tourist hotel means

Example sentences tourist hotel

An optimist, however, will rejoice at the new tourist hotel built by the entrepreneurs and hope that it will improve the lives of the villagers.

Instead, he glances around the breakfast room at the soulless international tourist hotel he has (inexplicably) chosen to stay in and flicks the grumble button to autopilot.

Dating back to 1751, it includes a notable tourist hotel .

The town was maintained during the 1930s, when saw the installation of a fisheries station and the establishment of a tourist hotel .

Being the closest place to the town, the area got the first tourist hotel already in the 1960s.

Definition of 'hotel' hotel

Definition of 'tourist' tourist

COBUILD Collocations tourist hotel

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• tourist facilities
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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. Historically, in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and several other countries, a townhouse was the residence of a peer or an aristocrat in the capital of major cities. The word hotel could have also derived from the hostel , which means ‘ a place to stay for travelers ‘.

A hotel is defined by the British Law as a ‘ place where bonafide travelers can receive food or shelter, provided he/she is in a position to pay for it and is in a fit condition to be received ‘. Hence, a hotel must provide food (and beverage) and lodging to a traveler on payment, but the hotel has the right to refuse if the traveler is not presentable (either drunk, or disorderly, or unkempt) or is not in a position to pay for the services.

Alternatively, a hotel may be defined as ‘ an establishment whose primary business is to provide lodging facilities to a genuine traveler along with food, beverage, and sometimes recreational facilities too on the chargeable basis ‘.  Though there are other establishments such as hospitals, college hostels, prisons, and sanatoriums, which offer accommodation, they do not qualify as hotels, since they do not cater to the specific needs of the traveler.

A hotel is an establishment that provides paid accommodation, generally for a short duration of stay . Hotels often provide a number of additional guest services, such as restaurants, bars, swimming pools, healthcare, retail shops; business facilities like conference halls, banquet halls, boardrooms; and space for private parties like birthdays, marriages, kitty parties, etc.

Most of the modern hotels nowadays provide the basic facilities in a room- a bed, a cupboard, a small table, weather control (air conditioner or heater), and a bathroom- along with other feature like a telephone with STD/ISD facilities, a television set with cable channel, broadband internet connectivity.

There might also be a mini-bar containing snacks and drinks (the consumption of the same is added to the guest’s bill), and tea and coffee making unit having an electric kettle, cups, spoons, and sachets containing instant coffee, tea bags, sugar, and creamer.

History of Hotels

The invention of currency and wheels sometime in the 5th century BC are regarded as the two main factors that led to the emergence of inn-keeping and hospitality as a commercial activity. While Europe can safely be regarded as the cradle of the organized hotel business, it is in the American continent that one sees the evolution of the modern hotel industry over the past century.

From the rudimentary ancient inns to the present day state-of-art establishment that provides everything under the sun of the modern traveler, the hotel industry has come a long way. The origin and growth of the hotel industry can be broadly studied under the following periods:

Ancient Era

The earliest recorded evidence of the hospitality facilities in Europe dates back to 500 BC. An ancient city, such as Corinth in Greece, had a substantial number of establishments that offered food and drink as well as beds to the traveler. The inns of the biblical era were of the primitive type, offering a cot or bench in the corner of a room and, at times, even a stable. Travelers used to stay in a large hall. Privacy and personal sanitation were non-existent.

In the 3rd century AD, numerous lodging premises mushroomed along with the extensive network of brick-paved roads throughout Europe and minor Asin (part of Asia adjoining Europe). The lodging hotels were known as mansions during that time.

These conditions prevailed for several hundred years, until the Industrial Revolution in England led to the development of railways and steamship, making traveling more efficient, comfortable, and faster. The Industrial Revolution also brought about a shift in the focus of travel that becomes more business-oriented than educational or social.

The lead-in organized hotel-keeping, as we see it today, was taken by the emerging nations of Europe, especially Switzerland. The early establishment was mainly patronized by the aristocracy and took shape in chalets (small cottages) and small hotels that provided a variety of services. Between 1750 and 1825, inns in Britain gained the reputation of being the finest hospitality establishments.

The second half of the eighteenth century, prior to the French Revolution (1780-990, is referred as the ‘ golden era of travel ‘ as the popularity of the ‘ Grand Tour ‘ gave a big push to the hotel industry. In those days, a Grand Tour of the European continent constituted as an indispensable element of the education of scions of wealthy families in Britain.

As this tour often lasted several years, it was a good business opportunity for the people in prominent cities of France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Ireland to establish lodging, transportation, and recreation facilities. Far-sighted entrepreneurs, who smelt money in the exercise, developed the skills of the hospitality and pioneered the modern hotel industry.

Prominent among the hotels that emerged during the period were Dolder Grand in Zurich, Imperia in Vienna, the Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, and Des Bergues in Geneva. In 1841 , a simple cabinet marker, Thomas Cook organized a rail tour from Leicester to Loughborough and immortalized himself as the world’s first tour operator .

The improvisation in the mode of transport made journeys safer, easier, and faster, enable economical as well as frequent mass movement. The introduction of Funiculars (the ropeway) made high altitude mountains accessible, leading to the growth of many hotels in Alpine rages. Burgenstock and Giessbach are among the hotels in Switzerland that owe, their existence to the development of the ropeways.

The two world wars, especially the second (1939-45) took their toll on the hospitality industry. The massive destruction caused by the war and the resulting economic depression proved to be a major setback to the travel business. The 1950s witnessed a slow and steady growth of travel on the European continent.

The development of aircraft and commercial passenger flight across the Atlantic stimulated that across the globe, and in the process accelerated the growth of the hotel industry.

But it is the American entrepreneurs who credited with literally changing the face of the hospitality industry with their innovation and aggressive marketing. Prior to the establishment of City Hotel lodging facilities in the American continent was patterned on the European style taverns or inns.

The City Hall, however, triggered a race among American hoteliers, resulting in the construction of the large hotels. The decade of the great depression in the 1930s witnessed the liquidity of most of the hotels in America. The hotel industry streamlined with the slow and steady growth during the 1940s. The increase in automobile travel in the 1950s led to the rise of ‘motor hotels’ or motels , a new category in the hotel industry.

The motel which offered free parking facilities served as rest houses for the people traveling between two cities or tourist destination. The following decades saw the growth of motels on a large scale, and also the introduction of budget hotels that offered basic facilities at half of the rates. Gradually, with the passage of time, they evolved into countrywide and international chains.

Hotel Organisation Structure

To carry out its vision, mission, objectives, and goals, every hotel requires a formal structure known as the organization structure. The structure defines the company’s distribution of responsibilities and authority among its management staff and employees.

It establishes the manner and extent of roles, power, and responsibilities, and determines how information flows between different level of organization. This structure depends entirely on the organization’s objective and strategies chosen to achieve them.

The most common way to represent the organization structure is through an organization chat. Each hotel is different and has unique features, so the organization charts of hotels vary from each other. The organization structure depends upon the size and function of a hotel.

Some hotel may lease their outlet to another company or may employ another agency to operate restaurant or housekeeping services. In such cases, those portions will not be a part of the organization chart of the hotel. A sample organization chart of a commercial hotel is following as:

Core Areas/Departments of Hotel

The organization of a hotel today is very complex and comprises various departments. The number of departments varies from one establishment to another. All departments may have their own managers, reporting to the general manager and the assistant general manager.

Hotels departments fall under the category of either Revenue earning departments or Support departments .

Revenue earning departments are operational departments that sell services or products to the guest, thus, directly generating revenue for the hotel. These departments include front office, food and beverage, and hotel operated shops.

Support departments are the ones that help to generate revenue indirectly by playing a supporting role in the hotel’s revenue earning departments. These include human resources, maintenance, purchase, housekeeping, and so on.

The various departments in a hotel are discussed below in brief:

Room Division Department

In a large hotel, the housekeeping, front office, and maintenance departments come under room division. These departments together are responsible for maintaining and selling the room in a hotel . In most hotels, these are the departments that directly or indirectly generate more revenue than other departments. This is because the sale of room constitutes a minimum of 50 percent revenue of a hotel.

A hotel’s largest margin of profit comes from the room because a room, once made, can be sold over and over again. The room division is headed by the room division manager to whom the front office manager, executive housekeeper, and very often the chief engineer report.

Housekeeping Department

The housekeeping department is responsible for the cleanliness and upkeep of the front of the house areas as well as the back of the house areas so that they appear as fresh and aesthetically appealing as on the first day when hotel property opened for business. This department is headed by the executive housekeeper or, in chain hotels, the director of housekeeping.

Front Office Department

Headed by the front office manager , the front office department is the operational department that is responsible for welcoming and registering the guests, allotting the rooms and helping the guests check out . Uniformed services like concierge and bell desk and EPBAX operators are the part of the front office department.

Maintenance Department

The maintenance department also called the engineering and maintenance department , is headed by the chief engineer or the chief maintenance officer. The department is responsible for all kinds of maintenance, repair, and engineering work on equipment, machine, fixtures, and fittings .

Food and Beverage Department

The food and beverage (F&B) department include restaurants, bars, coffee shops, banquets, room service, kitchen, and bakery . The department is headed by the F&B director . While the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, banquets, and the room may be grouped specifically under the F&B service department, headed by the F&B manager, the kitchen and bakery fall under the F&B production department, headed by the executive chef.

Human Resource Department

The human resource (HR) department or the personnel department, as it used to be called earlier – is headed by the human resource manager . Recruitments, orientation, training, employee welfare and compensation, labor laws, and safety norms for the hotels come under the purview of the HR department.

The training department is an ancillary department of the HR department. This is headed by the training manager, who takes on the specific task of orientation and training of new employees as well as existing ones.

Sales and Marketing Department

The sales and marketing department is headed by the sales and marketing manager . A large hotel may have three or more employees in this department, whereas a small hotel can do with just one employee.

The function of this department is five-fold – sales, personal relations, advertising, getting MICE (meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition) business, and market research. All these functions lead to the common goal of selling the product of the hotel – i.e. rooms and the services of the hotel by ‘creating’ customers.

Purchase Department

The purchasing department is led by the purchase manage r, who, in some properties, may report to the financial controller. The procurement of all departmental inventories is the responsibility of the purchasing department. In most hotels, the central stores are the part of purchase department.

Financial Control Department

It is also called the control department , the financial control department is headed by the financial controller , who is responsible for ratifying all the inventory items of the operational departments. Inventory control procedures are the responsibility of the department.

The financial controller, along with the general manager, is responsible for finalizing the budgets prepared by the heads of other departments . The hotel’s accounts are also maintained by the controls department. Accounting activities include making payments against invoices, billing, collecting payments, generating statements, handling bank transactions, processing employee payroll data, and preparing the hotel’s financial statements.

Security Department

It is headed by the chief security officers , the security department is responsible for safeguarding the assets, guests, and employees of the hotel . Their functions include conducting fire drills, monitoring surveillance equipment, and patrolling the property.

Types and Classification of Hotels

Hotels provide accommodation, along with services like food and beverages, and facilities like recreation, conference, and training arrangements, and organization of official or private parties. Each hotel has a unique feature associated with it.

The features may be its location; the number of guests room; special services such as concierge, travel assistance, and valet parking; facilities such as specialty restaurants, bars, business meeting venues, swimming pools, and so on.

The diversity in services and facilities provided by each hotel makes it quite difficult to have any single basis of classification of hotels, and if we classify them in different criteria there will be some hotels that will fall into more than one group. The criteria in which hotels are classified are following as:

Standard Classification of Hotels

The star classification system is among the most widely accepted rating of hotels worldwide. Rating of hotels in different countries is done by the government or quasi-government sources, independent rating agencies, or sometimes the hotel operators themselves.

The brief description of the various star categories are following as:

One-star Hotels

These properties are generally small and independently owned, with a family atmosphere. There may be a limited range of facilities the meals may be fairly simple. For example, lunch may not be served or some bedrooms may not have an en-suite bath or shower.

However, maintenance, cleanliness, and comfort would be of an acceptable standard.

Two-star Hotels

In this class, hotels will typically be small to medium-sized and offer more expensive facilities than one-star hotels. Guests can expect comfortable, well equipped overnight accommodation, usually with an en-suite bath and shower.

Reception and other staff will aim for a more professional presentation that at the one-star level and will offer a wider range of straightforward services, including food and beverages.

Three-star Hotels

At this level, hotels are usually of a size to support higher staffing levels as well as significantly higher quality and range of facilities than at the lower star classifications. Reception and other public areas will be more spacious, and the restaurant will normally also cater to non-residents.

All bedrooms will have an en-suite bath and shower and will offer a good standard of comfort and equipment, such as a direct dial telephone and toiletries in the bathrooms. Besides room services, some provision for business travelers can be expected.

Four-star Hotels

Expectations of this level include a degree of luxury as well as quality in the furnishing, décor, and equipment in every area of the hotel. Bedrooms will also usually offer more space than at the lower star levels. They will be well designed with coordinated furnishing and décor.

The en-suite bathrooms will have both a bath an shower. There will be a high staff to guest ratio, with provisions of porter services, twenty-four-hour room service, and laundry and dry cleaning services. The restaurants will demonstrate a serious approach to its cuisine.

Five-star Hotels

Five-star hotels offer spacious and luxurious accommodation throughout the hotel, matching the best international standards. The interior design should impress with its quality and attention to detail, comfort, and elegance. The furnishing should be immaculate.

The services should be formal, well supervised, and flawless in its attention to the guest’s need, without being intrusive. The restaurant will demonstrate a high level of technical skill. The staff will be knowledgeable, helpful, and well versed in all aspects of customer care, combining efficiency with courtesy.

Heritage Hotels

A recent addition to the hotel industry, heritage hotels are properties set in small forts, palaces, or havelis , the mansions of erstwhile royal and aristocratic families. They have added a new dimension to cultural tourism.

In a heritage hotel, a visitor is offered rooms that have their own history, is served traditional cuisine toned down to the requirements of international palates, is entertained by folk artists, can participate in activities that allow a glimpse into the heritage of the region and can bask in an atmosphere that lives and breathes of the past.

Heritage hotels can further be divided into three types:

• Heritage Classis
• Heritage Grand

Classification of Hotels On the Basis of Size

The number of guest rooms in a hotel is a criterion to classify hotels. Hotels can be grouped into the following categories on the basis of the number of rooms or the size of the hotel:

Small Hotel

In India, hotels with twenty-five or less are classified as small hotels. However, in the developed countries of Europe and America, hotels with less than 100 rooms are considered small. These hotels provide clean and comfortable accommodation but may not provide upmarket facilities, such as swimming pool, restaurant, bar etc.

Medium Hotel

Hotels with twenty-six to a hundred rooms are called medium hotels. However, in developed nations, hotels with up to 300 rooms are termed medium-sized.

Large Hotel

In India, hotels with 101 to 300 guest rooms are regarded as large hotels. Whereas, hotels with 400 to 600 rooms are termed as large hotels in the developed world.

Very Large Hotel

Hotels, with more than 300 guest rooms are known as very large hotels in our country. In developed nations, hotels with 600 to 1,000 rooms may be considered very large.

Classification of Hotels on the Basis of Location

The location of the hotel is one of the major criteria for the traveler to select and patronize a hotel. Hotels may be located in the city center, suburban areas, natural locations such as hill stations and sea beaches, near the port of entry into a country, etc. They may be classified into the following categories on the basis of their location:

Downtown Hotel

A downtown hotel is located in the center of the city within a short distance from the business center, shopping areas, theatre, public offices, etc. The center of the city may not necessarily be the geographical center, but it refers to an area that is considered to be the commercial hub of the city.

The room rates in these hotels may be higher than similar hotels in the other areas, so as to cover the huge investment made on land. They are generally preferred by the business clients as they find it convenient to stay close to the place of their business activities.

Sub-Urban Hotel

As the land cost in the city center is higher and space is limited, some entrepreneurs build their hotel near the outskirts of the city. Providing similar facilities to the downtown hotels, these hotels are set in suburban areas and have the advantage of quieter surroundings. Such hotels are ideal for people who prefer to stay away from the hustle and bustle of a city .

The duration of the stay of guests in these hotels may be longer than the at a hotel located in the city. The room rates in such hotels are moderate and may attract the budget travelers.

Resort Hotel

Hotels that are located at a tourist destination such as hill stations, sea beaches, and countryside are referred to as resort hotels . These hotels have a very calm and natural ambiance. They are mostly away from cities and are located in the pollution-free environment. The room rates in these hotels may range from moderate to high, depending on the additional services offered.

These hotels combine stay facilities with leisure activities such as golf, summer and winter support, etc. Some of these hotels are projected as a dream destination to guests who wish to enjoy the beauty of nature and have a memorable holiday. The occupancy in the resorts is normally higher during the vacation time and weekend when guests want to take a break from their weekly routine.

Airport Hotel

Airport hotel is situated in the vicinity and other ports of entry . Offering all the services of the commercial hotel, these hotels are generally patronized by the passengers who need a stopover en-route journey.

The word ‘ motel ‘ is formed by the merging of two words ‘ motor ‘ and ‘ hotel ‘. They are located primarily in the highways and provide modest lodgings to highway travelers. The development of extensive road networks in the early twentieth century led to an increase in the people traveling in their own vehicles.

The phenomenon was quite common in the American European continents. The traveler who was traveling in their own vehicles needed a neat and clean accommodation for the night, so, the motel concept came into existence.

As the name suggests, floatels are types of lodging properties that float on the water . This category consists of all lodging properties that are built on the top of rafts or semi-submersible platforms and includes cruise liners and houseboats .

Some of them provide luxurious accommodation, along with food and beverage facilities to guests.

Classification of Hotels on the Basis of Clients

The hotel caters to the need of its guests. Every individual or a group of people who patronize a hotel has a different set of requirements. While some would prefer luxurious accommodation, others would like to stay in a simple and cheap room. Some would require facilities such as meeting rooms, business centers, and conference halls if their travel is business-oriented.

Being a capital-intensive industry, the diversities in guest requirements discourage hotels from catering to all types of travelers. As a result, hotels choose to carve out a niche for themselves by catering to the needs of specific guest segments. The hotel can be classified into the following categories on the basis of its clients :

Business or Commercial Hotel

Designed to cater to the business traveler , commercial hotels are generally situated in the city center . These hotels provide high standard rooms and amenities, along with high-speed internet connectivity,  business centers, and conference halls. They also provide in-house secretarial services, as well as facilities such as letter drafting, typing, fax, and photocopy of documents for the convenience of their guests.

The guest amenities at the commercial hotel may include complimentary newspapers, morning coffee, cable television, and access to channeled music and movies.

The duration of the guest’s stay is generally very short at these hotels. The occupancy level is higher during the weekdays and slightly lower during weekends. These hotels are also known as downtown hotels .

Transient Hotel

Transient hotels cater to the need of people who are on the move and need a stopover en route their journey . Located in the close proximity of ports of entry, such as seaport, airport, and major railway stations, these hotels are normally patronized by the transient traveler.

They have round the clock operational room service and coffee shop and offer all the facilities of a commercial hotel. Transient hotels are usually five-star , and their target market includes business clientele, airline passengers with overnight travel layovers or canceled flights, and airline personnel.

The occupancy rate is usually very high, sometimes more than 100 percent, as rooms can be sold more than once on a given day.

Suite Hotel

Suite Hotels provide the highest level of personalized service s to guests. The guest rooms generally comprise a living area, a compact kitchenette, complete with refrigerator and a microwave, a bedroom attached with bathroom, and sometimes even a dance floor.

The facilities are highly customized and may include in-room safety locker facilities. These hotels are patronized by affluent people and tourists who are fond of luxury.

Residential Hotel

As the name suggests, residential hotels provide accommodation for a longer duration . These hotels are generally patronized by people who are on a temporary official deputation to a city where they do not have their own residential accommodation. Guest stay for a minimum period of one month and up to two years.

The services offered by these hotels are modest. The room’s configuration usually similar to that of suite hotels. Guest rooms generally include a sitting room, bathroom, and small kitchenette. They are akin to the small individual apartment.

These hotels are fully operational restaurants or a dining room for the resident guests and may provide services such as daily housekeeping, telephone, front desk, and uniformed services. The guest may choose to contract some or all the services provided by the apartment hotel. The hotel signs a lease with guest and the rent is paid either monthly or quarterly .

Bed and Breakfast Hotel

A European concept , bed, and breakfast (B&B) hotels are lodging establishments, generally operated in large family residences. These range from houses with few rooms converted into overnight facilities to small commercial building with twenty to thirty guest rooms. The owner usually lives on the premises and is responsible for serving breakfast to guests.

Guests are accommodated in bedrooms and breakfast is served in the room or sometime in the dining room. The bathrooms may be attached to the guest rooms or maybe on a sharing basis. As the tariff is generally lower than a full-service hotel at these properties, they are suitable for budget travelers .

Casino Hotel

Casino hotels provide gambling facilities , such as Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. These hotels attract the clients by promoting gambling, arranging extravagant floor shows, and some may provide charter flight services to its clients. They have state-of-the-art gambling facilities, along with the especially restaurant, bars, round the clock room service, well appointed and furnished rooms for its guests.

Nowadays, these hotels are also attracting the MICE (meeting, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) segment. The casinos of Las Vegas , USA are among the most famous casinos in the world.

Conference Centers

The word conference means ‘ a meeting, sometimes lasting for several days, in which people with a common interest participate in discussions or listen to lectures to obtained information ‘. Thus, a conference center is a hotel which caters to the needs of a conference delegation.

These hotels provide rooms to delegates of conferences; a conference hall with the desired seating configuration for the meetings; food and beverage requirement during and after the conference; and other requirements, such as a flip chart, whiteboard with markers, overhead projector, television, VCR/VCD/DVD player, slide projector, LCD projector with screen, computer, and public address system.

These are large hotels, having more than 400 guest rooms . The services provided are the highest standard. Normally, conferences are charged as packages, which include accommodation and meeting facilities.

Convention Hotels

The convention is defined as ‘ a  formal assembly or meeting of members, representatives, or delegates of a group for general agreement on or acceptance of certain practices or attitudes ‘. This type of meeting involves a large number of participants.  The hotel catering to the needs of this segment is known as convention hotels .

These hotels may have more than 2,000 rooms to accommodate a large number of delegates. They are equipped with state-of-art convention centers with all the required facilities, such as seating configuration, audiovisual equipment, and public address systems to meet the demands of a convention.

Classification of Hotels on the Basis of Duration of Guest Stay

On the basis of the duration of the guest stay, hotels may be classified into the following categories:

Commercial Hotel

The duration of guest stay in these hotels is short, ranging from a few days to a week.

Mostly occupied by travelers as stopovers en route their journey, the duration of stay at transient hotels are very short, a day or even less.

Semi-residential Hotel

These hotels are generally patronized by people who are staying at a location while in transit to another place. The duration of stay may range from a few weeks to some months. They incorporated the feature of both transient and residential hotels.

Residential/Apartment Hotel

As the name suggests, residential hotels provide accommodation for long duration and are patronized by the people who stay for a long time. The duration of stay may range from a few months to a few years.

Extended Stay Hotel

In today’s age of downsizing, outsourcing and mobility business executive are often away from their hometowns for extended periods of time and require more than a hotel room.

These hotels are for those guests who wish to stay for long period (from few days to weeks), and cater to their long-term needs with special services, amenities, and facilities, such as full-fledged kitchens with dishes and kitchenware, separate area to wash clothes, housekeeping services, grocery services, and recreational facilities. The room rates of these hotels are determined by the length of stay.

Classification of Hotels on the Basis of Level of Services

On the basis of services offered by a hotel, they may be classified into the following categories:

Upmarket/World Class Luxuries Hotels

Targeting the affluent segment of society, hotels in the upmarket category offer world-class products with personalized services to the higher standard. The emphasis is on excellence and class. These hotels provide upscale restaurants and lounges, exquisite décor, concierge service, opulent rooms, and abundant amenities.

The design and interior decoration of the hotel itself reflects the standards maintained by the hotel. The guest rooms are large with exquisite decoration and furnishings.

Mid-Market/Mid-range Services Hotels

These hotels offer modest services without the frills and personalized attention of luxury hotels, and appeal to the largest segment of travelers. They may offer services such as room service, round-the-clock coffee shop, airport and railway station pick-up and drop facilities; multi-cuisine restaurant with bar.

A typical hotel offering mid-range service would be medium-sized, having roughly 150 to 300 rooms. The room rent is much lower than the upmarket hotels. These hotels are patronized by business traveler, individual traveler, and groups.

Budget/Economy Hotels

Budget hotels focus on meeting the most basic needs of guests by providing clean, comfortable, and inexpensive rooms. These are also known as economy or limited services hotels , they appeal primarily to budget-minded traveler groups.

The clientele of budget hotels may also include families with children, bus tour groups, traveling business people, vacationers, retired persons, and groups. These hotels have clean and comfortable guest rooms, a coffee shop, a multi-cuisine restaurant, in-room telephone, and channeled music and movies.

Classification on the Basis of Ownership

On the basis of ownership of a hotel, they may be classified into the following categories:

Proprietary Ownership

Proprietary ownership is the direct ownership of one or more properties by a person or company. Small lodging properties by the person or company. Small lodging properties that are owned and operated by a couple or family are common of proprietary ownership.

Let us understand the following terminologies related to the franchise before we talk about it :

Franchise   It is authorization given by a company to another company individual to sell its unique products/services and use its trademark according to the guidelines given by the former, for a specified time, and at a specified place.

Franchisor  The franchisor is the company that owns the trademark, product, a business format that is being franchised.

Franchisee The franchisee is the company or the individual to whom franchise confers the right to do business under its name as per the term and condition agreed upon.

Franchising A continuing relationship in which the franchisor provides a licensed privilege to do business, plus assistance in organizing, training, merchandising, and management in return for a consideration from the franchise.

In the hospitality industry, we often come across many big chains that are operating on a franchise basis. In this kind of contract, which is mutually beneficial to both parties, the franchisor allows the franchisee to use the company’s ideal methods, trademarks, as well as the brand logo to do business.

Management Contract

Managing a hotel requires professional expertise. A new entrepreneur with little or no experience in the business may safely choose to become the franchisee of any well-established hotel chain.

There could still be a problem in operating the business because the franchisor provides a well-established image, a tested and successful operating system, training programme, marketing, advertising, and reservation system, but does not provide the cadre of an experienced manager and the employees necessary to run the business on a day to day basis.

To bridge the gap, management contract companies came into existence. These companies have the required expertise to manage hotels. They operate on the basis of management fee and the sometimes on a percentage of gross revenue.

Time-share Hotels

Time-share hotels, also referred to as vacation-interval hotels , are a new concept in the hospitality industry. As the name suggests, it entails purchasing a tourist accommodation at a popular destination for a particular time slot in a year.

The buyer can then occupy the property for the appointed time or rent the unit to other vacationers if they cannot avail the facilities. They have to make a one-time payment for the time slot and a yearly fee to cover the maintenance costs and related expenses and take a share in the profit from the income generated if they are not utilizing their time slot.

Condominium Hotels

Condominium hotels are similar to timeshare hotels, expect that condominium hotels have a single owner instead of multiple owners sharing a hotel. In a condominium hotel, the owner informs the management company when they would occupy the unit.

The management company is free to rent the unit for the remainder of the year, and this revenue goes to the owner. The owner generally pays a monthly or annual maintenance fee to the management company that takes care of the premises, including landscaping, cleaning of common areas, water, and power supply etc.

Alternative of Hotels  Accommodation

Alternative accommodation can be simply defined as ‘ all those types of accommodation that are available outside the formal or organized accommodation sector’ . These establishments provide bed and breakfast and some basic services required by the guest at a reasonable price.

An alternative accommodation, thus,  providing sleeping space and modest food for its users. There are certain properties that cater to the needs of a large group.

The lodging houses constructed for the welfares of common travelers, such as sarais , dharmshalas , dak bungalows, circuits, houses, inspection bungalows, lodges, youth hostels, yatri niwas , and forest lodges are the example of alternative accommodation.

Sarai/Dharmshala

These lodging properties are mostly found at popular pilgrimage places. They are generally constructed by welfare trusts, social organizations, or even the state, and provide basic security and sleeping facilities for a nominal fee.

Dak Bungalow/Circuit House

These accommodation are situated in remote areas and at scenic locales. All these properties have an ageless charm and an old world style of hospitality as well as special cuisine, which forms a part of the attraction, apart from the low traffic. Often these are the only lodging properties in remote areas.

Lodge/Boarding House

Lodges are modest hotels situated away from the center of the city or located at a remote destination. These are self-sufficient establishments that offer standard facilities, such as clean and comfortable rooms, food and beverage (F&B) services.

Boarding houses are establishments that usually provide accommodation and meal at a specified period of time, such as weekends, or for a specified time of stay.

Youth Hostel

The youth, from rural as well as urban areas, travel for various reasons, such as education, adventure, and recreation. Youth hostels were established to cater to the youth on the move, who couldn’t afford steep hotel rents.

A youth hostel generally provides low-cost dormitory accommodation with common bathing and cafeteria facilities. They may also provide kitchens for self-catering.

Yatri Niwas

A yatri niwas provides low cost, self-service accommodation to domestic tourists in cities. The emphasis is on modest comfort and affordability. These are generally frequented by people during brief stopovers while traveling between places, or by families with modest budgets.

These properties are located at historical, cultural, and natural sites.

Camping Grounds/Tourist Camps

Camping grounds are normally located within cities in open space. They provide parking spaces along with the water, electricity, and toilets. Camps must follow certain regulation regarding the quality of services and cost and are set up by municipalities.

Railway/Airport Retiring Rooms

A retiring room is for the convenience of the transit travelers. These are situated at a major railway station and domestic and international airports. They provide resting rooms are available at reasonable rates and are often air-conditioned. Booking for the same is made through the station superintendent or the airport manager.

They are equipped with clean sanitation facilities and may include F&B  facilities at a cost.

Paying Guest Accommodation

A paying guest (PG) accommodation is a non-institutional accommodation offered by individual households at various destinations. Besides tourist haven like Goa, this kind of accommodation is becoming popular in large metropolitan cities among outstation students and the employed youth migrants from other towns.

Guests normally pay for accommodation, while the rules for F&B services may differ from host to host.

Hotel Traffic Plans

The various traffic patterns followed by hotels have come to be identified with the area where such patterns originated. Hotels charge their guest according to European, Continental, American, Bed and Breakfast meal plans, etc. We shall briefly discuss these plans. These are followed as:

European Plan

The tariff consists of room rate only. All other expenses would be paid by the guest as per the actual use of consumption.

Continental Plan

The room tariff includes continental breakfast, along with the room rent. Continental breakfast includes a choice of fresh or canned juices; bread like the croissant, toast, brioche, etc. with butter or preserves like jam, jellies, and marmalade; beverage like tea or coffee, with or without milk.

American Plan

It is also known as en-pension or full board . The tariff includes all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) along with the room rent. The menu for the food and beverage is fixed.

Modified American Plan

It is also known as demi-pension or half board. The tariff consists of breakfast and one major meal (lunch or dinner) along with the room rent.

Bed & Breakfast (B&B) or Bermuda Plan

The room traffic includes American breakfast along with room rent. American breakfast includes most or all of the following: two eggs (fried or poached), sliced bacon or sausage, sliced bread or toast with jam/jelly/butter, pancakes with syrup, cornflakes or other cereal, coffee/tea, and orange/grapefruit juice.

Types of  Hotel Guest Rooms

A hotel sells a combination of accommodation, food, drinks, and other services and facilities to its guests. The main accommodation product is the room, which is among the principal source for the hotel. Other facilities and benefits such as ambiance, décor, in-room amenities, and security, are the add-on that plays a significant role in the pricing of the services.

In order to suit the profile and pocket of various guests, hotels offer different types of rooms that cater to the specific need of guests. The rooms may be categorized on the basis of the room size, layout, view, interior decoration, and services offered. The various types of rooms offered by a hotel are as follows:

Single Room

A single room has one single bed for single occupancy. An additional bed (called extra bed) may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly. The size of the bed is normal 3 feet by 6 feet. However, the concept of single rooms is vanishing nowadays. Mostly, hotels have twin or double rooms and charge for the single room, if occupied by one person.

A twin room has two single beds for double occupancy. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of the guest and charged accordingly. The bed size is normally 3 feet by 6 feet. These rooms are suitable for sharing accommodation among a group or delegates meeting.

Double Room

A double room has one double bed for double occupancy. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly. The size of the double bed is generally 4.5 feet by 6 feet.

Triple Room

A triple room has three separate single beds and can be occupied by three guests. This type of room is suitable for groups and delegates of meetings and conferences.

A quad room has four separate single beds and can accommodate four persons together in the same room.

Hollywood Twin Room

A Hollywood twin room has two single beds with a common headboard. This type of room is generally occupied by two guests.

Double-Double Room

A double-double room has two double beds and normally preferred by a family or group as it can accommodate four persons together.

A king room has a king-size bed. The size of the bed is 6 feet by 6 feet. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly.

A queen room has a queen-size bed. The size of the bed is 5 feet by 6 feet. An extra bed may be added to this room on the request of a guest and charged accordingly.

Interconnecting Room

Interconnected rooms have a common wall and a door that connects the two rooms. This allows guests to access any of the two rooms without passing through a public area. This type of room is ideal for families and crew members.

Adjoining Room

Adjoining rooms share a wall with another hotel room but are not connected by the doors. For eg. Room no. 201 and 202, 203, and 204, 205 are adjoining as each pair of rooms shares a common wall.

Adjacent Room

An adjacent room is very close to another room but does not share a common wall with it.

Parlor Room

A parlor room has a living room without a bed and may have a sofa and chairs for sitting. It is generally not used as a bedroom.

Studio Room

A studio room has a bed and a sofa-cum-bed and is generally used as a living room.

A cabana is situated away from the main hotel building, in the vicinity of a swimming pool or sea beach. It may not have beds and is generally used as a changing room and not as a bedroom.

A suite comprises more than one room; occasionally, it can also be a single large room with clearly defined sleeping and sitting areas. The décor of such units is of very high standards, aimed to please the affluent guest who can afford the high traffic of the room category.

A duplex suite comprises two rooms situated on different floors, which are connected by an internal staircase. This suite is generally used by business guests who wish to use the lower level as an office and meeting place and the upper-level room as a bedroom. This type of room is quite expensive.

Efficiency Room

An efficiency room has an attached kitchen and bathroom for guests preferring a longer duration of stay. Generally, this type of room is found on holiday and health resorts where the guest stays for a longer time.

Hospitality Room

A hospitality room is designed for hotel guests who would want to entertain their own guests outside their allotted rooms. Such rooms are generally charged on an hourly basis.

A penthouse is generally located on the topmost floor of hotels and has an attached open terrace or open sky space. It has very opulent décor and furnishings and is among the costliest rooms in the hotels, preferred by celebrities and major political personalities.

A lanai has a veranda or roofed patio and is often furnished and used as a living room. It generally has a view of a garden or sea beach.

Top Leaders in Hospitality Industry

They are those persons who contribute in the hospitality industry a lot. Some famous names are following as:

Ellsworth Statler

Ellsworth Statler is a famous name in the field of hospitality as he was one of the pioneers of this industry and contributing and contributed immensely to the development of the hospitality industry through his innovative ideas, which are still applicable in the various fields of the hospitality industry.

In 1908 A.D., he opened as an innovative hotel of its own kind during that time called Buffalo Statler which had the room with some modern facilities such as attached bathrooms, telephone facilities, and restaurant facilities.

Statler also contributed a great deal towards the international marketing efforts in the field of the hospitality industry. Statler was also very popular among his employees, as he believed in the concept of the internal marketing as he used to consider his employees as internal guests.

Conrad Hilton

Conrad Hilton is also a very famous name in the field of hospitality and was one of the pioneers of the modern hotel industry. Hilton becomes a famous and successful hotelier after World War I when he brought the Mobley hotel in Texas and built the Hilton Hotels in Dallas, Texas in 1925. After the World War II, he formed the Hilton Hotels Corporation in 1946 and then he formed Hilton International Company, which had about 125 hotels under its banner.

Hilton was the first major and organized hotel chain of American hotels when Conrad Hilton purchased the Statler chain of hotels in 1954. Today Hilton Hotels are spread in most of the countries of the world and includes Conrad International, Doubletree, Red Lions Hotels, Harrison Conference Centers, Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites.

J. Willard Marriott

J.W Marriot was another pioneering name in the world of the hospitality industry. He started the Marriott Chain of Hotels and thus became a frontline leader in the field of hospitality. He was thoroughly aware of the employees/consumer relationship and tried to make sure that his employees were totally satisfied with their job and working environment.

He had a strong marketing brain and could forecast the importance of airline catering business for various airlines operations and was the first to enter in the field of hospitality. In today scenario, Marriot Corporation is one of the leading companies in the field of hospitality with an annual sale of $7.5 billion and has a variety of food and beverage service operation under his banner.

The lodging chain of Marriott includes Marriott Hotels and Resorts, Marriott Suites, Residence Inns, Courtyard Hotels and Fairfield Inns.

Ralph Hitz was also a very popular personality in the hospitality industry. He was the head of a large hotel organization in U.S.A called the National Hotel Company. His hotel management used to receive a management fee for running day by day administration of hotel owned by real estate investors.

Hitz had excellent marketing brain, as he was the first intellectual to develop a customer database for providing the guests of hotels with personalized service leading to guest satisfaction and overall profitability of the hotels. Hitz also believed in training and motivating the employees of the hotels to give and improved services for guest satisfaction.

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Do you have a glossary of travel, tourism & hospitality terms?

Every industry has its own jargon and lingo. tourism is no different. here's a great list of tourism terms that you should know..

The list has been compiled by the world-class team of strategists, consultants, educators and established tourism experts at the nonprofit Tourism Academy . Our team offers relationship powered professional development, trade marketing, tourism development and consulting solutions. 

Glossary of Tourism Terms

adventure travel:  a type of niche tourism, involving exploration or travel with a certain degree of risk (real or perceived), and which may require special skills and physical exertion 

affinity group : a group of people linked by a common interest or purpose. See also pre- formed group. 

agent : one who acts or has the power to act as the representative of another. A person whose job it is to arrange travel for end clients (individuals, groups, corporations), confirming travel components and simplifying the planning process for customers, providing consultation services and travel packages. 

American Bus Association (ABA) : A trade organization consisting of member bus lines throughout the country. www.buses.org 

American National Standards Institute (ANSI): A private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. www.ansi.org

American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA):  The oldest and largest travel agent organization in the world with travel agents being the primary members. Other companies providing travel industry products and services can be associate members. www.astanet.com 

Application Programming Interface  ( API) : a code that allows two software programs to communicate with each other. 

attrition : Shortfall of sleeping room block pick-up or food-and-beverage projections from numbers agreed to in a contract. Penalties for attrition may be outlined in a contract’s attrition clause. 

Average Daily Rate (ADR) : a statistical unit that represents the average rental income per paid occupied room in a given time period. 

back of house : a business term that refers to parts of a business operation that customers do not see. This may refer to mechanical rooms, accounting offices, kitchens, and those persons who are engaged in those areas. 

block : a group of rooms, tickets, seats or space reserved for a specific customer - usually for a set period of time. Room blocks are commonly reserved for conventions, meetings or groups in general. Room blocks may also be allocated to high volume buyers (wholesale, receptive, tour) who intend to sell them as tour components on an ongoing basis. A room block is usually under a firm agreement and is for a set period of time. 

Brand USA : A public/private partnership to promote inbound tourism to the United States and communicate US entry/exit policies. Also known as the Corporation for Travel Promotion. www.thebrandusa.com 

bulk pricing : the practice of offering exceptionally low, typically non-commissionable rates to high volume buyers who purchase a specified number of units to resell at a mark up. 

campaign : A specific, defined series of activities used in marketing a new or changed product or service, or in using new marketing channels and methods. 

Certified Tour Professional (CTP) : A designation administered by the National Tour Foundation and conferred upon tour professionals who complete prescribed evaluation requirements. 

certificate:  an official document attesting to a fact such as a level of achievement in a course of study or training.

certification: the action or process of providing someone or something with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement. See also: American National Standards Institute

certified: officially recognized as possessing certain qualifications or meeting certain standards. 

Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) : A designation conferred upon travel professionals who have completed a travel management program offered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents. 

Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) : A designation conferred upon convention and meeting management professionals who have completed an application and written exam offered by the Events Industry Council. 

channel manager : a system or platform that coordinates the distribution of product details, inventory and pricing in real time across multiple sales “channels” 

charter : to hire for exclusive use any aircraft, motorcoach, cruise ship or other vehicle 

class of service : a parameter used to differentiate the types of accommodation offered by travel suppliers, often denoted by fare code on air tickets. Classes may reflect differences in space, comfort, amenities and cabin service. Ex: First Class, Business Class, Coach Class or please hold this chicken until we land. 

commercial rate : A special rate given by a hotel or rental car, motor coach, bus or passenger transport company to an organization based on either the volume of business done or the type of accommodation or rental car. Also referred to as a corporate rate. 

commission : The varying amount paid by suppliers to travel agents for the sale of travel products and services. 

commissioned tours : A tour available for sale through retail and wholesale travel agencies, which provides for a payment of an agreed upon sales commission either to the retail or wholesale seller.

complementary : goods or services that add to the value of another good or service. Ex: peanut butter complements jelly

complimentary (comp) : Service, space or item given at no charge.

complimentary (comp) ratio : The number of rooms, tickets, meals or service items provided at no cost based on the number of occupied rooms.

• The industry standard is one complimentary room per 20-50 rooms occupied per day. 
• The industry standard for ticketed attractions and restaurants is one complimentary admission/meal per 10-20 paid. 

complimentary registration : Waiver of registration fees. 

concierge : a hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by arranging tours, local transportation, making reservations for theater or restaurants, etc. 

Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) : A nonprofit organization supported by bed taxes, government budget allocations, private memberships or a combination of these. A CVB promotes tourism, encourages groups to hold meetings and trade shows in its city, and assists groups before and during meetings. 

consolidator : a person or company which forms groups to travel using group rates on to increase sales, earn override commissions or reduce the possibility of tour cancellations. 

consortium : a loosely knit group of independently owned and managed companies such as travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, or other suppliers, with a joint marketing distribution process 

convention and visitors bureau (CVB) : a nonprofit local organizations charged with representing (and promoting) a specific destination. CVBs are funded by transient room taxes, government budget allocations, private membership dues, sponsorship sales and program participation fees, or a combination of these mechanisms.  See also: destination marketing organization 

co-op marketing: outreach activities that help multiple suppliers reach the target audience by sharing costs, resources and tactics. 

course: a series of lessons or modules to teach the skills and knowledge for a particular job or activity. 

destination : a place where travelers might visit. This may be any neighborhood, city, region or country that can be marketing as a single entity for tourists. 

destination management company (DMC) : Company or professional individual engaged in organizing tours, meetings of all types and their related activities. Also referred to as a ground operator. 

destination marketing organization (DMO) : A nonprofit marketing organization for a city, state, province, region or area whose primary purpose is the promotion of the destination.  See also: convention & visitors bureau 

direct spend : the value of goods and services purchased by tourists (e.g., attraction ticket, hotel room rate and meals) 

double double : refers to a room containing two separate double beds, capable of sleeping up to four guests comfortably, sometimes referred to as a “quad” 

double occupancy rate : the price per person for a room that will be shared between two people 

dynamic pricing : the practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions, in particular the charging of a higher price during times of greater demand. This is the opposite of static pricing. 

educational travel : a type of niche tourism, built around learning objectives, often to the benefit of students and/or those who share a common interest, hobby or profession 

emerging market : A group of customers who do not provide as much business as the target markets, but show interest in the destination. 

escort : a person employed or contracted by a seller of packaged travel product who accompanies tour participants from point to point often acting as a the tour operator liaison and onsite problem solver. 

escorted tour : a packaged, pre-planned itinerary that includes the services of a tour manager or tour escort who accompanies participants for the full duration of the tour 

escrow : a legal concept and financial instrument whereby assets are held by a third party on behalf of two other parties that are in the process of completing a transaction. In many places, agents and tour operators are required by law to maintain customer deposits and pre-payments in escrow until the time of service. 

excursion : a trip made for leisure, education or physical purposes. It is often an adjunct to a longer journey, cruise or visit to a place. 

familiarization tour (FAM) : A program designed to acquaint participants with specific destinations or services. Offered in groups and on an individual basis. 

folio : an itemized record of guest charges and credits, often referred to as a guest bill or statement. 

frequent independent travel (FIT) : A custom-designed, pre-paid travel package with many individualized arrangements. An FIT operator specializes in preparing FITs documents at the request of retail travel agents. FITs usually receive travel vouchers to present to onsite services as verification or pre-payment. Also known as foreign individual/independent travel or frequent individual travel. 

front office : a business term that refers to a company’s departments that come in direct contact with customers. 

gateway : a city, airport, port or area where visitors arrive. International gateway refers to places where foreign visitors may first enter a country. 

ground operator : a company or individual providing local accommodations, transfers, ticketing and related services.  See also: receptive operator 

group booking : Reservation for a block of rooms for a single group. 

group tour : A prearranged, prepaid travel program for a group usually including transportation, accommodations, attraction admissions and meals. Also referred to as a package tour. 

guaranteed departure : a tour that will definitely operate on the day it is scheduled and will not be cancelled. 

Horizontal Market : audiences for products or services that are not easily distinguished by consumer characteristics. Examples of horizontal markets include those for computer security, legal or accounting services. 

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI):  A trade association for hotel sales, marketing and revenue management professionals. 

hotel classifications : Classification of a hotel by its amenities, facilities, service and cost. Qualifications and terms may vary by country. 

• limited service or economy  is generally a reasonably priced, generally providing a bed, telephone, TV, shower and free parking. They often do not have room service or a restaurant. 
• full service  may refer to a property of any price category that offers some meeting space and features a restaurant onsite 
• moderate  medium-priced property with services and amenities such as a restaurant and possibly conference rooms. 
• upper moderate  is a property that offers special services such as a first-rate restaurant, banquet and conference rooms, valet service, room service, cable TV, and a host of other amenities. 
• luxury or deluxe  is a top-grade hotel or resort offering the highest service and the maximum variety of amenities. All rooms have a private bath, and all the usual public rooms and services are provided. 
• boutique  is loosely used to describe properties that have typically between 10 and 100 rooms and often contain luxury facilities in unique or intimate settings with full service accommodations. 

hub and spoke : a style of tour that has guests staying in a single location with excursions to nearby destinations 

incentive tour : travel experience offered to stimulate employee productivity or as a reward for sales agents 

incidentals : items not included in the package price 

inclusive : referring to a package or product price that includes all of the varying components, taxes and gratuities for a flat rate. An inclusive tour may include transportation, lodging, transfers, etc. for a set price. An inclusive meal might include food, drink, tax and gratuity. 

independent tour : a style of travel packaging that allows visitors to move about without the accompaniment of a tour manager or escort 

indirect spend : the value of all goods and services used to produce tourism output. (e.g., toiletries for hotel guests, ingredients for meals and plastic used in souvenirs) 

International Inbound Travel Association (IITA) : A trade association of inbound receptive tour operators and suppliers from the US. Formerly RSAA Receptive Services Association of America. 

incentive travel : A travel reward given by companies to employees to stimulate productivity. Also known as an incentive trip. 

inclusive tour : A specific package in which all components of the package are part of the price. Generally, an inclusive package includes transportation, lodging, meals, gratuities and taxes, and some form of sightseeing or rental car. The terms and conditions of a tour contract should specify exactly what is covered. Also referred to as an all-expense tour and an all-inclusive tour. 

inclusive rate : The rate charged to an operator that includes all service, tax, gratuities and additional fees. 

IPW : A computerized scheduled appointment show for international tour operators always held in the United States and sponsored by U.S. Travel Association. Formerly known as Pow Wow. 

itinerary : a schedule of travel components put together by an agent or operator. 

leg : a portion of a journey between two scheduled stops.

lesson: an amount of teaching given at one time; a period of learning or teaching.  

market segment : a group of consumers or buyer types that share one or more common characteristics, lumped together for sales or marketing purposes. 

markup : the difference between the cost of a good or service and its selling price. 

meet and greet : Pre-purchased service for meeting and greeting a client upon arrival in a city, usually at the airport, and assisting the client with entrance formalities, baggage and transportation. 

microlearning : a tool for training, teaching and development that delivers content in small, very specific bursts. 

module: each of a set of standardized parts or independent units that can be used to construct a more complex structure such as an item of furniture or a building. multiple lessons may be combined to create a module.  

motor coach : A large, comfortable, well-powered bus that can transport groups and their luggage over long distances. Motor coaches are normally able to accommodate 46 to 54 passengers. 

motor coach tour operator : A company that creates tours in which group members are transported via motor coach to their destination, itinerary activities and back. 

mystery tour : a short journey, usually in a bus, that people make for pleasure without knowing where they are going. 

NAJ : Producers of the RTO (receptive tour operator) summit and similar small trade show formats with a regional focus. Also referred to as North American Journeys 

net rate : A wholesale rate for groups (usually 10-15 people) which an operator may add a mark up. 

NTA (formerly National Tour Association) : A trade association of North American motor coach tour operators. www.ntaonline.com 

occupancy : the percentage of available rooms in use during a given period. 

online travel agent (OTA) : a travel website that specialized in the sale of travel products to consumers 

outbound operator (or outbound tour) : A company or tour that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country. 

Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) : A trade association of motorcoach operators based in and around Ontario province. 

package : Travel arrangements with two or more components offered for one price, inclusive of all taxes. Also refers to a single-fee booth package offered by show management. 

packager : An individual or organization that coordinates and promotes the development of a package tour and establishes operating procedures and guidelines for that tour. 

performance tour operator : A tour operator company that focuses on planning trips for groups that must perform while traveling like school bands, choral groups, etc. 

plus plus : a term used to describe a product price that does not include taxes, gratuities and/or service charges. Ex: The meal is $15 plus tax and gratuity OR $15++. 

pre- and post-trip tours : Optional extension or side trip package offered before or after a meeting, gathering or convention. 

pre-formed group : a group that contacts the tour operator to plan travel exclusively for the group members. 

rack rate : the normal rate of a product or service, before any discounts, commissions or net price arrangements 

receptive operator : A tour operator who provides local services, transfers, sightseeing, guides, etc. Many large receptive operators develop packages and sell them through wholesale tour operators in foreign countries. Also referred to as a ground operator, an inbound tour operator, a land operator, an RTO and a receiving agent. 

retail tour : A tour put together by a tour operator and sold to individuals.

request for proposal (RFP) : A document that stipulates what services the organization wants from an outside contractor and requests a bid to perform such services.

retailer : one who sells directly to the consumer.  See also: travel agent 

return on investment (ROI) : Net profit divided by net worth. A financial ratio indicating the degree of profitability. 

revenue per available room (RevPAR) : A measure used by hotels that divides revenue for a given time period by the number of available rooms for the same time period. 

sales mission : Intense selling effort in a particular locality; calling upon qualify leads. Usually performed by a group of people who may or may not all be in a sales capacity but have an interest in meeting with the same buyers. 

Seasons  (from a buyer/operator perspective): 

• looking The time of year when tour operators are looking at for new activities & vendors to include in future trips. Also known as product or catalog development season. 
• selling The time of year when tour operators are focused on reaching out to their customers, promoting future trips and selling packaged travel programs. 
• booking The time of year when tour operators are booking and confirming tour components they plan to utilize. 
• travel The time of year when the majority of the tour operators’ customers are traveling. 

Seasons  (from a supplier perspective): 

• off-season The time of year when tourist traffic, and often rates, are at their lowest because of decreased demand. Also referred to as low season, off-peak or value season. 
• peak season The time of year when demand and price is at a premium. Also known as high season. 
• shoulder season The season between peak season and off-season when demand is average and the travel product will not produce the highest price but does not need a deep discount to generate traffic.

series : describing a piece of business or scheduled itinerary that takes place on a regular frequency 

site inspection : Personal, careful survey of property, facility or area.

Skål  is a professional, fraternal organization of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. 

SMERF : Meetings acronym for a category of meeting market segments including social, military, educational, religious and fraternal type groups. These organizations often are looking for value when selecting a meeting destination. 

supplier : The actual provider of a travel product such as the hotel, attraction, restaurant, airline or car rental agency; not the travel agent or tour operator selling the product. 

STAR (STR) Report : a tool used to measure hotel performance against competitive aggregates and within local markets. Data is collected and distributed by strglobal 

static pricing : the practice of maintaining the same price for a product or service at all times regardless of changing market conditions, trends and demand. This is the opposite of dynamic pricing. 

Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) : a trade association representing tour operator companies that specialize in student travel. www.syta.com 

tariff : a schedule of rates for a good or services provided by a supplier 

tiered pricing : A pricing structure that offers a variety of price points for different customer types. For more or suggested rates by buyer type. 

tour operator : A person or company that negotiates discount rates, packages travel products, prints brochures, and markets these travel products through travel agents or to the general public. 

tour vouchers : Documents issued by tour operators to be exchanged for accommodations, meals, sightseeing, admission tickets and other services. Also referred to as coupons and tour orders. 

tourism : travel for business or pleasure; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be international, or within the traveler’s country. 

tourism ambassador: an individual possessing the knowledge, skill and training to represent a destination, assist tourists and create better visitor experiences. 

Tourism Cares : A charitable organization that focuses on helping preserve the travel experience for future travelers. www.tourismcares.org 

trade association : Group of persons employed in a particular trade.

trade publication : A magazine or newsletter that targets a specific industry. 

trade show : Exhibit of products and services that is targeted to a specific clientele and not open to the public. 

travel agent (or travel agency) : Person or firm qualified to advise and arrange for travel needs such as hotel rooms, meals, transportation, tours and other travel elements. Represents all travel suppliers worldwide. Also referred to as a retailer. 

Travel Alliance Partners (TAP) : A member-owned organization of tour operators that work together to develop unique itineraries within their respective regions, cross-promote products offered by other members and leverage their collective buying power. www.tapintotravel.com 

travel receipt : purchase of travel and tourism related goods and services by visitors. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation and other items incidental to travel. 

United Motor Coach Association (UMA) : North America's largest association for operators of motorcoach companies providing charter, tour and regular route services. www.uma.org 

United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) : A nationwide organization of tour operators offering protection for travelers purchasing member travel products by way of a multi-million-dollar bond. www.ustoa.com 

Upsell : sales technique where a seller induces the customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades or other add-ons in an attempt to make a more profitable sale 

U.S. Travel Association : The national, nonprofit association representing all components of the U.S. travel industry. (formerly known as TIA - Travel Industry Association of America) www.ustravel.org 

Vertical Market : used to identify areas where vendors offer goods & services specific to a group of customers with specialized needs. Examples may include customers identified by their areas of origin, age range(s) or interest types. 

Visa : a conditional authorization granted by a country to a foreigner, allowing them to enter, remain within, or to leave that country. 

voluntourism : the act or practice of doing volunteer or charitable work as needed in the communities where one is vacationing 

voucher : documents or digital codes issued to consumers by tour operators that may be exchanged for tour components 

walk-through : Review of meeting details, or inspection of function room or trade show floor prior to event. 

webinar : Short for web-based seminar, a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the web. A key feature of the webinar is its interactive elements – the ability to give, receive and discuss information. Contrast with webcast in which the data transmission is one way and does not allow interaction between the presenter and the audience. 

wholesaler : A company that creates and markets inclusive tours and FITs for sale through travel agents. Often used interchangeably with “tour operator,” but several distinctions should be drawn: a wholesaler presumably sells nothing at retail, a tour operator does both; a wholesaler does not always create his or her own products, a tour operator virtually always does; and a wholesaler is less inclined than a tour operator to perform local services. 

World Tourism Organization (WTO) : An organization created to promote and develop tourism in the interest of the economic, social and cultural progress of all nations. www.world-tourism.org

About the Author

Stephen Ekstrom is the Chief Strategist at The Tourism Academy | tourismacademy.org, featured speaker at numerous tourism industry conferences, travel writer and host of the Business Class podcast.

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• Travel Guide
• Hotels & Accommodation

What Is A Resort Vs Hotel

Published: December 13, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Elise Mcdowell

• Hotel Reviews
• Plan Your Trip

Introduction

Welcome to the world of hospitality, where travelers have a plethora of accommodation options to choose from. Among these options, two popular choices stand out: resorts and hotels. While both offer comfortable lodging for travelers, there are distinct differences between the two.

When planning a vacation or business trip, understanding the unique features and offerings of resorts and hotels can help you make an informed decision. In this article, we will explore the definitions of resorts and hotels, compare their key differences, discuss the amenities they provide, examine their target audiences, explore pricing and accommodation options, and consider the location and surroundings that distinguish one from the other.

Whether you are a solo traveler looking for a quiet getaway, a family searching for a fun-filled destination, or a business executive seeking a convenient location for a conference, understanding the distinctions between resorts and hotels will help you choose the perfect accommodation to suit your needs.

So, let’s dive into the fascinating world of resorts and hotels, and discover the distinctive features that make each one an attractive choice for travelers around the world.

Definition of a Resort

A resort is a type of accommodation that offers a wide range of facilities and amenities, designed to provide guests with a complete holiday experience. Resorts are often situated in scenic locations, such as beaches, mountains, or lush countryside, and are known for their expansive grounds and recreational activities.

Unlike hotels, which primarily focus on providing comfortable lodging, resorts aim to create a destination within themselves. They offer a comprehensive range of on-site amenities, including swimming pools, spa and wellness centers, fitness facilities, restaurants, bars, and entertainment options. Resorts also often provide organized activities and services such as guided tours, water sports, golf courses, and children’s clubs to cater to the diverse interests of their guests.

Resorts are designed to offer a sense of escape and relaxation, with luxurious surroundings and a wide array of services. They typically have spacious rooms, suites, or villa-style accommodations with a variety of layouts to suit different group sizes and preferences. The décor is often influenced by the local culture and surroundings, creating a unique and immersive experience.

One of the key features of resorts is their emphasis on providing guests with an all-inclusive experience. Many resorts offer packages that include meals, drinks, and access to amenities, allowing guests to enjoy a hassle-free vacation without having to worry about additional costs.

When choosing a resort, it is important to consider the type of experience you desire. Whether you prefer a beachfront retreat, a mountain escape, or a spa-focused getaway, there is a resort to match your preferences. Resorts cater to a wide range of travelers, including families, couples, honeymooners, and wellness enthusiasts.

In summary, resorts are destination-oriented accommodations that offer a multitude of amenities and activities, allowing guests to relax, indulge, and enjoy a memorable vacation experience.

Definition of a Hotel

A hotel is a commercial establishment that provides accommodation and services to travelers for a short-term stay. Hotels are typically found in urban areas or popular tourist destinations and cater to a diverse range of guests, including business travelers, tourists, and families.

The main purpose of a hotel is to offer comfortable and convenient lodging for guests. Hotels vary in size and style, ranging from budget-friendly options with basic amenities to luxury establishments with premium facilities and services. They often consist of multiple floors with numerous rooms, providing guests with a variety of accommodation options.

Hotels are characterized by their focus on providing quality guest experiences. They prioritize comfort, cleanliness, and customer service, ensuring that guests feel welcomed and well taken care of during their stay. The rooms are furnished with essentials such as beds, bathrooms, and in-room amenities like televisions, minibars, and Wi-Fi access.

In addition to accommodation, hotels often offer a range of amenities and facilities to enhance the guest experience. These may include restaurants, bars, fitness centers, swimming pools, conference rooms, and business centers. Some hotels also provide services like room service, laundry facilities, concierge assistance, and valet parking.

Hotels cater to a broad audience and are designed to accommodate different travel needs and budgets. They offer various room types, from standard rooms to suites and even interconnected rooms for families. Prices can vary depending on factors such as location, amenities, and seasonality.

Hotels often collaborate with local businesses and attractions to provide guests with information and access to nearby points of interest. They serve as a hub for travelers, offering convenience and a base from which to explore the surrounding area.

In summary, a hotel is a commercial establishment that provides comfortable accommodation and services to travelers, focusing on quality guest experiences, convenience, and a range of amenities.

Key Differences Between Resorts and Hotels

While both resorts and hotels serve as accommodations for travelers, there are several key differences that set them apart. Understanding these differences can help you make a more informed decision when choosing the right option for your travel needs.

1. Facilities and Amenities: One of the main distinctions between resorts and hotels lies in the breadth of facilities and amenities offered. Resorts typically boast a wide range of on-site amenities, such as swimming pools, spa facilities, restaurants, bars, and recreational activities. In contrast, hotels often focus on providing essential amenities like comfortable rooms, dining options, and basic facilities such as gyms or business centers.

2. All-Inclusive vs. Pay-as-You-Go: Resorts often offer all-inclusive packages, where the cost of accommodation includes meals, drinks, and access to various on-site amenities and activities. This can provide a more convenient and inclusive experience for guests who prefer to pay upfront. Hotels, on the other hand, typically operate on a pay-as-you-go basis, where guests have the flexibility to choose and pay for amenities and services separately.

3. Location and Surroundings: Resorts are often located in scenic areas such as beaches, mountains, or countryside, offering guests a beautiful natural setting and opportunities for outdoor activities. Hotels, on the other hand, are usually found in urban or tourist-centric areas, providing convenient access to city amenities, shopping districts, and local attractions.

4. Target Audience and Purpose: Resorts cater to a broad range of travelers, including families, couples, and those seeking relaxation and recreation. They are designed to offer a comprehensive holiday experience, providing entertainment and amenities that cater to different interests. Hotels, on the other hand, cater to diverse audiences, including business travelers, tourists, and individuals looking for a comfortable stay during their travels.

5. Size and Layout: Resorts are often larger in size and have more expansive grounds compared to hotels. This allows for a greater variety of on-site amenities and leisure options, such as multiple swimming pools, golf courses, or beach access. Hotels tend to be more compact and have a greater focus on providing functional and comfortable rooms.

6. Pricing and Accommodation Options: Due to their wide range of amenities and all-inclusive packages, resorts often have higher overall costs compared to hotels. Hotels, on the other hand, offer a range of pricing options to accommodate different budgets, with choices ranging from budget-friendly rooms to luxurious suites.

7. Atmosphere and Experience: Resorts create a distinct atmosphere and often emphasize relaxation, recreation, and indulgence. They aim to provide a holistic experience where guests can stay within the resort premises and enjoy a variety of activities and amenities. Hotels, while still offering comfort and quality service, tend to have a more transient feel as guests often come and go for business or leisure purposes.

In summary, while resorts are designed to provide a comprehensive holiday experience with a wide range of amenities and activities, hotels are more focused on comfortable lodging and essential services. The choice between a resort and a hotel depends on the specific needs and preferences of the traveler.

Amenities and Facilities in Resorts vs. Hotels

Resorts and hotels offer a variety of amenities and facilities to enhance the guest experience during their stay. However, there are distinct differences in the types and range of offerings between the two.

Resorts: Resorts are known for their extensive array of on-site amenities, designed to provide guests with a complete and immersive vacation experience. These amenities may include:

• Swimming pools and water parks: Resorts often have multiple swimming pools, including adults-only pools, children’s pools, and even water parks with slides and water features.
• Spa and wellness facilities: Resorts frequently feature luxurious spas, offering a range of treatments such as massages, facials, and body wraps to help guests relax and rejuvenate.
• Restaurants and bars: Resorts typically have several dining options, ranging from buffet-style restaurants to themed specialty restaurants and bars.
• Sports and recreational activities: Resorts often offer a wide range of activities such as tennis courts, golf courses, water sports, fitness centers, cycling paths, and even zip lines or rock climbing walls.
• Entertainment and nightlife: Many resorts provide evening entertainment, including live music, performances, and themed parties.
• Children’s facilities: Resorts are often family-friendly and offer specialized amenities for children, such as kids’ clubs, playgrounds, and supervised activities.

Hotels: Hotels also provide amenities and facilities, although they typically have a more streamlined offering that focuses on essential guest needs. Some common amenities in hotels include:

• Dining options: Hotels often have one or more restaurants or cafes where guests can enjoy meals, including breakfast or room service.
• Business services: Many hotels offer business-friendly amenities such as meeting rooms, conference facilities, and business centers with printing and faxing capabilities.
• Fitness facilities: Hotels may have fitness centers or gyms equipped with exercise machines and weights for guests to maintain their fitness routines.
• Wi-Fi and connectivity: Hotels provide Wi-Fi access in rooms and common areas, allowing guests to stay connected during their stay.
• Concierge services: Hotels often have a concierge desk that can assist guests with travel arrangements, transportation services, restaurant reservations, and local recommendations.
• Parking facilities: Many hotels provide parking options, ranging from complimentary parking to valet services.

It’s important to note that some hotels do offer additional amenities and facilities that approach those found in resorts, especially in larger luxury hotels. However, the variety and scale of amenities in resorts is typically broader and more extensive, catering to guests seeking a holistic holiday experience.

Whether you prefer a wide range of activities and entertainment or simply require essential services, both resorts and hotels have amenities and facilities to meet your needs. Considering your preferences and travel objectives will help you decide which option best suits your desired experience.

Target Audience and Purpose of Resorts vs. Hotels

Resorts and hotels cater to different target audiences and serve specific purposes based on the preferences and needs of travelers. Understanding the distinct target audience and purpose of each can help you choose the right accommodation for your trip.

Resorts: Resorts are designed to provide a comprehensive holiday experience, catering to a wide range of travelers looking for relaxation, recreation, and indulgence. The target audience for resorts includes:

• Families: Resorts often have spacious accommodations, family-friendly amenities, and activities suitable for all ages, making them an ideal choice for family vacations.
• Couples and honeymooners: Resorts offer romantic settings, luxurious accommodations, and spa facilities that appeal to couples seeking a romantic getaway or honeymoon experience.
• Wellness enthusiasts: Many resorts focus on wellness and offer extensive spa and fitness facilities, healthy dining options, and wellness programs to cater to those seeking rejuvenation and self-care.
• Adventure seekers: Resorts located in outdoor or coastal destinations often provide a wide range of adventurous activities such as water sports, hiking, zip-lining, and biking, appealing to thrill-seekers.

The purpose of a resort is to provide guests with a complete holiday experience, where they can stay within the resort premises and enjoy a wide array of amenities and activities without the need to venture out extensively. Resorts strive to create a relaxing and immersive environment that allows guests to unwind, rejuvenate, and create lasting memories.

Hotels: Hotels, on the other hand, serve a diverse audience and fulfill various travel purposes. The target audience for hotels includes:

• Business travelers: Hotels located in city centers or near business districts provide convenient access to meeting rooms, conference facilities, and business services, catering to the needs of business travelers.
• Tourists and leisure travelers: Hotels located in popular tourist destinations offer comfortable accommodations and easy access to local attractions, making them suitable for tourists exploring the city or region.
• Transit travelers: Hotels near airports or major transportation hubs cater to travelers who need a convenient and comfortable overnight stay during transit.
• Event attendees: Hotels near convention centers or event venues provide convenient accommodation options for attendees of conferences, exhibitions, or concerts.

The purpose of a hotel is primarily to offer comfortable lodging and essential services for travelers during their stay. While hotels may have amenities and facilities, they generally do not provide the extensive range of recreational activities or all-inclusive packages offered by resorts.

Consider your travel objectives, preferences, and the type of experience you are seeking when choosing between a resort and a hotel. Whether you want a comprehensive holiday experience or a comfortable place to rest while exploring a destination, both options have their own target audience and serve specific travel purposes.

Pricing and Accommodation Options in Resorts vs. Hotels

When it comes to pricing and accommodation options, both resorts and hotels offer a range of choices to suit different budgets and preferences. However, there are some distinct differences between the two in terms of pricing structure and the variety of accommodations available.

Pricing in Resorts: Resorts often have a higher overall cost compared to hotels due to the additional amenities and services they provide. The pricing structure in resorts is typically influenced by factors such as:

• Seasonality: Resort prices can vary depending on peak and off-peak seasons, with higher rates during popular travel periods.
• Location: Resorts located in sought-after destinations, such as beachfront or scenic areas, may have higher prices due to the premium location.
• Room type and amenities: Resorts offer a variety of accommodation options ranging from standard rooms to luxurious suites or villas. The prices will differ based on the size, amenities, and location of the accommodation.
• All-inclusive packages: Some resorts offer all-inclusive packages that include meals, drinks, and access to amenities in the overall price. These packages can provide a convenient and cost-effective option for guests.

Pricing in Hotels: Hotels generally offer a wider range of pricing options to accommodate various budgets and travel needs. Factors that influence hotel pricing include:

• Location: Hotels located in prime areas or high-demand destinations may have higher rates due to their proximity to city centers or popular attractions.
• Room type and amenities: Hotels provide different room categories, from standard rooms to suites, allowing guests to choose the option that suits their budget and preferences.
• Services and facilities: Hotels with more extensive amenities and services may have higher rates to account for the added value they provide.
• Seasonality and demand: Similar to resorts, hotels may adjust their pricing based on peak travel seasons or high demand periods.

Accommodation options in both resorts and hotels can vary in size, amenities, and design. However, resorts often offer a wider range of accommodation choices, including spacious suites, villas, or even private bungalows with direct access to amenities or scenic views. Hotels typically offer standard rooms with varying levels of comfort and amenities, ranging from budget-friendly options to higher-end luxury suites.

It is important to consider your budget and preferred level of comfort when choosing between a resort and a hotel. While resorts can provide a comprehensive all-inclusive experience, hotels offer a range of pricing options to suit different budgets and travel requirements.

Ultimately, whether you opt for a resort or a hotel, it’s essential to weigh the amenities, services, location, and pricing to ensure you find the best accommodation option for your travel needs.

Location and Surroundings of Resorts vs. Hotels

The location and surroundings of a resort or hotel can significantly impact the overall experience and activities available to guests. While both types of accommodations offer unique advantages, there are distinct differences in terms of the settings and environments they provide.

Resorts: Resorts are often situated in scenic and natural locations, such as beaches, mountains, or countryside. The aim is to provide guests with a serene and immersive environment, allowing them to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The surrounding landscapes and settings of resorts offer various advantages:

• Scenic beauty: Resorts are often nestled in picturesque surroundings, providing stunning views and natural landscapes that can enhance the overall experience of guests.
• Proximity to natural attractions: Many resorts are located in close proximity to natural wonders, such as beaches, national parks, hiking trails, or ski resorts. This allows guests to engage in outdoor activities or explore the local area easily.
• Recreational activities: Due to their locations, resorts often offer a wide range of recreational activities like snorkeling, kayaking, horseback riding, or hiking, taking advantage of the natural surroundings.
• Peacefulness and tranquility: Resorts situated away from urban areas provide a peaceful and calming atmosphere, allowing guests to unwind and enjoy a retreat-like experience.

Hotels: Hotels, on the other hand, are typically found in urban or tourist-centric areas. They are often located within city centers, near commercial districts, or close to popular tourist attractions. The following are some characteristics of hotel locations and surroundings:

• Convenience and accessibility: Hotels are easily accessible, making them suitable for travelers who want to explore the city, visit tourist attractions, or attend business meetings and events.
• Proximity to amenities: Hotels are often located near restaurants, shopping centers, entertainment venues, and public transportation, providing convenient access to various amenities and services.
• Cultural and historical attractions: Hotels situated in urban areas may be near cultural landmarks, museums, historical sites, or architectural wonders, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the local culture and heritage.
• Nightlife and entertainment: Hotels in city centers or vibrant neighborhoods offer access to a lively nightlife scene, including bars, clubs, theaters, and concerts.

Choosing between a resort and a hotel in terms of location and surroundings depends on the type of experience you seek. If you desire a peaceful retreat in a natural setting or wish to indulge in outdoor activities, a resort located in a scenic area may be the perfect choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a convenient base for exploring a city or engaging in urban attractions, a hotel in a central location makes more sense.

Both resort and hotel options have their own advantages, and the decision ultimately depends on your personal preferences, the purpose of your trip, and the experiences you wish to have during your stay.

Choosing between a resort and a hotel for your accommodation is an important decision that can greatly impact your travel experience. Understanding the differences between these two types of accommodations helps you make an informed choice that aligns with your preferences and travel needs.

Resorts offer a comprehensive holiday experience, with a focus on providing a wide range of amenities and activities within a picturesque and immersive setting. They are perfect for travelers seeking relaxation, recreation, and indulgence. With luxurious accommodations, all-inclusive packages, and diverse target audiences, resorts cater to a variety of travelers, including families, couples, wellness enthusiasts, and adventure seekers.

Hotels, on the other hand, primarily focus on providing comfortable and convenient lodging, often located in urban areas or near tourist attractions. They cater to a diverse range of travelers, including business travelers, tourists, and those looking for a comfortable stay during their travels. With various room options and flexible pricing, hotels accommodate different budgets and travel purposes.

Whether you choose a resort or a hotel, both offer unique advantages and exceptional hospitality. Resorts provide a complete holiday experience within stunning surroundings, while hotels offer convenience and accessibility in urban or tourist-centric locations. It ultimately depends on your personal preferences, the purpose of your trip, and the specific experiences you wish to have during your stay.

When making your decision, consider factors such as the amenities and facilities you desire, the level of relaxation or activity you seek, your budget, and the location that best suits your travel objectives. Whichever option you choose, both resorts and hotels are dedicated to providing comfort, quality service, and memorable stays for their guests.

In the end, the choice between a resort and a hotel is an opportunity to curate the perfect accommodation experience, tailored to your individual travel preferences and expectations. So, whether you’re embarking on a family vacation, a romantic getaway, or a business trip, take the time to weigh your options and select the ideal accommodation that will enhance your overall travel experience.

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Chapter 16 Hospitality and Tourism

Learning objectives.

• Understand what tourism is: definition, components, and importance.
• Understand the economic, social, and environmental benefits and costs of tourism.
• Define hospitality and the pineapple tradition.
• Identify the types of hotel categories and how they are determined.
• Examine the different categories of food service operations.
• Understand the different types of events, meetings, and conventions.

The tourism industry is often cited as the largest industry in the world, contributing 10 percent of the world’s GDP. In 2016 there were over 1.2 billion international tourists: that’s a substantial economic impact and movement of goods and services! [1] Tourism is also considered an export and is unique in that the consumers come to the product where it is consumed on-site. Before we dig any deeper, let’s explore what the term “tourism” means.

Definition of Tourism

There are a number of ways tourism can be defined. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) embarked on a project from 2005 to 2007 to create a common glossary of terms for tourism. It defines tourism as follows:

A social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure. [2]

In other words, tourism is the movement of people for a number of purposes (whether business or pleasure). It is important to understand the various groups and constituencies involved in this movement. Of course it includes the tourist, but also the vast array of businesses providing goods and services for the tourist, the government and political structure of a destination, and the local residents of the destination community itself. Each of these components are necessary parts of a successful tourism destination and operate within private and public sectors, the built environment, and the natural environment. All these come together to create the processes, activities, and outcomes of tourism.

If it all seems a little overwhelming, it might be helpful to break tourism down into broad industry groups, each of which will be covered in this chapter:

Accommodation and Lodging

• Food and Beverage Services (F & B)

Recreation and Entertainment

• Convention & Event Management

Travel Services

• Private Clubs

Benefits and Costs of Tourism

Tourism impacts can be grouped into three main categories: economic, social, and environmental. These impacts are analyzed using data gathered by businesses, governments, and industry organizations. Some impacts gain more attention than others. It is also important to recognize that different groups and constituencies are impacted differently.

Economic Impacts of Tourism

The tourism industry has a huge economic impact that continues to expand to new markets and destinations. According to the UNWTO, in 2016 “The total export value from international tourism amounted to US$ 1.5 trillion.” [3]  Regions with the highest growth in terms of tourism dollars earned (2016 vs 2015) are Africa, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas Europe. Only the Middle East posted negative growth at the time of the report. As well, the UNWTO’s Tourism 20 3 0 Vision report predicts that international arrivals will reach nearly 1.8 billion by 2030. [4] Figure 16.2 provides additional information about the impact of tourism worldwide.

Positive impacts from this economic boom include robust foreign exchange, increases in income, and GDP growth. Tourism can also offer diverse employment opportunities, can be developed with local products, and is often compatible with other economic activities within a destination. Tourism often injects money into the community that leads to secondary economic development as well. For example, successful resorts may create the need for a commercial laundry facility or a pet boarding business.

However, there are also negative impacts. Property values may increase to the point of unaffordability for local residents, and the seasonality of the tourism industry may create a feast-or-famine economy. As with any economy, if too many resources are focused on just one industry, communities may be vulnerable to any unexpected economic, social, or environmental changes. One example is the New Jersey shore after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The tourism industry was severely impacted, leaving no economic fallback for local residents.

Social Impacts of Tourism

In addition to the economic benefits of tourism development, positive social impacts include an increase in amenities (e.g., parks, recreation facilities), investment in arts, culture, heritage and tradition, celebration of indigenous communities, and community pride. Tourism also has the potential to break down language, socio-cultural, religious, and political barriers. When developed conscientiously, tourism can, and does, contribute to a positive quality of life for residents and promotes a positive image of the destination.

However, as identified by the United Nations Environment Programme, negative social impacts of tourism can include: change or loss of indigenous identity and values; culture clashes; changes in family structure; conflict within the community for the tourism dollar; and ethical issues, including an increase in sex tourism, crime, gambling, and/or the exploitation of child workers. [5]

Environmental Impacts of Tourism

Tourism relies on, and greatly impacts, the natural environment in which it operates. In some destinations, there is a great appreciation of the environmental resources as the source of the tourism industry, and as such there are environmental protection policies and plans in place. Tourism has helped to save many delicate ecosystems and their flora and fauna. Preservation of these important resources benefits not only the tourist but also the local residents as well.

Even though many areas of the world are conserved in the form of parks and protected areas, tourism development can still have severe negative economic impacts. According to The United Nations Environment Programme, these can include the depletion of natural resources (water, forests, etc.), pollution (air pollution, noise, sewage, waste and littering), and physical impacts (construction activities, marina development, trampling, loss of biodiversity, and spread of disease). [6]

The environmental impacts of tourism can reach beyond local areas and have an effect on the global ecosystem. One example is increased air travel, which is often identified as a major contributor to climate change.

Whether positive or negative, tourism is a force for change around the world, and the industry is transforming at a staggering rate.

The Hospitality Industry

When looking at tourism it is important to consider the term hospitality. Some define hospitality as “the business of helping people to feel welcome and relaxed and to enjoy themselves.” [7] Simply put, the hospitality industry is the combination of the accommodation and food and beverage groupings, collectively making up the largest segment of the industry.

The pineapple has long been the symbol of hospitality. The Caribs, indigenous people of the Lower Antilles in the Caribbean, first used it as such a symbol. The Spaniards knew they were welcome if a pineapple was placed at the entrance to the village. This symbolism spread across Europe and North America where it became the custom to carve the shape of a pineapple into the columns at the entrance of the plantation. [8] Charles Carter added a three and a half foot wooden pineapple to the peak of the roof at Shirley Plantation, the first plantation in Virginia. [9] It is now common to see the image of the pineapple as a sign of welcome, warmth and hospitality.

The types of employees and resources required to run an accommodation business—whether it be a hotel, motel, or even a campground—are quite similar. All these businesses need staff to check in guests, provide housekeeping, employ maintenance workers, and provide a place for people to sleep. As such, they can be grouped together under the heading of accommodation and lodging . Figure 16.4 summarizes the various groupings within the industry.

Hotel Types

Hotels are typically referred to by hotel type or other classifications. Hotel type is determined primarily by how it will function and what amenities will be included within the property. Size, location, service levels and type of business or targeted market segments are additional classifications. Industry also classifies hotels by chain scale … separating hotels into categories determined by their average daily rates. Various ownership structures and brand affiliations also differentiate hotels.

Classifications

Hotels may be classified on a number of different variables. Type of Hotel : There are numerous classifications by hotel type including all-inclusive hotels, all-suite properties, B&B/Inns, boutique, convention/conference centers, condo hotels, resort, extended stay, full service, casino, limited service and timeshare properties. Size and Complexity: A hotel can be classified by the number of guest rooms it has; hotel sizes can range from a small boutique hotel with fewer than 50 rooms to a large resort hotel with more than 1,000 rooms. The complexity of the hotel is determined by the volume and number of additional revenue generating functions such as the square feet of available conference space, number of F&B operations and additional services and amenities like pools, fitness centers, spas, golf, etc. Location: The location of a hotel can also determine the type of guest served. An airport hotel may be very different from a city-center property in an urban environment, or a remote island resort or a small quaint bed and breakfast located on top of a mountain. Hotels that specialize in conferences, may locate near entertainment destinations like Las Vegas or Disney theme parks to provide pre-post conference activities for attendees. Service Level: The level of service provided is also a key variable, ranging from an inexpensive budget or economy hotel, (Limited or Focused Service Hotels) which may have limited services and amenities, to upscale and luxury hotels (Full Service Hotels) with many services and a wide range of amenities. Market Segmentation: Figure 16.5 on the next page outlines the characteristics of specific hotel types that have evolved to match the needs of a particular traveler segment. As illustrated, hotels adapt and diversify depending on the markets they desire and need to drive occupancy levels and generate revenues. Some hotels will specialize in a specific market segment, but in today’s competitive environment, most hotels will target a combination of these segments.

There are several other industry related organizations, such as Forbes and AAA which provide Consumer Ratings for individual hotels … another form of classifying a property. Forbes has traditionally awarded one to five “Stars” and AAA, one to five “Diamond” ratings. Additionally, many social media applications like Trip Advisor offer hotel property ratings to consumers.

Chain Scale: Smith Travel Research (STR) is an organization that provides the lodging industry with global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. STR classifies the lodging industry into six chain scale segments according to their respective brand Average Daily Rate (ADR). The six segments are defined as Luxury ; Upper Upscale ; Upscale ; Mid-Scale with F&B ( Upper Mid-Scale ); Mid-Scale without F&B ( Mid-Scale ) and Economy . Through STR’s 30—plus years of service to the hospitality industry—they have developed vital benchmarking performance solutions, established market trend transparency and provided data used by the investment community to support hotel development projects. Their core product, the STAR report, provides hotel owners and operators with comparative performance data between their property and a defined set of market competitors and allows you to follow trends in hotel occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPar). Developers, investors, industry analysts, hotel brands and management companies all utilize STR data when determine what type of hotel to build and what location would provide maximum opportunity for success.

The type of ownership, brand affiliation and management are also very important variables in the classification of hotels. Owners may manage their own hotels independently but in today’s competitive environment, they would likely sign a Franchise Agreement with a nationally recognized brand as well as a Management Contract with a hotel management company to manage the property. A hotel chain such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt or IHG (Intercontinental Hotel Group) is comprised of multiple brands: Marriott, following their recent merger with Starwood currently has 30 different hotel brands, with each name representing a different level of price, service or targeted market segments.

Branding Decision

Selecting a brand affiliation is one of the most significant decisions hotel owners must make. [10] The brand affiliation selected will largely determine the cost of hotel development or conversion of an existing property to meet the standards of the new brand. The affiliation will also determine a number of things about the ongoing operation including the level of services and amenities offered, cost of operation, marketing opportunities or restrictions, and the competitive position in the marketplace. For these reasons, owners typically consider several branding options before choosing to operate independently or to adopt a brand affiliation.

Franchise Agreements

Another managerial and ownership structure is franchising. A hotel franchise enables individuals or investment companies (the franchisee) to build or purchase a hotel and then buy or lease a brand name to become part of a chain of hotels using the franchisor’s hotel brand, image, loyalty program, goodwill, procedures, cost controls, marketing, and reservations systems. [11]

A franchisee becomes part of a network of properties that use a central reservations system with access to electronic distribution channels, regional and national marketing programs, central purchasing, revenue management support, and brand operating standards. A franchisee also receives training, support, and advice from the franchisor and must adhere to regular inspections, audits, and reporting requirements.

Selecting a franchise structure may reduce investment risk by enabling the franchisee to associate with an established hotel company. Franchise fees can be substantial, and a franchisee must be willing to adhere to the contractual obligations with the franchisor. [12] Franchise fees typically include an initial fee paid with the franchise application and continuing fees paid during the term of the agreement. These fees are usually a percentage of revenue but can be set at a fixed fee. The total percentage of sales ranges significantly for hotels from 3.3⁠–14.7 percent with a median of 11.8 percent. [13]

Management Contracts

It is common for ownership to utilize a management contract , which is a service offered by a management company to manage a hotel or resort for its owners. Owners have two main options for the structure of a management contract. One is to enter into a management agreement with an independent third-party hotel management company to manage the hotel. There are hundreds of these companies, but some of the large organizations include Aimbridge, Benchmark Hospitality, Crescent Hotels, Interstate Hotels, and White Lodging. A slightly different option is for owners to select a single company to provide both the brand and the expertise to manage the property. Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, are companies that provide this second option to owners.

Food and Beverage Services

The food and beverage sector is commonly known to industry professionals by its initials F&B. The F&B sector grew from simple origins to meet the basic needs for food and beverage services to increasing demand for unique experiences and broader options. As the interests of the public became more diverse, so too did the offerings of the F&B sector. The increasing awareness and demand for organic, sustainable, local or craft options as well as special dietary needs in food and beverage continue to challenge this industry. In addition, in order to better attract and serve a diverse array of diners, the F&B industry now consists of a variety of segments. The following is a discussion of each.

Quick-Service Restaurants

Formerly known as fast-food restaurants, examples of  quick-service restaurants , or QSRs, include Chick-fil-A, Subway, and Pizza Hut. This prominent portion of the food sector generally caters to both residents and visitors, and it is represented in areas that are conveniently accessed by both. Brands, chains, and franchises dominate the QSR landscape. While the sector has made steps to move away from the traditional “fast-food” image and style of service, it is still dominated by both fast food and food fast; in other words, food that is purchased and prepared quickly, and generally consumed quickly as well.

Fast-Casual Restaurants

Fast-Casual restaurants focus on higher quality ingredients than QSR’s and provide made-to-order food in an environment that does not include table service. Customers usually queue and order at a counter. The seating area is more upscale and comfortable. Examples would include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera and Jason’s Deli.

Full-Service Restaurants

Full-service restaurants  are perhaps the most fluid of the F&B operation types, adjusting and changing to the demands of the marketplace. Consumer expectations are higher here than with QSRs. [14] The menus offered are varied, but in general reflect the image of the restaurant or consumer’s desired experience. Major segments include fine dining, family/casual, ethnic, and upscale casual. Fine dining restaurants are characterized by highly trained chefs preparing complex food items, exquisitely presented. Meals are brought to the table by experienced servers with sound food and beverage knowledge in an upscale atmosphere with table linens, fine china, crystal stemware, and silver-plate cutlery. The table is often embellished with fresh flowers and candles. In these businesses, the average check, which is the total sales divided by number of guests served, is quite high (often reviewed with the cost symbols of three or four dollar signs: $$$ or $$$$.) Examples include the Inn at Little Washington, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Capitol Grille.

Casual restaurants serve moderately-priced to upscale food in a more casual atmosphere. Casual dining comprises a market segment between fast casual establishments and fine dining restaurants. Casual dining restaurants often have a full bar with separate bar staff, a larger beer menu and a limited wine menu. This segment is full of chains such as Chili’s, Outback, Red Robin and Cracker Barrel as well as many independent restaurants in regional or local markets.

Family restaurants  offer affordable menu items that span a variety of customer tastes. They also have the operational flexibility in menu and restaurant layout to welcome large groups of diners. An analysis of menus in family/casual restaurants reveals a high degree of operational techniques such as menu item cross-utilization, where a few key ingredients are repurposed in several ways. Both chain and independent restaurant operators flourish in this sector. Examples of chains in this category would be Golden Corral, Cici’s Pizza and Ponderosa Steakhouse.

Ethnic restaurants  typically reflect the owner’s cultural identity, Vietnamese, Cuban, Thai, etc. The growth and changing nature of this sector reflects the acceptance of various ethnic foods within our communities. Ethnic restaurants generally evolve along two routes: toward remaining authentic to the cuisine of the country of origin or toward larger market acceptance through modifying menu items. [15] Examples would be P.F. Chang’s, Tara Thai or Pei Wei.

Bars, Wineries, and Craft Distilling

The beverage industry continues to evolve as well with a strong focus on local craft beers, wines, cider and distilling. Wineries exist in almost every state, with over 250 in Virginia as of 2015. [16] Wine, bourbon, cider trails and brew pub crawls, etc. are used to generate awareness and create experiences for customers. Wineries often use event space or festivals to take advantage of the beauty of the winery and supplement their revenues.

Institutional Food Service

Institutional f ood s ervice is large scale and often connected to governmental (National Parks) or corporate level organizations. Often run under a predetermined contract, the institutional F&B sector includes:

• Educational institutions
• Prisons and other detention facilities
• Corporate staff cafeterias
• National Park restaurants and concessions
• Cruise ships
• Airports and other transportation terminals and operations

Examples of companies who focus on Institutional Food Service are Compass, Sodexho, Aramark.

Accommodation Food Service

This sector includes hotel restaurants and bars, room service, and self-serve dining operations (such as a breakfast room).  Hotel restaurants are usually open to the public and reliant on this public patronage in addition to business from hotel guests. Collaborations between hotel and restaurant chains have seen reliable pairings such as the combination of Shula’s Steakhouse and Marriott Hotels.

Restaurant Industry Profitability and Cost Control

According to the National Restaurant Association, QSRs have the highest pre-tax profit margin at 6.3 percent, while full-service restaurants have a margin of 4.7 percent. There will be significant variances from these percentages at individual locations, even within the same brand. [17]

A number of costs influence the profitability of an F&B operation. Some of the key operating expenses (as a percentage of revenue) are detailed in Figure 16.16, above, where food cost and salaries & wages are the two major expenses, each accounting for approximately a third of the total. Other expenses include rental and leasing of venue, utilities, advertising, and depreciation of assets. These percentages represent averages, and will vary greatly by sector and location.

Cost control and containment is essential for all F&B businesses. Demanding particular attention are the labor, food, and beverage costs, also known as the operator’s primary costs. In addition to these big ticket items, there is the cost of reusable operating supplies such as cutlery, glassware, china, and linen in full-service restaurants.

Recreation can be defined as the pursuit of leisure activities during one’s spare time [19] and can include vastly different activities such as golfing, sport fishing, and rock climbing. Defining recreation as it pertains to tourism, however, is more challenging.

Let’s start by exploring some recreation-based terms that are common in the tourism industry. Outdoor recreation can be defined as “outdoor activities that take place in a natural setting, as opposed to a highly cultivated or managed landscape such as a playing field or golf course.” [20]   This term is typically applied to outdoor activities in which individuals engage close to their community. When these activities are further away, and people must travel some distance to participate in them, they are often described as “adventure tourism”. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), adventure tourism is “a trip that includes at least two of the following three elements: physical activity, natural environment, and cultural immersion.” [21]

Ultimately, categorization is based on a combination of several factors, including manner of engagement in the activity (risk exposure, experience requirement, group or solo activity), the distance travelled to access the activity, and the type of environment (proximity to nature, level of challenge involved) in which the activity occurs.

A 2013 adventure tourism market study discovered that people who travel for adventure experiences tend to be well-educated, with 48 percent holding a four-year degree or higher credential. They value natural beauty and rank this factor highest when choosing a destination. The most cited reasons for their travel are “relaxation, exploring new places, time with family, and learning about different cultures.” [22]

Globally, it is estimated that the continents of Europe, North America, and South America account for 70 percent of adventure tourism, or US$263 billion in adventure travel spending. [23]

Entertainment

Entertainment is a very broad category which overlaps with many of the areas discussed elsewhere in this chapter, like hotels and accommodation. Two major types of entertainment that we’ll discuss here are gaming and theme parks.

Gaming has grown significantly in the United States and globally. The number of casinos in the United States has been growing since 2010, and in 2013, there were over 500 commercial casinos, as shown in Figure 16.16. Casinos are found all over the United States in major cities, riverboats, and on Native American lands. However, US casino revenue has been relatively flat, while global gaming revenues have been on the increase, largely due to Asian market growth. Most casinos involve other facets of the Hospitality industry such as lodging, F&B, golf, entertainment, spas, etc., but they also have the added challenges of casino operations.

Theme Parks

Theme parks have a long history dating back to the 1500’s in Europe, and have evolved ever since. Today, it is hard not to compare any amusement park destination to Disneyland and Disney World. Opened in 1955 in sunny California, Disneyland set the standard for theme parks. Theme parks outside of California and Florida are often highly seasonable operations challenged with significant staffing and training requirements each year.

Convention and Event Management

A convention is a large meeting of people with similar interests who meet for a period of at least a few days to discuss their field. An  event  is a gathering at a given place and time, usually of some importance, often celebrating or commemorating a special occasion.

Both conventions and events can be extremely complex projects, which is why, over time, the role of meeting planners has taken on greater importance. The development of education, training programs, and professional designations such as CMPs (Certified Meeting Planners), CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional), and CMM (Certificate in Meeting Management) has led to increased credibility in this business and demonstrates the importance of the sector to the economy.

Meeting planners may be independent contractors hired to facilitate the planning process, work directly for the company full time to coordinate their meeting, or work for hotels, conference centers and event venues directly.

• The various tasks involved in meeting and event planning include:
• Conceptualizing/theming
• Site inspection & selection
• Logistics and planning
• Human resource management
• Marketing and public relations
• Budgeting and financial management
• Sponsorship procurement
• Management and evaluation

Event Categories

Mega-events.

A m ega-event is a large scale, highly prestigious event such as the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup, or a global economic summit. These events typically gain tremendous media coverage and have major economic impacts on the host location, both positive and negative. High levels of tourism (1 million visitors) associated with a mega-event brings revenue, but the revenue may be outweighed by substantial capital and social costs incurred by the host. The events are often awarded to host destinations through a bidding process and gain tremendous media coverage.

Special Events

A special event is a one-time or infrequent specific ritual, presentation, performance, or celebration. Special events are planned and created to mark a special occasion, such as a presidential inauguration or the Queen of England’s 90 th birthday. Like mega-events, there may be significant media coverage and economic impact for the host city or destination.

Hallmark Events

A hallmark event is a unique event that is often identified with the location where it is held, like Carnival in Rio de Janeiro or Oktoberfest in Munich. Hallmark events contribute significant economic benefits and even can create a competitive advantage for the host city or destination that attracts tourists.

A festival is a themed public celebration that conveys, through a kaleidoscope of activities, certain meaning to participants and spectators. Festivals are often celebrations of community or culture and feature music, dance, or dramatic performances. Examples include Lollapalooza, the Cannes Film Festival, and Junkanoo in the Bahamas.

Local Community Events

A local community event is generated by and for locals; although it may attract tourists, its main audience is the local community. The community may experience measurable economic impacts, as might happen at The Steppin’ Out Street Fair in Blacksburg (think hotel stays and eating out). Fundraisers and community picnics are also examples in this category.

Meetings and Conventions

The tourism industry also has a long history of creating, hosting, and promoting meetings and conventions that draw business travelers. In fact, Convention and Visitor Bureau’s (CVB’s) work hard to attract these meetings and conventions to their city to drive economic benefit for hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc.

There are several types of such events

Conventions  generally have very large attendance, and are held on a regular schedule but in different locations. They also often require a bidding process.  Political conventions are one such example.

Association M eetings or C onferences are held regionally and nationally for hundreds of associations or events focused on specific themes. Examples would be the National Restaurant Association Annual Convention, ComicCon, or the National Auto Show.

Corporate M eetings will vary significantly in size and purpose and include regional or national sales meetings, shareholder meetings, training sessions, or celebrations. The location will vary depending on the nature of the meeting. They may be held at an airport property, a traditional corporate meeting facility or even an upscale resort.

Trade S hows and T rade F airs  can be stand-alone events, or adjoin a convention or conference.

S eminars , W orkshops , and R etreats are examples of smaller-scale events.

As meeting planners have become more creative, meeting and convention delegates have been more demanding about meeting sites. No longer are hotel meeting rooms and convention centers the only type of location used; non-traditional venues have adapted and become competitive in offering services for meeting planners. These include architectural spaces such as airplane hangars, warehouses, or rooftops and experiential venues such as aquariums, museums, and galleries. [24]

Transportation and travel services are another large element of the tourism industry. This area includes cruise ships, airlines, rail, car rentals, and even ride sharing such as Uber and Lyft. Each of these segments is impacted significantly by fuel costs, safety issues, load factors and government regulation.

If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you are in good company. According to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), 23 million passengers were expected to go on a cruise worldwide on 62 member lines in 2015. [25] The industry employs over 900,000 people. [26]

Over 55 percent of the world’s cruise passengers are from North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA are: [27]

• The Caribbean (36 percent)
• The Mediterranean (20 percent)
• Northern Europe (11 percent)
• Australia/New Zealand (6 percent)
• Alaska (6 percent)
• Asia (5 percent)
• South America (3 percent)

The t ravel services sector is made up of a complex web of relationships between a variety of suppliers, tourism products, destination marketing organizations, tour operators, and travel agents, among many others. Under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), the travel services industry group includes “establishments primarily engaged in travel arrangement and reservation services. Examples … are tourist and travel agencies; travel tour operators and wholesale operators; convention and visitors’ bureaus; airline, bus, railroad and steamship ticket offices; sports and theatrical ticket offices; and airline, hotel and restaurant reservation offices.” [28] Tourism services support industry development and the delivery of guest experiences.

Travel Agencies

A travel agency is a business that operates as the intermediary between the travel industry (supplier) and the traveler (purchaser). Part of the role of the travel agency is to market prepackaged travel tours and holidays to potential travelers. The agency can further function as a broker between the traveler and hotels, car rentals, and tour companies. [29] Travel agencies can be small and privately owned or part of a larger entity.

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)

Online travel agents (OTAs) are companies that aggregate accommodations and transportation options and allow users to choose one or many components of their trip based on price or other incentives. Examples of OTAs include Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotwire.com, and Kayak.com. OTAs are gaining popularity with the travelling public; in 2012, they reported online sales of almost $100 billion [30] and almost triple that figure, upward of $278 billion, in 2013. [31] Over 40 percent of US travelers booked flights online in 2014. [32]

Tour Operators

A tour operator packages all or most of the components of an offered trip and then sells them to the traveler. These packages can also be sold through retail outlets or travel agencies. [33] Tour operators work closely with hotels, transportation providers, and attractions in order to purchase large volumes of each component and package these at a better rate than the traveler could by purchasing individually.

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)

Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) include national tourism boards, state/provincial tourism offices, and community convention and visitor bureaus around the world. DMOs promote “the long-term development and marketing of a destination, focusing on convention sales, tourism marketing and service” [34] .

Country Clubs

Country c lubs are another part of the Hospitality industry with a very different service strategy focusing on serving members who will develop relationships with the staff compared to a more transactional service interaction in lodging, restaurants or airlines.

Country clubs do not focus as strongly on profit as they do on maximizing member satisfaction, retention and growth while maintaining an attractive fee structure. Country (or city) clubs, will typically have restaurant and bar operations, catered events and other amenities such as golf, tennis, pool, fitness facilities, etc. Depending on the type of club, family and youth events are important to maintain and grow membership.

Strong customer service, culinary, event management and general management skills are necessary to be successful in clubs.

Chapter Video

As in any other fast-moving industry, the landscape in Hospitality and Tourism is always changing. This video explores 10 of the more important current trends impacting the industry.

(Copyrighted material)

Key Takeaways

• The Tourism industry is the largest industry in the world with significant benefit and costs to a region. The global competition for the tourism dollar is significant within the US and between countries.
• Hotels vary significantly in size, quality, purpose, chain affiliation, and ownership. The complexity of the operation and leadership vary as well.
• Food and Beverage is made up of a wide variety of restaurant types from QSR, Fast Casual, Fine Dining and Ethnic. Institutional food service in business , hospitals, education, parks and concessions are a significant part of the Food and Beverage industry.
• The evolution of tastes and consumer expectations in food and beverage continue to provide opportunity and challenges in the industry for ethnic sustainable, organic, local, craft, and other unique experiences.

Portions of this chapter were adapted from Westcott, Morgan (Ed)  Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC.   CC BY 4.0   https://opentextbc.ca/introtourism . Available for free at: http://open.bccampus.ca

Image Credits: Chapter 16

Figure 16.1: Siebe Warmoeskerken (2018). Unsplash. Public Domain. Retrieved from: https://unsplash.com/photos/mxNrtFzOd-I

Figure 16.2: Data retrieved from: https://wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact ; World map retrieved from: Max Naylor (2006). “BlankMap-World-Continents-Coloured.” Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlankMap-World-Continents-Coloured.PNG

Figure 16.3: Rodhullandemu (2012). “The Pineapple Hotel, Park Road, Liverpool.” CC BY-SA 3.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pineapple,_Park_Road,_Liverpool.jpg

Figure 16.6: Stephen J. Skripak. “Example of a Hotel Market Segmentation by STR’s Chain Scale.” CC BY 4.0 .

Figure 16.7: Christina Hsu (2009). “San Diego City and Bay at Night.” Flickr. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://flic.kr/p/6KZ5Cv

Figure 16.8: Anastasia Cortes (2016). “The Inn at Virginia Tech.” Public Domain. Provided by the author.

Figure 16.9: Dale Cruse (2014). “New Zealand langoustines at Troquet.” Flickr. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalecruse/8551895022/

Figure 16.10: Imzadi1979 (2012). “An Axample of a Typical American Logo Sign.” Wikipedia. Public Domain. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo_sign#/media/File:Logo_Sign.svg

Figure 16.11: Mike Mozart (2014). “Panera Bread.” Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panera_Bread_(13883443466).jpg

Figure 16.12: Michael Rys. “Le Procope.” Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inside_Le_Procope.jpg#mw-jump-to-license

Figure 16.13: Stephen J. Skripak. “The Restaurant Industry Career Path.” CC BY 4.0 .

Figure 16.14: Table adapted from National Restaurant Association (2014). 2013 -2014 Restaurant Operations Report .

Figure 16.15: JohnSM (2013). “Rafting in Turkey.” Pixabay. Public domain. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/en/raftingturkey-travel-1125213/

Figure 16.16: UNLV Center for Gaming Research. “US and Global Casino Revenues (2005-2019).” (2005-2015) Data Retrieved from: https://gaming.unlv.edu/reports/national_annual_revenues.pdf ; (2016) Data Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20170301070205/http://gaming.unlv.edu/reports/national_monthly.pdf ; 2017 Data Retrieved from: https://www.americangaming.org/resources/state-of-the-states-2018-the-aga-survey-of-the-commercial-casino-industry/ ; 2018 Data Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20190201140714/https://gaming.unlv.edu/reports/national_monthly.pdf ; 2019 Data Retrieved from: https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/us-commercial-casinos-won-436-billion-2019-37-71069042; Global Revenue Data Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/271577/global-casino-gaming-market-revenue/ ; Number of Commercial Casinos Data Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/187972/number-of-us-commercial-casinos-since-2005/

Figure 16.17: Josh Hallett (2009). “The ‘Big Bang’ at Wishes – Magic Kingdom – Walt Disney World.” Flickr. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hyku/3830182777

Figure 16.18: Peter23 (2011). “Beijing National Stadium.” Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_national_stadium.jpg

Figure 16.19: Skeeze (2014). “Mardi Gras in New Orleans.” Pixabay. Public domain. Retrieved from: https://pixabay.com/photos/mardi-gras-new-orleans-festival-1176483/

Figure 16.20: Peter Hansen (2017). “Cruise Ship Photo.” Unsplash. Public Domain. Retrieved from: https://unsplash.com/photos/MeGmdPNe36w

Figure 16.21: Dan Perry (2006). “Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.” Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 . Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riviera_Country_Club,_Golf_Course_in_Pacific_Palisades,_California_(168828797).jpg

Video Credits: Chapter 16

Sisyanti, Ling Ling, Wasim Amsal, Ella Qiu, and Rebecca Catherine Stephany (2015, February 6). “10 trends in Hospitality and Tourism Industry.” YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ8Momwv7Qk 

• World Tourism Organization UNWTO (2015). “Why Tourism?” Retrieved from: http://www2.unwto.org/content/why-tourism ↵
• United Nations Statistics Division (2010, December). “Tourism as an Internationally Traded Service and Beyond.” Newsletter of the Interagency Task Force on Statistics of International Trade in Services. No. 6. p. 1. Retrieved from: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/tradeserv/tfsits/newsletter/TFSITS_newsletter_6.pdf ↵
• World Tourism Organization UNWTO (2015). “Exports from International Tourism Rise 4% in 2015.” Retrieved from: http://media.unwto.org/press-release/2016-05-03/exports-international-tourism-rise-4-2015 ↵
• Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (2010). “UNWTO Tourism Vision 2020 Forecast Released.” Retrieved from: http://www.abto.org.bt/2010/06/unwto-tourism-2020-vision-forecast-released/ ↵
• United Nations Environment Programme (2016). “Negative Socio-Cultural Impacts from Tourism.” Retrieved from: http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/Socio-CulturalImpacts/NegativeSocio-CulturalImpactsFromTourism/tabid/78781/Default.aspx ↵
• United Nations Environment Programme (2016). “Tourism’s Three Main Impact Areas.” Retrieved from: http://www.unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/TheTourismandEnvironmentProgramme/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/EnvironmentalImpacts/TourismsThreeMainImpactAreas/tabid/78776/Default.aspx ↵
• Discover Hospitality (2015). “What is Hospitality?” Retrieved from: https://web.archive.org/web/20150814071021/http://discoverhospitality.com.au/what-is-hospitality ↵
• L. P. Coyle (1982). “Pineapple” in World Encyclopedia of Food . New York: Facts on File. p. 517. ↵
• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (2016). “The Pineapple in Colonial Williamsburg.” Retrieved from: http://www.history.org/almanack/life/christmas/dec_pineapple.cfm ↵
•   C. Crandell, K. Dickinson, and G. I. Kanter (2004). "Negotiating the hotel management contract" In Hotel Asset Management: Principles & Practices . East Lansing, MI: University of Denver and American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. ↵
• S. Rushmore (2005). “What Does a Hotel Franchise Cost?” Canadian Lodging Outlook. Retrieved from: www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2005_4th/Oct05_FranchiseCost.html ↵
• Ibid.; N. Migdal (n.d.). “Franchise Agreements vs. Management Agreements: Which One Do I Choose?” Hotel Business Review. Retrieved from: hotelexecutive.com/business_review/2101/test-franchise-agreements-vs-management-agreements-which-one-do-i-choose ↵
• Stephen Rushmore Jr., Erin S. Bagley (2014). “2014 United States Hotel Franchise Fee Guide.” HVS. Retrieved from: http://www.hvs.com/article/7097/2014-united-states-hotel-franchise-fee-guide/ ↵
• H. G. Parsa, K. R. Lord, S. Putrevu, and J. Kreeger (2015). “Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility in Services; Will Consumers Pay for It?” Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. Vol. 22. pp. 250-260. ↵
• A. H. Mak, M. Lumbers, A. Eves, and R. C. Change (2012). “Factors Influencing Tourist Food Consumption.” International Journal of Hospitality Management. Vol. 31. No. 3. pp. 928-936. ↵
• Virginia Wine Association (2016). “Virginia Wineries.” Virginia Wines. Retrieved from: https://www.virginiawine.org/wineries/ ↵
• American Restaurant Association and Deloitte Development LLC (2013). 2013-2014 Restaurant Operations Report . Washington, D.C.: National Restaurant Association. p. 7. ↵
• Table adapted from National Restaurant Association (2014). 2013-2014 Restaurant Operations Report . Washington, D.C.: National Restaurant Association. ↵
• J. Tribe (2011). The Economics of Recreation, Leisure, and Tourism , 4th ed. Oxford, England: Elsevier. ↵
• Tourism BC (2013). “2009/2010 Outdoor Recreation Study.” Destination British Columbia. Retrieved from: http://www.destinationbc.ca/getattachment/Research/Research-by-Activity/All-Research-by-Activity/Outdoor-Recreation-Study-2009-2010,-January-2013/Outdoor-Recreation-for-Distribution-14Jan13-FINAL-DRAFT-(2).pdf.aspx ↵
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (2014). Global Report on Adventure Tourism . UNWTO and the Adventure Tourism Trade Association. p. 12. Retrieved from: http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/final_1global_report_on_adventure_tourism.pdf ↵
• Ibid., p. 15. ↵
• George Washington University (2013). “Adventure Tourism Market Study 2013.” The Adventure Travel Trade Association. p. 2. Retrieved from: http://files.adventuretravel.biz/docs/research/adventure-tourism-market-study-2013-web.pdf ↵
• K. Colston (2014, April 24). "Non-Traditional Event Venues – Endless Entertainment." Retrieved from: http://helloendless.com/non-traditional-event-venues/ ↵
• CLIA (2016). CLIA 2015 Annual Report: One Voice: Advancing Our Industry Together . Cruise Lines International Association. p. 10. Retrieved from: http://www.cruising.org/docs/default-source/market-research/clia_2015_annualreport_web.pdf?sfvrsn=0 ↵
• Ibid. ↵
• CLIA (2015). CLIA 2015 Cruise Industry Outlook: Cruising to New Horizons and Offering Travelers More . Cruise Lines International Association. p. 28. Retrieved from: http://www.cruising.org/docs/default-source/research/2015-cruise-industry-outlook.pdf ↵
• Government of Canada (2014). “NAICS 2007: 5615 Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services.” Statistics Canada. Retrieved from: http://stds.statcan.gc.ca/naics-scian/2007/cs-rc-eng.asp?criteria=5615 ↵
• C. Goeldner and B. Ritchie (2003). Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies , 9th ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ↵
• R. Carey, K. Kang, and M. Zea (2012). "The Trouble With Travel Distribution." McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from: www.mckinsey.com/insights/travel_transportation/the_trouble_with_travel_distribution ↵
• The Economist (2014). “Sun, Sea and Surfing: The Market for Booking Travel Online Is Rapidly Consolidating.” Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/business/21604598-market-booking-travel-online-rapidly-consolidating-sun-sea-and-surfing ↵
• The Trefis Team (2015). “An Update on the Online Travel Agencies.” Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2015/09/30/an-update-on-the-online-travel-agencies/#60c1ed4d3e0b ↵
• The Destination Marketing Association International (2014). “The value of DMOs.” Retrieved from: http://www.destinationmarketing.org/value-dmos ↵

Chapter 16 Hospitality and Tourism Copyright © 2020 by Stephen J. Skripak and Ron Poff is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What is hospitality?

Hospitality means extending a welcome to guests or offering a home away from home, and the word is derived from the Latin word “hospes” meaning host, visitor or stranger. The hospitality and tourism industry is a vast sector that includes all the economic activities that directly or indirectly contribute to, or depend upon, travel, tourism and hospitality.

This industry sector includes:

• Hotels & Resorts
• Restaurants & Catering
• Night Clubs & Bars
• Travel & Transportation
• Spas & Wellness
• Cruise Liners & Bus tours
• Cultural & Sports
• Business Administration (events, communication, customer experience, and many more )

Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management

Discover the EHL Bachelor's program meticulously crafted by our Hospitality Management School to meet the evolving needs of the hospitality and tourism industry.

Our curriculum strikes a balance between hands-on experience, academic excellence, and business acumen. It also provides a unique opportunity for students to study in two premier locations: Switzerland and Singapore.

Immerse yourself in practical courses, workshops and two six-month internships, providing real-world insights aligned with industry demands.

The History of Hospitality & Tourism 

Hospitality is one of the oldest businesses, going way back to the innkeepers and taverns of biblical times. Tourism, on the other hand, is a more recent invention which began in Europe, with Switzerland being one of the first countries to develop special accommodation and services for travelers. 

In the late 1800’s, the concept of leisure tourism and hospitality spread across Europe, bringing flocks of wealthy travelers to Switzerland. It began with visitors seeking cultural and natural exposure on guided tours in the Swiss Alps, train rides and wellness tourism. Palace-style hotels, thermal baths and ski resorts became icons of luxury tourism in Switzerland.

This new generation of wealthy guests had higher expectations for comfortable accommodations, convenient services and fine dining. The leisure travel phenomenon gave birth to hospitality management schools: EHL was founded as the first hotel management school in 1893 in Lausanne, and it has pioneered in hospitality management education since then.

Hospitality is one of the most resilient, adaptable and dynamic industries on the planet. It is an industry of constant change, where technology and innovation are being integrated to improve the guest experience.

What is Tourism and Hospitality Management?

Careers in hospitality management.

Hospitality management is a broad career field that provides many opportunities for international career progression. In the core of the hospitality industry alone (hotels, events, restaurants, etc.) graduates with a hospitality degree can become managers in a variety of departments and sectors, or choose to specialize in one area.

The career paths are as diverse as the industry, and with so many new hospitality concepts and innovation changing the industry, the career paths will continue to grow and evolve with technology and trends of the 21st.

Hospitality education at EHL teaches students to love learning because it takes a scientific approach that sparks curiosity and involves the five senses. 

What are Hospitality Management Skills?

Studying at ehl, the world's 1st hospitality management school.

In the field of hospitality management, customer satisfaction is key, and the primary goal is to ensure the best customer experience possible. Therefore, hospitality management courses teach both professionally-focused hard skills (room pricing, cost-control, accounting, scheduling, etc. ) and soft skills which are related to how one acts, and interacts in a professional environment.

Training for soft-skills is critical to succeed in the 21st century: critical thinking, agility and adaptability, effective communication, imagination and curiosity: these are all skills students develop at EHL in our hospitality management courses and degrees.

#hospitality-industry

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Luxury hotels and a ‘sense of place’: The branding imperative

April 17, 2024

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of hotel in English

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hotel noun [C] ( PLACE TO STAY )

• They've booked us into the hotel in the main square .
• We stayed in the best hotel in town .
• Huge modern hotels have ruined this once unspoilt coastline .
• We spent a luxurious weekend at a country hotel.
• Please hand in your keys at reception on your departure from the hotel.
• air corridor
• amenity kit
• caravanning
• high season
• package tour
• phrase book
• post-holiday
• put something up
• ranger station
• tourist trap

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

hotel noun [C] ( PLACE TO DRINK )

• cut something off
• public house

hotel noun [C] ( PLACE TO EAT )

• all-you-can-eat
• bill of fare
• drive-through
• plat du jour
• tasting menu
• transport café

hotel | American Dictionary

Hotel | business english, examples of hotel, collocations with hotel.

These are words often used in combination with hotel .

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Translations of hotel

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anonymously

without the name of someone who has done a particular thing being known or made public

Dead ringers and peas in pods (Talking about similarities, Part 2)

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• hotel (PLACE TO STAY)
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Definition of hotel noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

• have/take a vacation/a break/a day off/a year off/time off
• go on/be on vacation/leave/honeymoon/safari/sabbatical/a trip/a tour/a cruise/a pilgrimage
• go backpacking/camping/sightseeing
• plan a trip/a vacation/your itinerary
• reserve a hotel room/a flight/tickets
• have/make/cancel a reservation
• rent a condo/a vacation home/a cabin
• rent a car/bicycle/moped/scooter/Jet Ski
• stay in a hotel/a bed and breakfast/a youth hostel/a villa/a trailer/a vacation home/a resort/a timeshare
• cost/charge $100 a/per night for a suite/a single/double/twin room
• check into/out of a hotel/a motel/your room
• pack/unpack your suitcase/bags
• call/order room service
• cancel/cut short a trip/vacation
• apply for/get/renew a/your passport
• take out/buy/get travel insurance
• catch/miss your plane/train/ferry/connecting flight
• fly (in)/travel (in) first/business/economy class
• make/have a brief/two-day/twelve-hour layover/stopover in Hong Kong
• experience/cause/lead to delays
• check (in)/collect/get/lose your baggage/luggage
• be charged for/pay excess baggage fees
• board/get on/leave/get off the aircraft/plane/ship/ferry
• taxi down/leave/approach/hit/overshoot the runway
• experience/hit/encounter (mild/severe) turbulence
• suffer from/recover from/get over your jet lag/motion sickness
• be seasick/carsick
• attract/draw/bring tourists/visitors
• encourage/promote/hurt tourism
• promote/develop ecotourism
• build/develop/visit a tourist/tropical/beach/ski resort
• work for/be operated by a major hotel chain
• be served by/compete with low-fare/low-cost/budget airlines
• use/go to/have a travel agent
• contact/check with your travel agent/tour operator
• buy/be on/go on a package deal/vacation/tour
• buy/bring back (tacky/overpriced) souvenirs

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

Business visitor : A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Central Product Classification : The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services.

Census : A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads.

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism : Coastal tourism refers to land-based tourism activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and other coastal leisure, recreation and sports activities which take place on the shore of a sea, lake or river. Proximity to the coast is also a condition for services and facilities that support coastal tourism. Maritime tourism refers to sea-based activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports and includes their respective land-based services and infrastructure. Inland water tourism refers to tourism activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports which take place in aquatic- influenced environments located within land boundaries and include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, groundwater, springs, cave waters and others traditionally grouped as inland wetlands.

Coherence : Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses.

Competitiveness of a tourism destination : The competitiveness of a tourism destination is the ability of the destination to use its natural, cultural, human, man-made and capital resources efficiently to develop and deliver quality, innovative, ethical and attractive tourism products and services in order to achieve a sustainable growth within its overall vision and strategic goals, increase the added value of the tourism sector, improve and diversify its market components and optimize its attractiveness and benefits both for visitors and the local community in a sustainable perspective.

Consistency : Logical and numerical coherence.

Country of reference : The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Country of residence : The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country.

Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities : To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 5.16 ).

Cultural tourism : Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Data checking : Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into "error-free data" and "erroneous data".

Data collection : Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Data compilation : Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Data confrontation : The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences.

Data processing : Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output.

Data reconciliation : The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified.

Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.31 ).

Destination management / marketing organization (DMO) : A destination management/marketing organization (DMO) is the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders and professionals and facilitates tourism sector partnerships towards a collective destination vision. The governance structures of DMOs vary from a single public authority to a public/ private partnership model with the key role of initiating, coordinating and managing certain activities such as implementation of tourism policies, strategic planning, product development, promotion and marketing and convention bureau activities. The functions of the DMOs may vary from national to regional and local levels depending on the current and potential needs as well as on the decentralization level of public administration. Not every tourism destination has a DMO.

Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation,  weighting,  confidentiality  and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the  survey provider.  Such documentation should be made available to at least  the body financing the survey.

Domestic tourism : Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Domestic tourism consumption : Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Domestic tourism expenditure : Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)).

Domestic tourism trip : A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32).

Domestic visitor : As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism.

Durable consumer goods : Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39 ). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42 : A consumer durable is a goodthat may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more.

Dwellings : Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings ( IRTS 2008, 2.26 ).

Ecotourism : Ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to observe, learn, discover, experience and appreciate biological and cultural diversity with a responsible attitude to protect the integrity of the ecosystem and enhance the well-being of the local community. Ecotourism increases awareness towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural environment and cultural assets both among locals and the visitors and requires special management processes to minimize the negative impact on the ecosystem.

Economic analysis : Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services thatneed to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism's 'economic contribution' which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism's 'economic impact' which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence.

Economic territory : The term "economic territory" is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Economically active population : The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18).

Economy (of reference): "Economy" (or "economy of reference") is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Education tourism : Education tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation the tourist's engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth and skills development. Education Tourism represents a broad range of products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses, among others.

Employees : Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as "paid employment" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employer-employee relationship : An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind ( BPM6, 11.11 ).

Employers : Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a "self-employment job" and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as "employee(s)" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employment : Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170).

Employment in tourism industries : Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 7.9 ).

Enterprise : An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit —a household or government unit —only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232)

Establishment : An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added ( SNA 2008, 5.14 ).

Estimation : Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called "point estimation". If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called "interval estimation".

Exports of goods and services : Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194)

Frame : A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled.

Forms of tourism : There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism.

Gastronomy tourism :  Gastronomy tourism is a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor's experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes. Eno-tourism (wine tourism), as a sub-type of gastronomy tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Goods : Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets ( SNA 2008, p. 623 ).

Gross fixed capital formation : Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units' acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) ( SNA 2008, 1.52 ).

Gross margin : The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service.

Gross value added : Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32 ).

Gross value added of tourism industries : Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86 ).

Grossing up : Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population.

Health tourism : Health tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation, the contribution to physical, mental and/or spiritual health through medical and wellness-based activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own needs and function better as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is the umbrella term for the subtypes wellness tourism and medical tourism.

Imputation : Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.

Inbound tourism : Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Inbound tourism consumption : Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Inbound tourism expenditure : Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(b) ).

Innovation in tourism : Innovation in tourism is the introduction of a new or improved component which intends to bring tangible and intangible benefits to tourism stakeholders and the local community, improve the value of the tourism experience and the core competencies of the tourism sector and hence enhance tourism competitiveness and /or sustainability. Innovation in tourism may cover potential areas, such as tourism destinations, tourism products, technology, processes, organizations and business models, skills, architecture, services, tools and/or practices for management, marketing, communication, operation, quality assurance and pricing.

Institutional sector : An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour.

Institutional unit : The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function.

Intermediate consumption : Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital ( SNA 2008, 6.213 ).

Internal tourism : Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(a) ).

Internal tourism consumption : Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Internal tourism expenditure : Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(a) ).

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities : The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1).

International tourism : International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(c) ).

International visitor : An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it ( IRTS 2008, 2.42 ).

Job : The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job ( SNA 2008, 19.30 ).

Measurement error : Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value.

Medical tourism : Medical tourism is a type of tourism activity which involves the use of evidence-based medical healing resources and services (both invasive and non-invasive). This may include diagnosis, treatment, cure, prevention and rehabilitation.

Meetings industry : To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip's main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into "attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions" and "other business and professional purposes". The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities.

Metadata : Data that defines and describes other data and processes.

MICE : See meetings industry.

Microdata : Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units.

Mirror statistics : Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335).

Mountain tourism : Mountain tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities.

National tourism : National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(b) ).

National tourism consumption : National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

National tourism expenditure : National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(b) ).

Nationality : The concept of "country of residence" of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship ( IRTS 2008, 2.19 ).

Non-monetary indicators : Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately ( SNA 2008, 29.84 ).

Observation unit : entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled.

Outbound tourism : Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39(c) ).

Outbound tourism consumption : Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Outbound tourism expenditure : Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(c) ).

Output : Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption ( SNA 2008, 6.89 ).

Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114).

Pilot survey : The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non-sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc.

Place of usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24).

Probability sample : A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected.

Production account : The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process ( SNA 2008, 1.17 ).

Production : Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services ( SNA 2008, 6.24. ).

Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place ( IRTS 2008, 3.10. ). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 3.14 ).

Quality of a tourism destination : Quality of a tourism destination is the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all tourism product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the consumer at an acceptable price, in conformity with mutually accepted contractual conditions and the implicit underlying factors such as safety and security, hygiene, accessibility, communication, infrastructure and public amenities and services. It also involves aspects of ethics, transparency and respect towards the human, natural and cultural environment. Quality, as one of the key drivers of tourism competitiveness, is also a professional tool for organizational, operational and perception purposes for tourism suppliers.

Questionnaire and Questionnaire design : Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Reference period : The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

Relevance : The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs.

Reliability : Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

Reporting unit : Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit.

Residents/non-residents : The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory.

Response and non-response : Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors.

Response error : Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures.

Rural tourism : Rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban (rural) areas with the following characteristics:

• Low population density;
• Landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry; and
• Traditional social structure and lifestyle

Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Sample : A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.

Sample survey : A survey which is carried out using a sampling method.

Sampling error : That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

Satellite accounts : There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy ( SNA 2008, 29.85 ).

SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange : Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX).

Seasonal adjustment : Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays.

Self-employment job : Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced.

Self-employed with paid employees : Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers.

Self-employed without employees : Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers.

Services : Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers ( SNA 2008, 6.17 ).

Social transfers in kind : A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83).

Sports tourism : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Standard classification : Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted.

Statistical error : The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value.

Statistical indicator : A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons.

Statistical metadata : Data about statistical data.

Statistical unit : Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs.

Survey : An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology.

System of National Accounts : The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking ( SNA 2008, 1.1 ).

Total tourism internal demand : Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114 ). It does not include outbound tourism consumption.

Tourism : Tourism refers to the activity of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ).

Tourism characteristic activities : Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs ( IRTS 2008, 5.11 ).

Tourism characteristic products : Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria: a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 5.10 ).

Tourism connected products : Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific ( IRTS 2008, 5.12 ).

Tourism consumption : Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25 ).

Tourism destination : A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness.

Tourism direct gross domestic product : Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers' prices ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96 ).

Tourism direct gross value added : Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88 ).

Tourism expenditure : Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others ( IRTS 2008, 4.2 ).

Tourism industries : The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically producetourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1 .

Tourism product : A tourism product is a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle.

Tourism ratio : For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratiois the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56 ). (See also Tourism share).

Tourism Satellite Account : The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 –TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators.

Tourism Satellite Account aggregates : The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81 ):

• Internal tourism expenditure;
• Internal tourism consumption;
• Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI);
• Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA);
• Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP).

Tourism sector : The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity.

Tourism share : Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51 ). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55 ). (See also Tourism ratio ).

Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods : Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips ( TSA:RMF 2008 , 2.41 and Annex 5 ).

Tourism trip : Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.29 ).

Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Tourism value chain : The tourism value chain is the sequence of primary and support activities which are strategically fundamental for the performance of the tourism sector. Linked processes such as policy making and integrated planning, product development and packaging, promotion and marketing, distribution and sales and destination operations and services are the key primary activities of the tourism value chain. Support activities involve transport and infrastructure, human resource development, technology and systems development and other complementary goods and services which may not be related to core tourism businesses but have a high impact on the value of tourism.

Travel / traveller : Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration ( IRTS 2008, 2.4 ). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel.

Travel group : A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp ( IRTS 2008, 3.5 ).

Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies ( BPM6, 10.86 ).

Travel party : A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled ( IRTS 2008, 3.2 ).

Trip : A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips.

Urban/city tourism : Urban/city tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.

Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines ( IRTS 2008, 2.21 ).

Usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18).

Vacation home : A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure ( IRTS 2008, 2.27 ).

Valuables : Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time ( SNA 2008, 10.13 ).

Visit : A trip is made up of visits to different places.The term "tourism visit" refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33 ).

Visitor : A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Wellness tourism : Wellness tourism is a type of tourism activity which aims to improve and balance all of the main domains of human life including physical, mental, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. The primary motivation for the wellness tourist is to engage in preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

The magazine of Glion Institute of Higher Education

• What is tourism and hospitality?

Tourism and hospitality are thriving industries encompassing many sectors, including hotels, restaurants, travel, events, and entertainment.

It’s an exciting and dynamic area, constantly evolving and adapting to changing customer demands and trends.

The tourism and hospitality industry offers a diverse range of career opportunities that cater to various interests, skills, and qualifications, with positions available from entry-level to executive management.

The booming tourism  and hospitality industry also offers job security and career growth potential in many hospitality-related occupations.

What is tourism?

Tourism is traveling for leisure, pleasure, or business purposes and visiting various destinations, such as cities, countries, natural attractions, historical sites, and cultural events, to experience new cultures, activities, and environments.

Tourism can take many forms, including domestic, or traveling within your country, and international tourism, or visiting foreign countries.

It can also involve sightseeing, adventure tourism , eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and business tourism, and it’s a huge contributor to the global economy, generating jobs and income in many countries.

It involves many businesses, including airlines, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, tour operators, and transportation companies.

What is hospitality?

Hospitality includes a range of businesses, such as hotels, restaurants, bars, resorts, cruise ships, theme parks, and other service-oriented businesses that provide accommodations, food, and beverages.

Hospitality is all about creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for guests and meeting their needs.

Quality hospitality means providing excellent customer service, anticipating guests’ needs, and ensuring comfort and satisfaction. The hospitality industry is essential to tourism as both industries often work closely together.

What is the difference between tourism and hospitality?

Hospitality and tourism are both related and separate industries. For instance, airline travel is considered as part of both the tourism and hospitality industries.

Hospitality is a component of the tourism industry, as it provides services and amenities to tourists. However, tourism is a broader industry encompassing various sectors, including transportation, accommodation, and attractions.

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Is tourism and hospitality a good career choice?

So, why work in hospitality and tourism? The tourism and hospitality industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, providing a colossal number of job opportunities.

Between 2021 and 2031, employment in the hospitality and tourism industry is projected to expand faster than any other job sector, creating about 1.3 million new positions .

A tourism and hospitality career  can be a highly rewarding choice for anyone who enjoys working with people, has a strong service-oriented mindset, and is looking for a dynamic and exciting career with growth potential.

Growth and job opportunities in tourism and hospitality

Tourism and hospitality offers significant growth and job opportunities worldwide. The industry’s increasing demand for personnel contributes to economic and employment growth, particularly in developing countries.

The industry employs millions globally, from entry-level to high-level management positions, including hotel managers, chefs, tour operators, travel agents, and executives.

It provides diverse opportunities with great career progression and skill development potential.

Career paths in tourism and hospitality

There are many career opportunities in tourism management and hospitality. With a degree in hospitality management, as well as relevant experience, you can pursue satisfying and fulfilling hospitality and tourism careers in these fields.

Hotel manager

Hotel managers oversee hotel operations. They manage staff, supervise customer service, and ensure the facility runs smoothly.

Tour manager

Tour managers organize and lead group tours. They work for tour companies, travel agencies, or independently. Tour managers coordinate a group’s transportation, accommodations, and activities, ensuring the trip runs to schedule.

Restaurant manager

Restaurant managers supervise the daily operations of a restaurant. They manage staff, ensure the kitchen runs smoothly, and monitor customer service.

Resort manager

Resort managers supervise and manage the operations of a resort. From managing staff to overseeing customer service, they ensure the entire operation delivers excellence.

Entertainment manager

Entertainment managers organize and oversee entertainment at venues like hotels or resorts. They book performers, oversee sound and lighting, and ensure guests have a great experience.

Event planner

Event planners organize and coordinate events, such as weddings, conferences, and trade shows. They work for event planning companies, hotels, or independently.

vent planners coordinate all aspects of the event, from the venue to catering and decor.

Travel consultant

Travel consultants help customers plan and book travel arrangements, such as flights, hotels, and rental cars. They work for travel agencies or independently. Travel consultants must know travel destinations and provide superb customer service.

What skills and qualifications are needed for a career in tourism and hospitality?

Tourism and hospitality are rewarding industries with growing job opportunities. Necessary qualifications include excellent skills in communication, customer service, leadership, problem-solving, and organization along with relevant education and training.

Essential skills for success in tourism and hospitality

A career in the tourism and hospitality industry requires a combination of soft and technical skills and relevant qualifications. Here are some of the essential key skills needed for a successful career.

• Communication skills : Effective communication is necessary for the tourism and hospitality industry in dealing with all kinds of people.
• Customer service : Providing excellent customer service is critical to the success of any tourism or hospitality business . This requires patience, empathy, and the ability to meet customers’ needs.
• Flexibility and adaptability : The industry is constantly changing, and employees must be able to adapt to new situations, be flexible with their work schedules, and handle unexpected events.
• Time management : Time management is crucial to ensure guest satisfaction and smooth operations.
• Cultural awareness : Understanding and respecting cultural differences is essential in the tourism and hospitality industry, as you’ll interact with people from different cultures.
• Teamwork : Working collaboratively with colleagues is essential, as employees must work together to ensure guests have a positive experience.
• Problem-solving : Inevitably, problems will arise, and employees must be able to identify, analyze, and resolve them efficiently.
• Technical skills : With the increasing use of technology, employees must possess the necessary technical skills to operate systems, such as booking software, point-of-sale systems, and social media platforms.

Revenue management : Revenue management skills are crucial in effectively managing pricing, inventory, and data analysis to maximize revenue and profitability

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With this Master’s degree, you’ll discover the skills to manage a world-class hospitality and tourism business.

Education and training opportunities in tourism and hospitality

Education and training are vital for a hospitality and tourism career. You can ensure you are prepared for a career in the industry with a Bachelor’s in hospitality management   and Master’s in hospitality   programs from Glion.

These programs provide a comprehensive understanding of the guest experience, including service delivery and business operations, while developing essential skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving. You’ll gain the knowledge and qualifications you need for a successful, dynamic, and rewarding hospitality and tourism career.

Preparing for a career in tourism and hospitality

To prepare for a career in tourism and hospitality management, you should focus on researching the industry and gaining relevant education and training, such as a hospitality degree . For instance, Glion’s programs emphasize guest experience and hospitality management, providing students with an outstanding education that launches them into leading industry roles.

It would help if you also worked on building your communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills while gaining practical experience through internships or part-time jobs in the industry. Meanwhile, attending industry events, job fairs, and conferences, staying up-to-date on industry trends, and networking to establish professional connections will also be extremely valuable.

Finding jobs in tourism and hospitality

To find jobs in tourism and hospitality, candidates can search online job boards, and company career pages, attend career fairs, network with industry professionals, and utilize the services of recruitment agencies. Hospitality and tourism graduates can also leverage valuable alumni networks and industry connections made during internships or industry projects.

Networking and building connections in the industry

Networking and building connections in the hospitality and tourism industry provide opportunities to learn about job openings, meet potential employers, and gain industry insights. It can also help you expand your knowledge and skills, build your personal brand, and establish yourself as a valuable industry professional.

You can start networking by attending industry events, joining professional organizations, connecting with professionals on social media, and through career services at Glion.

Tips for success in tourism and hospitality

Here are tips for career success in the tourism and hospitality industry.

• Gain relevant education and training : Pursue a hospitality or tourism management degree from Glion to gain fundamental knowledge and practical skills.
• Build your network : Attend industry events, connect with colleagues and professionals on LinkedIn, and join relevant associations to build your network and increase your exposure to potential job opportunities.
• Gain practical experience : Look for internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering opportunities to gain practical experience and develop relevant skills.
• Develop your soft skills : Work on essential interpersonal skills like communication, empathy, and problem-solving.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends : Follow industry news and trends and proactively learn new skills and technologies relevant to tourism and hospitality.
• Be flexible and adaptable : The tourism and hospitality industry constantly evolves, so be open to change and to adapting to new situations and challenges.
• Strive for excellent guest service : Focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences as guest satisfaction is critical for success.

Tourism and hospitality offer many fantastic opportunities to create memorable guest experiences , work in diverse and multicultural environments, and develop transferable skills.

If you’re ready to embark on your career in tourism and hospitality, Glion has world-leading bachelor’s and master’s programs to set you up for success.

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Definition of hotel

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of Hotel  (Entry 2 of 2)

• caravansary
• caravanserai
• public house

Examples of hotel in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hotel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

borrowed from French hôtel, going back to Old French hostel, ostel "lodging, accommodation" — more at hostel entry 1

1687, in the meaning defined above

Communications Code Word

1951, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hotel

• apartment hotel

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Dictionary Entries Near hotel

Cite this entry.

“Hotel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hotel. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of hotel.

from French hôtel "hotel," from early French hostel "a place for travelers to spend the night," derived from Latin hospitalis "of a guest, showing hospitality," from hospit-, hospes "host, stranger, guest" — related to hospital , hospitality

More from Merriam-Webster on hotel

Nglish: Translation of hotel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hotel for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hotel

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More From Forbes

Hit and run tourism: what does it mean to ‘visit’ a country.

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Mount Everest, Nepal which is suffering from overtourism—400 people have been to every ... [+] country/territory in the world

Hit and run tourism is everywhere on the news, with people bemoaning the bad behaviour of tourists converging on one picture or sculpture before rushing onto the next, or taking selfies in inappropriate locations and then moving on, leaving behind mounds of litter and noise. What's clear is that there are ways that tourists can be motivated to change their behavior and some traveler groups are trying to create consensus around what it actually means to visit a country.

More People Are Visiting Every Country In The World

There's a small group of people who have visited every country in the world—about 400 or so, as reported by CNN . In 2023, though, 50 people joined this group, more than ever before, and they can all say they have been to all 195 UN-recognized countries and territories.

There are more organizations welcoming these travelers too. The Travelers Century Club was the first to launch in 1954—its members need to have visited 100 or more countries and territories. Now there are also two others, Nomad Mania and Most Traveled People.

Most people in these clubs don't suddenly decide to travel to every country in the world. Many, such as Rauli Virtanen who is believed to be the first person to have traveled to every country in the world, are already incredibly well traveled before they decide to make it a mission.

Many, as Virtanen acknowledges, can only travel the world because they are fortunate to have the right passports coupled with enough wealth (or jobs that pay for travel expenses).

Travel, however, has always been a competitive sport—whether that be Ernest Shackleton getting to the Antarctic, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbing Mount Everest or Amelia Earhart crossing the Atlantic. Today's equivalent is probably to visit every country. Ugandan-American travel influencer Jessica Nabongo became the first Black woman to document her travels to every country in 2019 and Gunnar Garfors is the first person to visit every country in the world twice.

New iOS 18 AI Security Move Changes The Game For All iPhone Users

Google issues critical chrome update for all windows users, world war i tactics make a comeback as a ukrainian gunner in the back of a propeller plane shoots down a russian drone, more and more people are complaining of 'hit and run' tourism.

Now that visitor numbers are springing back to pre-pandemic levels, some of the old travel nuisances have also returned. Gion district in Kyoto, Japan, is reporting that tourists are causing a nuisance when trying to take photographs of the women Geishas and that while on-the-spot fines exist, they are unenforceable.

Milan's mayor wants to ban gelato and alcohol sales after midnight to preserve the city's tranquility and Japanese authorities are to build a big wall blocking the view of Mount Fuji from a gas station because of badly-behaved tourists stopping for a selfie and leaving litter everywhere.

The same kind of tourism is happening because of Netflix's Emily in Paris. The show portrays a side of Paris that critics say is stereotypical, and simply untrue (could 'Emily' afford the apartment she has on her salary?) but more insidiously for critics, it has encouraged a form of Parisian tourism that is only interested in a form of collection, identical to the character. The photo eating the same pain au chocolat in the same boulangerie. Tick. The photo drinking the same chocolat chaud in the same 18th century tearoom. Check. For some travelers, the only way to live an experience is by taking a picture and then posting it.

So, What Does It Really Mean To Travel To A Country?

So maybe the real question is, what does it mean to 'visit' a country? Is it spending time there, even if we never speak a word of the language? Never speak to a local? Nomad Mania members suggest that 'a visit' should normally constitute things such as passing through immigration, staying a night, and traveling in a moving vehicle.

The Director of the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, best known for housing Michelangelo’s David, notes that there are also different ways that people can be encouraged to pass through some of the world's most famous—and most Instagrammable—locations. Writing in The Guardian , Cecilie Hollberg suggests several things that have worked to reduce such 'hit and run' tourism in her museum—holding exhibitions in winter, extending opening hours, getting the local residents involved, changing signage and museum trajectories so that visitors don't all head straight for selfies with David, as well as reducing the numbers in tour groups.

In the age of the climate crisis, it might also depend on how we travel. Torbjørn “Thor” Pedersen set off from Denmark in 2013 to visit every country without flying and he finally arrived in his final country, the Maldives, in May 2023 after 9 years and 203 countries/territories and returned to Denmark by ship. Some travel challenges it seems can be slow burn and meet current Instagram trends.

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Amsterdam’s Latest Effort to Fight Excessive Tourism: No New Hotels

The city wants no more than 20 million hotel stays annually. The measure is one of multiple efforts to control the flow of visitors.

By Claire Moses

Amsterdam has been searching for any way to rein in the number of tourists that visit the city every year.

In March of last year, the city launched an ad campaign specifically targeted at British men between 18 and 35, urging them to “stay away.”

In July, the Dutch capital announced it would bar cruise ships from docking in the city center .

The city has also long tried to control the crowds in its red-light district, where rowdy groups of tourists often cause disruptions to local residents. It has added stricter rules about smoking marijuana . It has banned new tourist shops. And still, the people keep coming.

Now, the city — which is as well known for its canals and 17th century art as for its legal sex industry and easy access to marijuana — has taken one more step to further restrict the explosive growth of tourists: It is banning hotels from being built.

“Amsterdam is saying ‘no’ to new hotels,” the City Council said in a statement. “We want to make and keep the city livable for residents and visitors,” it added.

Amsterdam, which added that it was seeking to keep hotel stays by tourists to under 20 million per year, saw its highest number of visitors before the pandemic in 2019, when there were 25.2 million hotel stays, according to the city’s data.

Last year, that number was exceeded by tourists staying over in Amsterdam, not including stays in short-term rentals like Airbnbs and cruise ships. And the measure also does not take into account daily visitors who do not stay the night.

The ban on new hotels, while sending a clear message about the city’s aim to reduce the number of visitors, is also largely symbolic. The city’s policy on hotel construction was already strict, and there had been only three proposals since 2017 that met Amsterdam’s requirements, according to the city. New hotels that had been approved or were in development — 26 in total — would be allowed to proceed for now.

Under the new rules, a new hotel can only open if another one closes. It also isn’t allowed to add more rooms than were available, according to the city.

“The effect won’t be very big,” said Ko Koens, a professor of new urban tourism at Inholland University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He also said that in the long run, the capping of hotels could make them more expensive to stay at.

While this ban alone would not make a huge dent in the number of visitors to the city, Mr. Koens said, taken together with other initiatives it could make Amsterdam a less appealing place to visit. But, he said, “For now, visitors don’t seem to mind.”

In total, Amsterdam has nearly 42,000 hotel rooms that can accommodate more than 92,000 people, according to Statistics Netherlands, a governmental institution that compiles data about the country. (In total, the Netherlands has more than 150,000 hotel rooms.)

Amsterdam’s initiatives to rein in tourism have been largely focused on its crowded city center. But as long as Amsterdam’s airport, Schiphol, continues to be a major European hub, it won’t be easy to keep visitors away from the city.

“There are no simple solutions,” Mr. Koens said. “It’s super complex.”

Amsterdam also announced this week it would start cutting the number of river cruises allowed to dock in its waters. In 2023, that number was 2,125. In 2028, the city wants it to be halved, with no more than 1,150. The city predicts that effort could reduce the number of visitors that come into town by 271,000. This proposal, the city said, is to improve the quality of life for residents and to reduce emissions and crowds.

“The balance in the city needs to improve,” Hester van Buren, a deputy mayor who focuses on the city’s port, said in a statement.

Amsterdam isn’t the only major European destination that has been struggling to get a grip on the growing number of tourists. Venice announced it would charge day-tripping visitors 5 euros ($5.33) to enter the iconic streets of its city center on weekends and some holidays from April 25 through mid-July, its busiest season.

Amsterdam, currently in a busy touristic time because of its famous blooming tulips, has not announced a similar measure, but it is likely there will be more efforts and experiments designed to limit visitors — like the hotel ban.

“Without such a stop, Amsterdam’s center would become one big hotel,” Mr. Koens said. “You don’t want that either.”

Claire Moses is a Times reporter in London, focused on coverage of breaking and trending news. More about Claire Moses

Key Hotel Terminology and Acronyms Every Hospitality Professional Should Know

Hotels are an important part of the tourism industry, and there is a lot of specialised vocabulary associated with them. In this article, we will look at some of the most common terms and phrases used in the hotel industry, as well as some key acronyms that you might come across.  With this knowledge, you’ll be able to navigate your way around a hotel with ease and understand what industry insiders are talking about.

Key Hotel Terminology Definitions:

Accommodation: A place to stay, typically a room in a hotel, motel, or inn.

ADR: Average Daily Rate. A hotel’s average rate per day, normally calculated by dividing the total revenue achieved during a given period by the number of room nights sold during that period.

ARM: Average Room Rate. The average price paid per room, normally calculated by dividing the total revenue achieved during a given period by the number of rooms sold during that period.

Arrival: A guest who arrives at a hotel.

Amenities: Extra services and facilities that a hotel offers its guests, beyond the basics of a room and bed. Services and facilities can include things like a swimming pool, spa, fitness center, restaurant, bar, concierge, 24-hour room service, laundry service, and Wi-Fi.

B&B: Bed and breakfast. A type of accommodation that typically includes a bedroom and private bathroom, as well as a continental breakfast.

Best Available Rate (BAR): The lowest rate that a hotel is currently offering, which may vary depending on the date and availability.

Blackout Dates: Dates when a hotel is not able to offer a discount, e.g. due to high demand.

Booking: The process of reserving a room at a hotel.

Booking window: The period of time during which a customer can book a room in order to receive a specific rate or discount.

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Breakfast included: A type of room rate that includes breakfast in the price.

Business Traveller: A person who travels for work, either regularly or occasionally.

Check-in: The process of arriving at a hotel and registering for your stay.

Check-out: The process of leaving a hotel and settling your bill.

Children’s policy: A hotel’s policy regarding guests who are under 18 years of age.

Commission: A fee that is charged by a hotel to a travel agent or tour operator for making a booking.

Concierge: A hotel staff member who is available to assist guests with their needs, such as making restaurant reservations or arranging transportation.

Continental breakfast: A type of breakfast that typically includes coffee, tea, pastries, and fruit.

Corporate rate: A discounted room rate that is available to business travellers.

CRS: Central Reservations System . A system used by hotels to manage room reservations.

Do not disturb: A sign that guests can hang on their door to indicate that they do not wish to be disturbed.

Double room: A type of hotel room that has two beds, meant for two people.

Duty manager: A hotel employee who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the hotel in the absence of the general manager.

Eco-friendly: Describes products or services that have minimal negative impact on the environment.

En-suite: A bathroom that is attached to and accessed from a bedroom.

Family room: A type of hotel room that is larger than a standard room and can accommodate a family or group.

Fitness centre: A facility at a hotel that offers guests the use of gym equipment and other exercise facilities.

Full board: A type of room rate that includes all meals (usually breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the price.

Full-service hotel: A type of hotel that offers a wide range of services and amenities, such as a swimming pool, fitness centre, and restaurants.

GDS: Global Distribution System . A system used by travel agents and other industry insiders to search for and book hotel rooms, flights, and other travel products.

Half-board: A type of meal plan that includes breakfast and dinner.

High season: The busiest travel time of the year, when hotels are typically more expensive.

Holidays: Popular travel times during the year, such as Christmas or Easter.

Hotel star rating: A rating system used to classify hotels, from one to five stars.

Hostel: A type of budget accommodation that typically has shared rooms and bathrooms.

Individual booking: A hotel reservation that is made by one person, as opposed to a group booking.

Keycard: A card that is used to open your hotel room door, instead of a traditional key.

Length of stay: The number of nights that a guest stays at a hotel.

Low season: The least busy travel time of the year, when hotels are typically less expensive.

Loyalty scheme: A scheme offered by some hotels where guests can earn points or benefits (such as discount or free stays) for being loyal to the hotel brand

Manager: An employee of a hotel who is responsible for the overall running of the property.

Meal plan: A type of package that includes meals, often offered at a discount.

Mini-bar: A small fridge in a hotel room that is stocked with drinks and snacks (usually chargeable).

Motel: A type of hotel that is typically located near a highway, with easy access for travellers.

No-show: A guest who does not arrive at the hotel on the expected date of arrival, without cancelling their reservation in advance.

Occupancy: The percentage of rooms in a hotel that are occupied at any given time.

Off-peak: A time of year when there is less demand for travel, and thus hotels are typically less expensive.

On-site restaurant: A restaurant that is located within the hotel property.

OTA: Online Travel Agency . A company that sells hotel rooms and other travel-related products and services online, e.g. Expedia, Kayak, or Orbitz.

Peak season: The busiest time of the year for travel, when hotels are typically more expensive.

PMS: Property Management Software is software built to automate admin and streamline your business.

Porter: A hotel staff member who helps guests with their luggage.

Rate: The cost of a room at a hotel, typically given per night.

Reception: The lobby or front desk area of a hotel, where guests check in and check out.

Room block: A group of rooms set aside for a particular event or group of guests, usually at a discounted rate.

Room service: A service offered by some hotels in which guests can order food and drink to be delivered to their room.

RevPAR: Revenue per available room. A measure of a hotel’s profitability, calculated by multiplying a hotel’s average room rate by its occupancy rate.

Single room: A type of hotel room that has one bed, meant for one person.

Suite: A type of hotel room that is larger and has more amenities than a standard room, often including a separate living area.

Technology: Various tools that hotels use to improve the guest experience , such as electronic key cards and in-room entertainment systems.

Tourist season: A time of year when there is an influx of tourists, often resulting in higher hotel prices.

Travel agent: A professional who helps people plan their travel, often handling bookings and reservations.

Unoccupied: A room that is not currently being used by guests.

Vacancy: A room that is available for guests to book.

Weekend rate: A lower rate offered by some hotels for stays during the weekends.

Hotel terminology can be confusing, but it’s important to know the key terms and jargon in order to understand the industry. With this guide, you’ll be able to understand the basics of hotel terminology and be more familiar with the industry jargon.

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Moscow metro to be more tourist-friendly

A new floor sign system at the Moscow metro's Pushkinskaya station. Source: Vladimir Pesnya / RIA Novosti

For many years now, Moscow has lagged behind St. Petersburg when it comes to making life easy for tourists, especially where getting around the city is concerned. Whereas the northern capital installed English-language maps, signs and information points throughout its subway system in the late 2000s, the Russian capital’s metro remained a serious challenge for foreign visitors to navigate.

Recent visitors to Moscow may have noticed some signs that change is afoot, however. In many stations of the Moscow subway, signs have appeared on the floor – with large lettering in Russian and English – indicating the direction to follow in order to change lines. Previously, foreign visitors using the Moscow metro had to rely solely upon deciphering the Russian-language signs hanging from the ceilings.

Student volunteers help tourists find their way in Moscow

However, this new solution has a significant drawback. “The floor navigation is visible only to a small stream of people – fewer than three people per meter. During peak hours, this navigation will simply not be noticed,” said Konstantin Trofimenko, Director of the Center for Urban Transportation Studies.

One of the biggest problems for tourists in the Russian capital remains the absence of English translations of the names of subway stations in the station vestibules and on platforms. The Department of Transportation in Moscow has not commented yet as to when this problem will be solved. However, Latin transliterations of station names can already be found in the subway cars themselves.

Finding the right exit

At four of the central stations – Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, Ploshchad Revolyutsii, Lubyanka and Kuznetsky Most – the city authorities have now installed colorful stands at the exits with schematic diagrams of the station’s concourse and surrounding area, which provide information about the main attractions and infrastructural facilities.

The schematic diagrams are the work of British specialists from the City ID and Billings Jackson Design firms, who have already implemented successful projects in New York and London.

According to Alexei Novichkov, expert at the Design Laboratory at the Higher School of Economics, the design of these information booths raises no objections: The color solutions, font, layout and icons are consistent with international standards.

However, the stands do have some shortcomings. “Many questions are raised about the fact that the developers of these maps did not apply orientation to the north, and have provided layouts of the surrounding areas with respect to the exits,” says Novichkov. “A system like that is used for road navigators, but most of the ‘paper’ guides and maps are oriented strictly to north. The subway map is also oriented to north, so people may become confused.”

Muscovites and foreign visitors are generally positive about these navigation elements, with most of them citing the numbered exits from the subway as the most useful feature.

The fact is that many Moscow subway stations have several exits. One of the busiest central stations of the Moscow subway in particular, Kitay-Gorod, has more than a dozen exits. Previously, these exits were differentiated from each other only with signs in Russian referring to the names of streets and places of interest to which they led – making it easy for tourists and those with poor navigation skills to get confused.

Now, when making an appointment to meet a friend, instead of struggling to find the right spot when they tell you: “I'll meet you at the exit to Solyanka Street,” you can just propose to meet under a specific exit number.

“I’ve lived in Moscow for seven years,” says Angelika, a designer from Voronezh, “but I still don’t always know where to go to find the place I need, so the new schematic diagrams will be very useful. Previously, some subway stations had maps, but not with so much detail.”

Teething problems

Foreigners, meanwhile, focus their attention on other elements. “It is good that the new information boards have QR-codes, which can be ‘read’ by smartphones,” says Florentina, a writer from Vienna. But there are also shortcomings. “The English font of the information on posters and in the captions to theaters and museums is too small – you have to come very close to see it well,” she says.

Pleasant encounters on the streets of Moscow

Florentina was also dissatisfied with the fact that such posters are not provided at all subway stations: “When I was trying to find Tsaritsyno Park (a museum and reserve in the south of Moscow) at a subway station with the same name, it turned out to be quite difficult,” she says.

“There are no maps with landmarks for other areas, such as those already in the city center. There were no clear pointers in the English language, and the passers-by I met did not speak in English, so they could not help me,” she adds.

Officials say that the navigation system is gradually being redeveloped and improved. According to Darya Chuvasheva, a press representative for the Department of Transport of Moscow, the introduction of a unified navigation system will take place in stages.

“By the end of 2014, the system will first appear on the first subway stations on the Circle Line. By the end of 2015, we plan to install the system at all major stopping points, subway stations and transport interchange hubs,” says Chuvasheva.

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A big Syracuse hotel plans switch to apartments. Local tourism chief calls it ‘devastating’

S yracuse, N.Y. — The owner of the Crowne Plaza, one of Syracuse’s largest and best known hotels, is planning to transition the property into a residential apartment building.

The plan would convert the 277-room hotel into a building with 287 residential units, while keeping the ground floor restaurant open, according to a proposal filed with the Syracuse Planning Commission.

The iconic 20-story round hotel at 701 E. Genesee St. is owned by Clearwater, Fla.-based TJM Properties. The planning commission will review the plan at its next meeting on May 6. TJM has not responded to a syracuse.com request for more information.

The Crowne Plaza plan, combined with Syracuse University’s recent decision to convert its Sheraton Hotel near campus into dorm , could be “devastating” to the city’s convention business, said Danny Liedka, president of of Visit Syracuse , the area’s tourism agency.

The Sheraton has 200 hotel rooms, which will be converted into a 400-bed dorm this fall. With the Crown Plaza proposal, that means a potential loss of 477 rooms in the downtown/SU area.

The Crowne Plaza, the Sheraton and the Marriott Syracuse Downtown are the three main hotels supporting events at the Onondaga County Convention Center and nearby venues, Liedka said. The Marriott (formerly the Hotel Syracuse), has 315 rooms.

“That’s shutting down two of our three main hotels, so it’s going to make our convention business extremely difficult, at least in the short term,” Liedka said. “I think it will right itself eventually, but it’s going to take time, perhaps a few years.”

TJM Properties purchased the Crown Plaza for $15.2 million in 2016. It attempted to sell the property at auction in 2023, but that did not go through. The hotel dates to 1969, and has had several prior owners and names,

In February, the hotel was damaged in a fire that broke out on its top floor.

In another hotel transaction in the area, SU recently bought the Hotel Skyler, a 58-room “boutique” hotel at 601 S. Crouse Ave. SU plans to keep it operating as a hotel for now.

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com , syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at [email protected] , or follow him at NYup.com , on Twitter or Facebook .

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

THE 10 CLOSEST Hotels to Museum and Exhibition Center

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Money latest: JD Sports introducing tagging sprays in stores

JD Sports is introducing tagging sprays across its stores nationwide as part of a ramping up of security measures. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news below, plus leave a comment in the box.

Tuesday 30 April 2024 17:40, UK

• State pensions 'could be in doubt for future generations'
• Average UK rents hit new high
• Higher food prices warning as new Brexit checks begin
• JD Sports introducing tagging sprays in stores

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Ask a question or make a comment

Oil traders working for the US firm Exxon Mobil Corp in Brussels could lose their job if they refuse to move to London, according to reports.

Under the new proposal employees moving to the UK capital would be expected to be in the office five days a week.

But traders working for the oil giant said in an internal union-led survey they did not want to move to London due to "uncompetitive" pay and a "lack of flexibility", a union statement reads, according to  Bloomberg .

Up to 37 trading employees now face having their contracts terminated as a result of this.

ExxonMobil has said it "remains open to resolving the situation".

The sports retailer is introducing tagging sprays across its stores nationwide as part of a ramping up of security measures. 

It will start using SelectaDNA sprays, which can be misted on property and criminals. 

The sprays work by leaving a synthetic DNA and UV marker which does not wash off and can be used to link assets to owners and criminals to crime scenes. 

JD Sports said the measure was in response to a significant increase in shoplifting in UK.

In particular, it said it had seen a rise in "steaming" - where large gangs run into stores, threaten staff with violence and then run off with armfuls of stolen products.

The SelectaDNA spray reportedly does not cause any harm or damage to skin, clothing or property.

Lidl plans to open hundreds more supermarkets across Britain.

The German discount chain, which is now the UK's sixth biggest supermarket, is targeting thousands of new shoppers as it continues its expansion.

It currently has about 960 stores but is targeting more than 1,100 across England, Wales and Scotland.

In the coming months, the chain will welcome shoppers to new stores across the country, from Bristol, Birmingham and Berwick in Scotland. 

In London, it will be opening new stores in Wandsworth, Fulham, Hoxton and Canning Town.

But it says it is eyeing growth in more locations. If it successfully finds a good location, it is willing to pay a finder's fee of 1.5% of the total freehold purchase price, or 10% of the first year's rent for leaseholds, which would equate to £22,500 for a completed £1.5m site purchase.

A finder's fee can be paid to any member of the public who identifies a suitable site for it to open a new store.

Richard Taylor, Lidl Great Britain's chief development officer, said the company was "continuing to invest in new locations whilst exploring innovative routes to expansion".

"As we look ahead, we're excited to welcome even more new shoppers to our existing stores, as well as those we're planning to open across the country in the coming months and years," he said.

Mortgage approvals rose to 61,300 in March - the highest number since September 2022.

They had been at 60,500 in February, according to the Bank of England.

While this is positive, industry experts are reporting that uncertainty over the direction of interest rates this year is prompting caution.

Mortgage rates have risen in the last few weeks as markets went from pricing in a base rate cut in June to thinking it may be August.

US inflation proving stubborn has led to concern here that the path to the 2% target may be bumpy - meaning the base rate may have to stay high in order to constrain spending and thus ease price rises.

Forecasts of three cuts this year from the current 5.25% have been scaled back to two.

Hina Bhudia, partner at Knight Frank Finance, said: "The sun is out and buyers are returning from their Easter break, so we'd usually expect these to be the busy weeks before the summer; however, the uncertain outlook for mortgage rates will undoubtedly weigh on activity.

"It's not just buyers that are frustrated. The lenders are eager to rebuild their businesses after a subdued 2023; however, they are constrained by stubborn inflation and the resulting impact on their cost of funding."

Following Sainsbury's boss Simon Roberts' claim that Britons like self-checkouts...

...we asked Money blog readers, and followers of our LinkedIn page , for their views.

While our inbox was filled with a lot of hate for self-checkouts, our poll of 2,613 people on LinkedIn shows that, overall, Mr Roberts was right...

We have rounded up some of your views here...

Self-checkout is the worst thing to ever happen. Standing like a child with your hand up, one person running up and down to deal with this, underpaid and understaffed. Janice Karaaziz, Money reader

I'll go out of my way to find a cashier, largely because my five-year-old will make a beeline for pressing the scales. I've noticed my local store having fewer and fewer cashiers on - and on many occasions there have been none. We need to think about inclusivity here. There will be some customers who will need a cashier for various reasons, so would expect there to always be at least one on, so stores are accessible for everyone. KaraS, LinkedIn

I try and limit my social interactions as much as possible, out of choice, so most of the time self-checkouts are convenient. Alasdair Corton, LinkedIn

They induce a level of irritation. Sometimes I can be heard answering them back. In general I choose to have my items flung at me by Lidl checkout staff. Siobhan W, LinkedIn

Self-checkout provides a great alternative to customers, especially those with smaller quantity purchases, but personally I think it's sad to see them dominate the front of Sainsbury's stores. In my opinion, it's the removal of one of the greatest ways to provide good customer service. Tom Tregay, LinkedIn

Self-checkouts are great, I will always choose to use one instead of a normal checkout. Some are easier to use than others, the Co-op and Tesco have easy-to-use interfaces whereas Morrisons is a bit more complicated. They'll evolve over time and there's always staff to help out. CG, LinkedIn

They're useful, but when they trigger a "basket check" on nearly every single shop, they begin to lose attractiveness Nicola Bradley, LinkedIn

I tend to argue with them lol. Especially when I can't get it to scan a particular item or you need approval for something so you have to wait for assistance anyway! Plus as a disabled customer I have to juggle my crutch, shopping, scanning and packing. With reduced staff in shops you can't always get the help you actually need. Elizabeth Graney, LinkedIn

Definitely not. So when I go to Sainsbury's I see a lot of older people and no way do they want to use self-checkouts. My mother lives in assisted living and all of them say they hate them. Get a grip, Simon - they are not faster, they are saving you employing more staff. I know my aunt has stood at an Asda til they put a staff member on there. Andrea Robinson, LinkedIn

Robots should never replace humans. Interaction is essential... if machines replace people no one will work, it's a crazy dangerous road. Nicola van Eerten, LinkedIn

The self-checkout is a money-saving exercise. They cut back everywhere. No staff on the shop floor to help. Paper bags in the veg section now cost 30p - for absolutely no reason. Mark, Money reader

Average advertised rents have hit a new high in the UK, according to Rightmove .

Across Britain, excluding London, the average monthly rent being asked for a property coming on the market in the first quarter of 2024 was £1,291, the property website found. This was 8.5% higher than a year earlier.

The average advertised rent in London also hit a fresh high in the first quarter of 2024 at £2,633 per month but this was just £2 higher than the average asking rent in the fourth quarter of 2023.

While average rents have climbed, the property website says there are signs that the pace of the increases is slowing.

There are also indications that more landlords are having to reduce their asking rents, particularly for bigger homes, to meet what tenants can afford.

Rightmove's director of property science, Tim Bannister, said the rental market was "no longer at peak boiling point" but it "remains at a very hot simmer".

By James Sillars , business reporter

The index rose by 0.3% to 8,174 points at the open.

Only real estate stocks were proving any kind of drag.

Among the companies leading the gainers was HSBC.

It climbed by more than 2.6% in London after the Asia-focused bank announced a rise in shareholder awards despite a slight drop in quarterly profits.

The share price reaction also reflected news that chief executive Noel Quinn is to retire - read the full story of that here ...

Among the other gainers in early dealing was Whitbread.

The Premier Inn owner's annual results revealed a sharp rise in annual profits but also a new focus on hotel investment at the expense of its restaurant brands.

That was placing 1,500 jobs at risk, it warned - read the full story here ...

By Jess Sharp , Money team

We first came across Tom McPhail when he posted this on X... 

The pensions expert appeared to be suggesting state pensions were at risk of disappearing.  

After speaking to him on the phone, he confirmed that was exactly his concern, warning something needed to be done sooner rather than later to avoid a "catastrophic" situation.  

He described state pensions as a social contract – each generation pays taxes and national insurance, which funds the pensions of today's older people, and they hope the following generation will do the same for them.

But with population growth slowing, there's a worry there may simply not be enough people to keep the system afloat in the future.  

"There's a significant demographic shift going on in the UK. It started before the Second World War, cohorts of people born in the 1930s have been experiencing significantly longer lives than was the case prior to that, so people now in their 80s are living quite a lot longer," he said. 

"But at the same time, we've got fewer children coming through. And so this exacerbates the shift in the age of the population."

He said if he was 20 today, he would be "sceptical" about the promise of a state pension because he isn't sure how it's going to be paid for.  

At the moment, the state pension system costs around £120bn a year and more than half of retired people rely on it to make up at least 50% of their income, he added.  

Over the next 50 years, Tom predicts the proportion of GDP the state spends on older people will increase from around 16% to 25%.  

"I hesitate to use the word unsustainable, but it will certainly start to look challenging," he said.  

"If we suddenly switched off the state pension or significantly reduced it, people would be in trouble, so the government can’t do that. 

"You can't keep on progressively ratcheting up a more and more generous state pension. The costs of state pensions is going to become increasingly difficult for the younger cohorts to bear."

He pointed to a few ways to potentially salvage the state pension – policy change, more babies being born or people working until they are in their 70s.  

"Politicians are going to have to make decisions about how to get out of this kind of political bind," Tom added. 

"Time and time again it's just kick the can down the road on the pension question, just put a sticking plaster on it and let the next government deal with the problem. 

"You can't keep doing that. So I would really like to see, on the other side of this forthcoming general election... whoever's in power, in collaboration with whoever's in opposition, to just really open it up to some honest conversations about where the demographics are going to take us." 

He does note there is one piece of good news: "This happens quite slowly, so we do have time on our side." 

Basically, swap rates dictate the pricing of fixed-rate mortgages.

Lenders, such as banks and building societies, borrow in order to lend.

They borrow from financial markets and often these transactions are made using Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA) swap rates, which can move around.

By contrast, most domestic mortgages are set on what is known as a "term" rate – in other words, the borrower knows how much interest they will be paying for a set period of time.

To avoid a situation where the SONIA rate goes above the rate it is charging borrowers, which would leave the bank or building society lending at a loss, the lender will seek to enter a "swap" arrangement which protects them from such a situation.

Under such agreements, two parties exchange cash flows with each other. The lending bank will swap the variable payments it may make to service a mortgage (which is fixed to the SONIA rate) for payments at a fixed rate. This insulates the lending bank from unexpected increases in the SONIA rate.

Once a deal is struck based on the swap rate, mortgage providers set their fixed deals for customers, with their own profit margin priced in.

How are swap rates decided?

Swap rates are based on what the markets think will happen to interest rates in the future.

When they go up, so do the rates being offered on the high street, as we have seen in the last week or two amid uncertainty over whether forecasts for a summer base rate cut are accurate.

Read other entries in our Basically... series:

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May. Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's  journey planner  to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying this was way below inflation, and was linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef says train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

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Tens of thousands protest against Canary Islands’ ‘unsustainable’ tourism model

Organisers say 50,000 turn out to call for limit on tourist numbers, saying model makes life unaffordable and puts strain on resources

Tens of thousands of people are protesting across the Canary Islands to call for an urgent rethink of the Spanish archipelago’s tourism strategy and a freeze on visitor numbers, arguing that the decades-old model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents.

The protests, which are taking place under the banner “Canarias tiene un límite” – The Canaries have a limit – are backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife.

“We’ve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down, especially over the past year,” said Víctor Martín, a spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota – The Canaries Have Had Enough – which helped to coordinate protests on Saturday across the eight islands.

Eleven members of Canarias se Agota have already been on hunger strike for a week to protest against the construction of two large luxury developments in southern Tenerife, which they describe as illegal and totally unnecessary.

Police said 20,000 people had turned out for the demonstrations, but organisers put the figure closer to 50,000, Spain’s TVE public television said.

“We are not against tourism,” Rosario Correo, one of the protesters, told TVE. “We’re asking that they change this model that allows for unlimited growth of tourism.”

Protesters also gathered in Madrid and Barcelona to show their support for the rallies in the Canary Islands, public television said.

Last year, 13.9 million people visited the islands, which have a population of 2.2 million. Tourism accounts for about 35% of the archipelago’s GDP – bringing in €16.9bn in 2022 alone – but local people say the industry is stressing natural resources and pricing them out of the rental market.

Figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute show that 33.8% of people in the Canaries are at risk of poverty or social exclusion , the highest proportion for any region except Andalucía.

Martín said the regional government’s continuing focus on tourism at a time when the climate emergency was leading to cuts to water supplies made no sense. “Demand is rising in urban areas where there are more tourists,” he said. “We’ve had a very dry winter and a water emergency’s already been declared on Tenerife.

“There are going to be restrictions if there’s not more rain this month but it’s 36C here right now. This is all unsustainable and it means that we won’t even be able to keep normal levels of tourism going. And yet the authorities and the businesses here are trying to stick with this model.”

The housing situation in many parts of the archipelago was also dire because of high prices, low wages, a lack of public housing and the continuing cost of living crisis, Martín said. “I realised we’d reached the limit when I saw people who were working as hotel maids or waiters were living in shacks.

“Wages are so low that they don’t cover the basic costs of living, especially in the current crisis, which is global, but has been felt keenly in the Canaries because we have to import practically everything.”

He insisted the protest movement was not anti-tourist, pointing out that many people in the Canaries had known and liked generations of families from countries such as the UK and Germany.

“The problem isn’t the tourists,” he said. “It’s a model that was built around, and with the connivance of, a business class that doesn’t want to listen to what needs to be done, and with a political class that serves that business class instead of serving all the citizens.”

He said a complete rethink of the Canaries’ tourism model could not wait. “What we’re asking is very simple. Given that tourism is the main economic activity and the cause of all these problems, we want an immediate halt to these two mega-projects,” he said of the Tenerife developments.

“We also want a tourist moratorium that will lead to a study of the load each island can take and which will determine whether we’ve already passed the critical point. In areas where there’s an overload, we want to see a stage of degrowth of economic activity to benefit natural resources. Otherwise, you have an existing model that only benefits a very few people.”

Martín said a proper study of the problems the Canaries suffer from could have global repercussions. “This rethinking of the tourism model could put the Canaries on the map as an example of sustainable tourism development,” he said. “We could be known for something positive instead of something negative.”

Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands, has said his administration is already taking action. “All the actions this government has taken have been based on a revision of this model,” he told reporters this week . “The Canaries tourist model has been a successful one, but obviously, as with anything, there are things that could be perfected.”

Over-tourism has become a major issue in many Spanish cities and regions , triggering protests and backlashes in Barcelona , and leading the authorities in Seville to consider charging visitors to explore the Andalucían city’s famous Plaza de España .

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The Taliban are working to woo tourists to Afghanistan

Afghans work in the garden of the renovated Darul Aman Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

Afghans take selfies at the renovated Darul Aman Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

Afghans walk outside Hazara’s Sakhi Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, April 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

A general view of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

An Afghan works in the garden of the renovated Darul Aman Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

Taliban fighters take selfies by the tomb of Afghan Kind Nadir Shah in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)

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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Around 30 men are crammed into a Kabul classroom, part of the debut student cohort at a Taliban-run institute training tourism and hospitality professionals.

It’s a motley crew. One student is a model. Another is 17 and has no job history.

The students vary in age, education level and professional experience. They’re all men — Afghan women are banned from studying beyond sixth grade — and they don’t know anything about tourism or hospitality. But they are all eager to promote a different side of Afghanistan. And the Taliban are happy to help.

Afghanistan’s rulers are pariahs on the global stage, largely because of their restrictions on women and girls . The economy is struggling, infrastructure is poor, and poverty is rife .

And yet, foreigners are visiting the country, encouraged by the sharp drop in violence, increased flight connections with hubs like Dubai , and the bragging rights that come with vacationing in an unusual destination. The numbers aren’t huge — they never were — but there’s a buzz around Afghan tourism.

In 2021, there were 691 foreign tourists. In 2022, that figure rose to 2,300. Last year, there were 7,000.

Mohammad Saeed, the head of the Tourism Directorate in Kabul, said the biggest foreign visitor market is China because of its proximity and large population. Afghanistan also has advantages over some of its neighbors.

“They’ve told me they don’t want to go to Pakistan because it’s dangerous and they get attacked . The Japanese have said this to me also,” Saeed said. “This is good for us.”

But there are disadvantages, too.

Visas are difficult and expensive to access. Many countries severed ties with Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power , and no country recognizes them as the legitimate rulers of the country.

Afghan embassies either closed or suspended their operations. There’s an ongoing power struggle between Afghanistan’s embassies and consulates staffed by people from the former Western-backed administration, and those under the Taliban administration’s full control .

Saeed concedes there are obstacles for Afghan tourism to develop but said he was working with ministries to overcome them.

His ultimate aim is to have a visa on arrival for tourists, but that could be years away. There are problems with the road network, which is half-paved or non-existent in some parts of the country, and airlines largely avoid Afghan airspace .

The capital Kabul has the most international flights, but no Afghan airport has direct routes with major tourist markets like China, Europe, or India.

Despite the challenges, Saeed wants Afghanistan to become a tourism powerhouse, an ambition that appears to be backed by the Taliban’s top leaders.

“I have been sent to this department on the instructions of the elders (ministers). They must trust me because they’ve sent me to this important place.”

The students also have aspirations. The model, Ahmed Massoud Talash, wants to learn about Afghanistan’s picturesque spots for Instagram posts and its history for media appearances.

Business school graduate Samir Ahmadzai wants to open a hotel but thinks he should know more about tourism and hospitality first.

“They hear that Afghanistan is backwards, poverty and all about war,” said Ahmadzai. “We have 5,000 years of history. There should be a new page of Afghanistan.”

Classes include Afghan handicrafts and anthropology basics.

An unofficial subject is how to interact with foreign women and how their behavior or habits could clash with local customs and edicts. Examples might be women smoking or eating in public, to mixing freely with men who are not related to them by blood or marriage.

The Taliban have imposed a dress code for women and requirements for them to have a male guardian, or mahram, when they travel. Dining alone, traveling alone, and socializing with other women in public have become harder. With gyms closed to women and beauty salons banned , there are fewer places where they can meet outside the home.

In a sign that the country is preparing for more overseas visitors, the country’s only five-star hotel, the Serena, has reopened its women’s spa and salon for foreign females after a monthslong closure.

Foreigners must show their passport to access services. Women with “born in Afghanistan” on their ID are barred.

The restrictions on Afghan women and girls weigh on overseas travel companies, who say they try to focus on the positive aspect of cultural interactions by making donations, supporting local projects or only visiting family-run businesses.

Shane Horan, the founder of Rocky Road Travel, said visiting Afghanistan should not be seen as an endorsement of any particular government or political regime.

“Ultimately, the goal should be to support responsible tourism practices that contribute positively to the local economy and foster mutual respect and understanding, while also remaining cognizant of the broader political context in Afghanistan.”

He said there was no input from authorities about what tour groups saw or did, and that the company worked closely with a women’s rights organization in Afghanistan. A percentage of the tour cost went into supporting this organization’s programs, Horan added.

There are no women at the Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management. The students don’t mention it. But an official at the Tourism Directorate does.

“It’s a heartbreaking situation,” said the official, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. “Even female family members ask if they can study here. But there was a change in policy with the change in government. The women who were studying before (the takeover) never came back. They never graduated.”