Judging from personal experiences as well as academic literature, I can single out several important tendencies in the hospitality and spa industries. First of all, both of them quickly responded to the process of globalization. Several examples can prove this argument. For instance, in the majority of modern hotels, a visitor can easily converse with employees in several languages. As a rule, the knowledge of the English language is one of the job requirements. In my opinion, it is particularly helpful to foreign customers. Secondly, these organizations began to rely on information technologies. A tourist, who tries to find a spa or a hotel in a certain area, can easily do it via Internet (D’Angelo 2009, p.53). Moreover, he or she can make a reservation via the website of this organization. Overall, these examples indicate the hospitality industry can adopt the practices of non-service companies. These strategies enable spa resorts and hotels to target global customers. They are often described in academic literature, and I experienced them in person.
Additionally, it seems to me that many hospitality organizations try to create extra value for customers. This is one of the reasons why the number of SPA hotels increases throughout the world. After reviewing the websites of several internationally-known hotels, I can say that these institutions offer a variety of services, for example, custom dietary plans, massage, fitness training, various forms of therapy, and so forth. This is why such scholars as Michael O’Fallon and Denney Rutherford believe that the very understanding of the term spa has changed recently (2010, p. 43). I think that this diversity of services is one of the indispensable conditions for the sustainability of modern hotels and spa resorts.
Furthermore, I can say that many hotels have now turned into international brands. I can mention such global hotel chains as Hilton Hotels, Crowne Plazza, Aida Hotels, and so forth. The names of these companies are familiar to tourists from various countries. These organizations have several distinguishing features such as cross border training and global delivery of services (Barrows& Powers 2008). Again, many of the hotels provide spa services to customers. Again, this example shows that hotels attempt to create extra value for their clients. Furthermore, I can say that many reputable hotels, as well as spas, ensure that their guests have access to the Internet. In part, these policies are a response to the social changes and increasing reliance of people on communication technologies (Benckendorff, Moscardo & Pendergast 2010, p. 45). Thus, these organizations have to meet much higher performance standards to remain competitive.
Overall, I can say that the hospitality industry is affected by many social, economic, and environmental factors. Those companies, which can adjust to these changes, are much more likely to become successful. I can distinguish several trends, namely, the increasing emphasis on extra value creation, better utilization of online technologies, more attention to communication skills of the employees, and the development of global brands. These tendencies appear to be most important to me, and they apply to both the hospitality and spa industries. Certainly, this discussion can be opinionated, and but the arguments advanced in this paper are supported by academic literature.
References
Barrows, C.W., & Powers, T., 2008. Introduction to the Hospitality Industry. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Benckendorff, P., Moscardo, G., & Pendergast, D, 2010. Tourism and generation Y. London: CABI.
D’Angelo, J., 2009. Spa Business Strategies: A Plan for Success. NY: Cengage Learning.
O’Fallon, M., & Rutherford, D., 2010. Hotel Management and Operations. London: John Wiley and Sons.