When thinking about tourism, the word hospitality comes to mind. However, what does it mean? The word has many different meanings. Hospitality in tourism was introduced in Europe during the late 18th century. Inns were built along trade routes and offered resting facilities for Middle Eastern caravans.
After the industrial revolution, hotels in England and Europe became more popular. The development of the railways facilitated them. At the same time, a new generation of wealthy travellers had higher expectations for hotel accommodations. This growing need for luxury shaped the hospitality industry.
As the economy improved, people had more money to travel and spend on luxury goods. This led to more hotels being built. In the 19th century, the first modern hotel was constructed in England. These hotels were designed as a cluster of rooms, offering a mix of amenities. Guests could also enjoy TVs, coin-operated radios, and free parking outside their rooms.
Labour-intensive industries require a large amount of labour to perform a certain task. This is particularly true in the hospitality and tourism industry. For example, hotels, restaurants, and resorts are all examples of labour-intensive industries.
The most obvious way to determine the labour-intensive nature of a particular business is to calculate the cost of human capital. If the costs of human capital exceed the costs of machinery and equipment, the business is labour-intensive.
It is also important to consider the labour productivity of a particular job. The productivity data is calculated by dividing the gross value added by the full-time equivalent of the workforce.
As technology advances, some industries have migrated away from the labour-intensive status. For example, cooking khachapuri in the 19th century required the same labour as cooking khachapuri today.
Commodification is a term often used to describe making something into a commodity for commercial purposes. In tourism, commodification can be defined as the presentation of an event or experience to tourists.
For example, you may have heard of the OTAs. These companies offer hotel reservations and room services. They could be more innovative. But, you will be surprised to know that the hotel industry is a prime example of the commodification of tourism.
Commodification is the use of a place's culture to generate a profit. It is a form of capitalism that uses technology, media and commercial activities to create a product that meets consumers' needs.
The most important thing to remember is that commodification does not necessarily mean a decrease in authenticity. It can enhance it. As more people travel, it is becoming more necessary to offer visitors authentic experiences. This is because tourism impacts local economies and the global economy as a whole.
One of the most important changes in our rapidly evolving world is digitalization. The digitization of the tourism sector and hospitality has resulted in several new opportunities for businesses to harness ICT.
For example, using immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) headsets and augmented reality applications on mobile devices can allow prospective tourists to interact with destinations online before booking. This can be beneficial for marketing and promotion purposes. In addition to the more immersive experiences that can be gained, VR also provides the ability to immerse visitors in the location of their choice.
On the other hand, a study by the German Tourism Association revealed that eighty-four per cent of German businesses had experienced digital transformation. However, many companies need to be faster to adopt the technology.