The document discusses current trends and issues in the tourism and hospitality industry. It identifies several factors that suggest a bright future for the industry, such as early retirement, longer lifespans, and greater disposable income. Some key issues discussed include changing demographics in marketing, legal issues like liquor liability, human resource issues like sexual harassment and high employee turnover, operational issues like automation and sanitation, and consumer issues like fire safety and nutrition. The document predicts that travel and tourism will grow 40-50% over the next decade, presenting challenges and opportunities for graduates of tourism and hospitality programs.
4. THE BRIGHT FUTURE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
In recent years, a number of significant social and
economic changes have occurred that suggest a bright
future for the tourism and hospitality industry. These
are:
1. Early retirement;
2. Longer life span;
3. Shorter workweek;
4. Greater disposable income;
5. Greater mobility; and
6. Smaller families.
5. ISSUES IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
Issues were brought by the social, economic, and
technological change. These issues can be categorized
under the following headings:
1. Marketing
2. Legal
3. Human resources
4. Operations
5. Consumer affairs
6. MARKETING ISSUES
1. CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS
o The population of developed countries is aging;
o The increase in the number of single-parent households. They have the lower
levels of discretionary;
o The continuing growth in the number of people traveling for personal rather
than for business purposes. Approximately 74% of domestic travelers travel
primarily for a nonbusiness purpose; and
o The growth in the number of international travelers.
2. CHANGING VACATION PATTERNS
o Tourists changing their vacation patterns from the traditional once-a-year
vacation of two weeks to a shorter and more frequent vacation.
3. MARKET SEGMENTATION
o The principal term for tourism marketing in 1980 is marketing segmentation.
7. 4. FREQUENT GUEST’S PROGRAMS
o Because of the proliferation of properties and the increasing
competition among them, some lodging operators have begun to
develop programs to gain repeat business.
5. MATURATION IN SEGMENTS OF THE FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY
o As public tastes continue to change, food service operators will have
to develop specialty products to retain an adequate share of the
market.
6. CONSOLIDATION IN THE COMMERCIAL LODGING INDUSTRY
o It will have a tremendous impact on all commercial lodging
operations. Both independent operation and owners of smaller
chains will find it difficult to compete with heavily advertised
national and international brands.
8. LEGAL ISSUES
1. LIQUOR LIABILITY
- There was a growing public concern over the increasing number of alcohol-
related automobile accident that led the public to pressure state legislatures to
act.
- Legislators have responded by lowering the levels of blood alcohol in which
an individual is considered intoxicated and by increasing penalties on
offenders.
2. ETHICS
- It is an academic discipline that deals with the study of codes of moral
conduct practiced by individuals or groups.
- Business ethics refers to the application of a particular moral code to
relationships, activities, and discussions made by individuals in business or
industry. It is the code that enables the individual in business to distinguish
right from wrong; to differentiate between ethical and unethical behavior.
9. HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES
1. SEXUAL HARASSMENT
- It may be defined as the unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature that take
place under any of the following conditions:
- Submission is made a condition of the person’s employment;
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for
employment discussions affecting the person; and
- It unreasonably interferes with the person’s work performance or
creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
- Most cases involve complaints by females about co-workers and
superiors. In the last ten years, the number of complaints increases
because many women have become willing to speak out.
10. 2. EMPLOYEE TURNOVER
- One of the major issues confronting managers of tourism and
hospitality enterprises.
- With turnover rates averaging approximately 100% per year, managers
are always faced with the problem of losing experienced employees and
hiring less-experienced employees as replacements.
3. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PLANS
- EAPs are included in the discussion of major issues in the tourism and
hospitality industry because they are one of the secular steps to pay
attention regarding the problems of their employees like psychological
problems, family issues, financial problems, legal issues, health, as well as
educational issues.
4. EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT
11. OPERATION ISSUES
1. AUTOMATION
• The process of using electronic and mechanical equipment and
machinery to complete some or all of the tasks associated with a
given enterprise.
• The two (2) primary reasons for automating an enterprises are:
a. To increase the speed of works; and
b. To reduce the cost of work.
• Automation un the travel industry is here to stay. Computerization
will affect the industry principally in three areas, namely:
a. Communications;
b. Interactive CRTs; and
c. Elimination of Tickets.
12. 2. SMOKING/NONSMOKING AREAS
3. SANITATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH
• A very important issue in food service is sanitation. Everybody
agrees that all steps should be taken to prevent illnesses that are
caused by the manner in which food is handled or to the food itself.
4. RECYCLING SOLID WASTE
13. CONSUMER AFFAIRS ISSUES
1. FIRE SAFETY
• It has always been an important issue in the tourism and hospitality
industry. In earlier centuries, taverns, inns, and hotels were made of
woods that’s why they are prone to fire. Many were burned to the
ground and a large number of people were killed or crippled.
2. TRUTH IN MENUS
• For food service operators, preparing truthful menus is an ethical
practice that should never be violated.
3. DIET/ NUTRITION/ HEALTH
• Since the public is very much concerned about healthy diets
containing less fat and lesser calories, many food service operators
are adjusting their menus to the changing public tastes.
14. THE FUTURE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
The World Travel and Tourism Council forecast that travel and
tourism will grow at 40 % to 50 % in the next 10 years that give greater
challenge and career opportunities for tourism and hospitality
graduates nowadays.
15. The following tourism and hospitality items are but a few examples of the wave of the future:
1. Increases speed and shopping use of the internet in developed countries;
2. Extended reach in less-developed countries;
3. Improved security of personal information;
4. Robotic labor sources;
5. Reservation systems with more sophisticated, voice-activated, artificial intelligence;
6. Improved navigational systems for rental cars;
7. Electronic entertainment venues in rental cars and on planes and cruise ships;
8. Upgraded internet personal digital assistants for operations;
9. Marketing mass customization;
10. Comprehensive branding campaigns for large and small operators;
11. Virtual online customer communication;
12. Just-in-time seats/rooms/car inventories;
13. Electronic travel agents;
14. Blended hybrid accommodations;
15. Global anti-terrorist microchip security systems;
16. More nutritional fast-food offerings;
17. Emphasis on ecotourism; and
18. Improved customer relationship marketing information.
17. QUIZ 1.0
FILL IN THE BLANKS.
1. Approximately ___ of domestic travelers travel primarily for a nonbusiness purpose.
2. Both independent operation and owners of smaller chains will find it difficult to
compete with heavily _________ national and international brands.
3. Submission is made a condition of the person’s __________.
4-5. The World Travel and Tourism Council _________ that travel and tourism will grow at
40 % to 50 % in the next 10 years that give greater challenge and career opportunities for
tourism and hospitality ____________ nowadays.
Identify the five issues in tourism and hospitality.
6. __________________
7. __________________
8. __________________
9. __________________
10. __________________
