Introduction to Hospitality

Introduction to Hospitality
Miroslava Dimitrova Ph.D

Accommodation sector
Hospitality = Hotels + Restaurants
Lodging Industry
Hospitality industry: Provision of accommodation as well as food and beverage services to short-stay guests on paying basis.

The Pineapple Tradition
• Symbol of welcome, friendship and hospitality
• Recognized internationally
• Foundation for concept of
“SERVICE”

Types of Accommodation
• Hotels
• Farm houses (Guest houses), bead and breakfast (BB), Inns
• Self catering accommodations – apartments, cottages, gites, chalets
• Campuses
• Youth accommodation – hostels
• Camping and caravan sites
• Medical facility accommodation
• Cruise line and ferries
• Trains and aircrafts
• Visiting friends and relatives (VFR)
• Timesharing

Hospitality product
Hospitality product is a combination of tangible goods and intangible services
• Services are intangible. They are a product of the human activity
• Services are bridge between the employer and the tourist. They don’t exist outside this relationship. Hospitality Product is:
• intangible
• perishable
• inseparability of manufacture, sale and consumption • labor intensive (shifts)
• production is routine and can be standardized
• seasonal
• no such thing as business hours
• hospitality operations run on a 24 hour basis all year round

“Seven Deadly Sins of Service”
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7.

Apathy
Brush-off
Coldness
Condescension
Robotics
Rule book
Runaround

Is the Hospitality Industry Right for You?
• Based on quality of service
• Personal qualities needed:
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Honesty
Willingness to work hard
Team player
Willingness to work long hours
Ability to deal with stress
Good decision-making skills
Good communication skills
Dedicated to exceptional service
Desire to exceed guest expectations

Self-assessment
• Personal SWOT analysis
– Pinpoint strengths to maximize
– Pinpoint weaknesses to