Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V

Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

Syllabus
Concept of Hospitality
Historical background of hospitality industry
Nature of Hospitality Industry
Traditional Style Hospitality for Visitors
Defining Hotels
Growth and Development of Hotel Industry around the world
Relationship between Hotel and Tourism

Concept of Hospitality
What is the meaning of HOSPITALITY? There have been different definitions
of Hospitality. Broadly speaking, Hospitality is the act of kindness in
welcoming and looking after the basic needs of guests or strangers, mainly in
relation to food, drink and accommodation. A contemporary explanation of
Hospitality refers to the relationship process between a guest and a host. When
we talk about the Hospitality Industry, we are referring to the companies or
organisations which provide food and/or drink and/or accommodation to people
who are away from home. However, this definition of the Hospitality Industry
only satisfies most situations. Can you think of any circumstances where the
phrase away from home would not be accurate?

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

Historic background of Hospitality Industry

Early travellers were either warriors or traders or people in search of knowledge
and there were no hotels. Warriors and conquerors pitched their tents for
accommodation while traders and persons traveling for knowledge placed a
high value on hospitality and sometimes traded their merchandise for lodging.
Inn keeping can be said to be the first commercial enterprise and hospitality one
of the first service for which money was exchanged. Inns of the Biblical times
offered only a cot or a bench in the corner. Guests stayed in large communal
rooms with no sanitation and privacy.

The rates were, of course, reasonable. The company was rough. Travellers
shared the same quarters with their horses and animals. King James Version of
Bible mentions that a Bethlehem innkeeper turned Mary and Joseph away,
because there was "no room at the inn". According to Biblical scholars the
innkeeper may have meant that the room was unsuitable for a woman about to
give birth to a child. At that time, and probably for several centuries after that,
men and women shared the same accommodation accompanied by their horses
and livestock. The stable where Mary and Joseph spent the night was probably
almost as comfortable as an inn and at the same time certainly more private than
the inn itself.
In the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire, developed an extensive network of
brick paved roads throughout Europe and Asia Minor, and a chain of roadside
lodges was constructed along the major thoroughfare from Spain to Turkey.

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

Till the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s, no significant improvement was

made in the inns, and taverns and they were not very suitable for aristocrats.

To accommodate wealthy travellers, luxurious structures were constructed with

private rooms, individual sanitation and comforts of a European castle. These
elegant new establishments adopted the French word for mansion-'Hotel'. Their
rates were beyond the reach of an ordinary person.
In America early inns were-modelled after European taverns with sleeping
quarters shared by two or more guests.
Herman Melville in his novel Moby Dick has mentioned about a seaman who
checked into a room of a nineteenth century inn and next morning woke up to
find out that he was sharing the bed with a cannibal. Sharing beds was a very
common practice in early American and European inns. Throughout the 1800s
American innkeepers improved their services and continued to build larger and
more amply equipped properties and most of these properties were located near
seaport towns.
The tendency of Americans to travel more provided an inspiration to lodging
operators. The nation's democratic spirit also led to the development of
comfortable and sanitary lodging within the reach of an ordinary person.

Nature of the Hospitality Industry

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
Basically for all those who are away from their home, hospitality industry
provides services. Hospitality industry consists of those businesses and
institutions and (provide food, and lodging-such as hotels, motels, lodges) inns,
cruise ships and restaurants etc. To some extent it also inc1udes the airlines
industry.

In a broad sense, any group engaged in tourism, entertainment,

transportation and lodging are covered under hospitality.

Hospitality industry is a part of travel and tourism industry. Early travellers
were mostly warriors, businessmen, and scholars in search of knowledge or
people in search of occupation. Mostly warriors would pitch their tents for
accommodation while businessmen would look for a comfortable and safe
place; and would often pay through their merchandise or cash to people
providing them accommodation and food. The poor people traveling to far off
places in search of job or occupation were provided the facilities of food and
accommodation free of charges. As per some authentic sources, to facilitate
travel throughout Western Europe a highway was constructed in 312 BC. Travel
could be done on this highway by chariots. Later in 117 AD this roadway was
reconstructed and covered a distance of nearly 50,000 miles.
Hospitality business now is both profits making as well as non-profit making.
For example, commercial hotels are profit making while canteens, cafeterias
and religious catering outlets such as langars and bhandaras are non-profit
making.

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
Hospitality industry provides services, which are need oriented, and the services
vary with the needs. For example, the needs of a business executive shall be a
business hotel while the needs of a student are generally a youth hostel.

Traditional Style Hospitality for Visitors

In different parts of the world, traditional style hospitality is provided. For
example, ladies decorated with flowers greet the guests in Honolulu. In some
countries, local people gather to welcome visitors -at airports. Providing
shoeshine service for every guest in the morning in a hotel in Bangkok is a part
of welcome to the guests. In one of the hotels in Mauritius, after the dinner
service is over the staffs collects in the dining area and sings local songs in the
honour of the guests. Memorizing the names of the guests and addressing them
by their names is another way of providing hospitality.
Hospitality in one of the hotels in France is shown by singing melodious songs
at the time of departure of a guest.
Traditional ways of providing hospitality in Ethiopia varies from place to place.
Ethiopians have always been known for their hospitality. In fact in the recent
past, couples are known to welcome any visitor, allow them to sleep on their
bed and wash their feet. Although this generosity has faded away in urban areas,
there is still hospitality among Ethiopians which have never failed to amaze
visitors to the country. The hospitality of Ethiopians reaches such an extent that
it is sometimes misunderstood by tourists.
All the above-mentioned examples along with many others reflect the concept
of hospitality provided by highly trained and experienced staff. Through their
sincere efforts every guest feels like a VIP and a welcome syndrome is
5

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
generated. The past, present and future of the hospi1ality industry are linked
together. Comfortable and sanitary lodging was once considered the exclusive
privilege of the wealthy only, but with the rise of industry and democracy,
hospitality has now become available to common men also. Hospitality has both
influenced and is being influenced by cultural, social and economic changes in
society.

Hospitality business tends to satisfy human needs and also play an important
role in the satisfaction of social needs such as belongingness, longing ness, love,
esteem and status.

Hotel
Common Law states that a "Hote1 is a place where all who conduct themselves
properly, and who being able to pay and ready to pay for their entertainment,
are received, if there be accommodation for them, and who without any
stipulated engagement as to the duration of their, stay or as to the rate of
compensation, are while there, supplied at a reasonable cost with their meals,
lodging and other services and attention as are necessarily incident to the use as
a temporary home."
A hotel may be called as an establishment where primary business is to provide
to the general public lodging facilities and which may also furnish one or more
of the various services such as food: beverage, laundry, uniformed services etc.
Hence, hotel can also be called as home multiplied by commercial activities.
As per the Reader's Digest Dictionary the term 'Hotel' refers to 'a house of
entertainment of travellers'.
6

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica the word 'Hotel' is of ancient origin,
but its use in English for a house offering lodging and food for travellers is
recent. The Hostellers of London took the name of Inn keeping in 1473. The
world Hostler' or 'Ostler' having come to mean an inn servant.
The term 'Hotel' was used in England in about 1760. British law as a place
where a bonafide traveller can receive food and shelter provided he is in a
position to pay for and is in a fit condition to be received defines hotel or inn.

In legal terminology a: hotel is an inn and is required under common law to

offer to its visitors lodging, food and protection, to their baggage. Hotel service
is generally based on these three fundamental necessities of life. In addition to
these a modem hotel provides its visitors many luxuries of modem urban city
living, all under one roof.
1. Inns Public houses in early times in England were called inns. Normally the
term 'Inn' was meant for the finer establishments catering to nobilities and
clergy: In France these were ca1led HOTELLERIES.
2. Taverns. The house frequented by common man was known as taverns. The
less important establishment in France were called CABARETS.
3. Hostel Derived from the word' Host' and was used very late. The head of the
hostel was called" HOSTELER' in French, while in England he was called
'Inn-Keeper'.

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
Growth and Development of Hotel Industry around the world

Early history of accommodation for travellers can be traced back to the Greek
word 'Xenia', which not only meant hospitality but also the protection given to a
traveller from discomforts. The city was bound to offer hospitality. In Sparta
city, although due to rigorous customs visitors were not encouraged, yet
goddess Athena was considered as protector of strangers and hence her name
was 'Xenia Athena'.

In this period travellers were mainly diplomats, philosophers; intellectuals arid

researchers. Guests were invited to stay with noblemen. In ancient Olympia,
buildings constructed with the aim to accommodate strangers can be seen. They
were called 'Leonidio' and were, built in 4th century B.C. The concept of
hospitality can also be drawn back to ancient times. Homer finds mention of it
in Iliad and The Odyssey.

Hotel keeping can also be traced back to many centuries and its evolution
through the, ages has been brought about by Britains economic and industrial
changes and developments.

During the seventh and eighth centuries, it was thee monasteries that applied
hospitality to strangers and, as no charge was made for the accommodation, a
travellers were expected to contribute according to their means to the Abeey
funds. As more people began to travel they grouped themselves together not
only for company but for mutual protection from highway and robbers.

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1
Consequently travellers arrived in groups at a monastery and it was often
difficult to accommodate them all.

To overcome this, separate lodging houses, called 'Inns' (a Saxon word) were
built. The word 'inn' came to mean a 'Lodging House' and until the passing of
the Hotel proprietors Act in 1956, it was the legal term for 'Hotel' and hotel
proprietors were legally referred to as 'Common innkeepers'. 'Common' in this
sense referred to Common Law.

In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, manor houses, being hospitable

'places; willingly gave accommodation to travellers. As no payment was
expected, travellers tipped the servants as a 'thank you' for the generous
hospitality received-thus the practice of tipping was born.

When high taxes crippled the generosity and hospitality of the owners of the
manor houses, many became commercial inns. During Elizabeth the First's
reign, posting houses were established and travellers, in addition to getting
refreshment were able to change horses before continuing their journey.
The turn of the century saw an era that was called the 'Belle Epochwhen the
grand and luxurious hotels flourished. A few hotels are still operating today. In
London and some other citys attempts have been made to recapture some of the
grandeur of the past era in the making of modem hotels, and bring back the
memories the grand hotels of olden days.

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

The next stage in the cycle of evolution of the hotel industry was the coming of
the motorcar. It enabled people to visit those parts of the country not reached by
railways. This gave birth to inland resorts and the hotel Industry began to
flourish.
International air, travel has helped create the modem 'stop-over' hotel. With the
increase in this form of travel, the number of hotels built close to airports has
multiplied.
Another trend in hotel keeping is the motel, which is the twentieth-century
version of the old 'Coach Inn'. People traveling the country by car, stopping
overnight here and there; require not only refreshment for themselves, but also
safe parking for their cars. Post Houses, developed by the Trust House Forte
Group are in fact the modern version of the old coaching inns.
Relationship between Hotel and Tourism

10

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

The hotel and tourism industry (H&T industry) meets the needs of people with
kindness and goodwill while they are away from their homes.
The H&T industry has four service sectors: food and beverage, lodging,
recreation, and travel and tourism.
The food and beverage industry, also known as the foodservice industry,
consists of businesses that prepare food for customers. The number of people
employed in foodservice industry is expected to double by 2015 to
approximately 22 million people.
Lodging, also known as accommodation, is a place to sleep for one or more
nights. A business in the lodging industry provides a place for people to sleep
overnight. It can be one of many sleeping places such as a fancy hotel, a youth
hostel, an elder hostel, a campground, or highway side motel
Recreation is any activity that people do for rest, relaxation, and enjoyment.
The goal of recreation is to refresh a persons body and mind. Any business that
provides an activity for rest, relaxation, and enjoyment in order to refresh a
persons body and mind is in the recreation business. Recreation businesses are
incredibly diverse because people have varying ideas on what activities they
participate in for rest, relaxation and enjoyment. There are four general types of
recreation businesses: entertainment, attractions, spectator sports, and
participatory sports.
The travel industry is in the business of moving people from place to place
while the tourism industry provides those people with services that promote
travel and vacations. Busses, planes, cabs, boats, and passenger trains are all
part of the travel industry while travel agencies, tour operators, cruise
companies, convention planners, and visitors bureaus are all part of the tourism
industry.

11

Introduction to Hotel operations -1

Prepared by: Vishnu Narayanan.V
Course Code: TMgt-M1031
Program Name: BA in Hotel Management
Chapter -1

----------------------------------------The End---------------------------------------------12