In various nations in which tourism is a major industry for exports, the sector of hospitality has become the central point for the globalization concepts to take root. Evidently, tourism is today the largest export industry in the world since it involves the gargantuan cross boarder flows of capital and people. Hospitality industry has become the world’s largest employer and almost the largest foreign exchange trader.
It is the center of idea transfer and cultural cross fertilization. It plays an important role in the physical bringing up of people in a global community (Benckendorff, Moscardo & Pendergast, 2010). Therefore the hospitality industry is the core of international business globalization.
They thus need to make considerations of the global context implications in which they perform their operations and must get ready to address the arising questions resulting from the changing environment (Bryman, 2004).
There have been various current trends in the global hospitality industry that are tangible enough to drive the global marketplace of this industry.
There has been globalization of lifestyles and businesses that are characterized by communication in foreign languages over vast distances, multiple currency dealings, high frequency in distant travels overseas, copying with various social and political systems, cultures and customs and different regulatory environment.
Although the mentioned globalization aspects may not be difficult to identify, conceptualizing the underlying future and current trends in global hospitality industry may not be easy but problematic (Botherton, 2008). Analysis has revealed that certain issues do reshape the global hospitality industry. Some of these issues arising include;
- International expansion within the common brand position and product
- Cross boarder training of the employee in order to support operations
- Marketing and sales programs that capture the global economies of scale fully
- Utilizing the world capital market as the main source of funding
- The structures of the organization that allow delivery of services globally with the local operational controls
After an intensive study of the provided book and article sources, I have identified various current trends in global hospitality industry. These current trends include: less real service, most services in the hospitality industry are self-served.
Things like reservation, checking in, making telephone calls and unpacking are practically done by the guests. There is less service provided by the staff and user friendly has replaced the services; continual change of employees, most employees stay for less time in the jobs by their choice or the employers.
The employers are looking for those who can be multitasked in order to improve productivity; owner groups have become hyper-active, owners are more likely to be corporations and are represented by asset managers. The owners want frequent financial returns; and multiple brands originating from the same mould, more brands now offer a similar base product (Botherton, 2008).
Other current trends in the global hospitality industry include the replacement of management companies by the advancing technology that measures best practices of management. The definition of luxury now varies with every guest. This has led to the diversification of service offering leading to the best services clients ever dream of making the industry competitive.
Tconsistency of quality is now a factor in most hotels. The clients are able to predict the quality of the services they would receive from the service provider before making any move (Bryman, 2004).
In summary, I would assert that current trends in the global hospitality industry have led to the creation of a link between entertainment and hospitality which attracts many generations. The industry ahs become more profitable with quick returns.
Many consumers are also able to access the truth about the services in this industry. Sustainability and variety of hospitality services has been improved by the current trends in this industry (Benckendorff, Moscardo & Pendergast, 2010).
Bibliography
Benckendorff, P., Moscardo, G. and Pendergast, D. 2010. Tourism & Generation Y, CABI: Wallingford, UK.
Botherton, B. 2008. Researching Hospitality and Tourism. London: Sage Publishing
Bryman, A. 2004. The Disneyization of Society. London: SAGE