel and tourism industry saw a growth of 3.9%, outpacing that of the global economy (3.2%).

In the Middle Ages, monasteries and abbeys were the first establishments to offer refuge to travellers on a regular basis. Religious orders built inns, hospices and hospitals to cater for those on the move. Inns multiplied, but they did not yet offer meals.

What is the main purpose of a hotel? ›

The primary purpose of hotels is to provide travelers with shelter, food, refreshment, and similar services and goods, offering on a commercial basis things that are customarily furnished within households but unavailable to people on a journey away from home.

The Kelley House Hotel, in what is today's Edgartown, Massachusetts, opened more than 200 years ago in 1742. Originally named The Tavern, Kelley House served as a respite for sailors during the Revolutionary War era.

The term "inn" historically characterized a rural hotel which provided lodging, food and refreshments, and accommodations for travelers' horses.

SH Group and Barry Sternlicht, 1 Hotels Founder and Starwood Capital Chairman / CEO, Introduce 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, New York.

The 10 and 5 rule is a simple guideline that is widely used in the hospitality industry. The rule dictates that when a staff member is 10 feet from a guest, the staff smiles and makes direct eye contact, and when they are within five feet, the staff verbally greets the guest.

receptionist. noun. someone who works in reception at a hotel or office.

Regarding hospitality trends related to marketing, there are several general trends to be aware of. These include the increased focus on local and voice search, increased use of virtual reality tours to sell hospitality products, a greater emphasis on personalization, and the growth of influencer marketing.

In Old times, locals used to let the travelers rest on kitchen floors or other extra spaces during their journey. There were no purpose-built resting facilities for tourists until monasteries decided to build one. This gave birth to lodging services. In the late 1700s, Inns came into being.

Since 2020, the largest hotel in the world is the First World Hotel in Malaysia with 7,351 rooms divided between two buildings. The largest single hotel building is MGM Grand Las Vegas, with 5,124 rooms in one building.