Hospitality

Hospitality as an industry includes service-oriented businesses that provide accommodation, food/beverages, and/or entertainment to visitors. Companies operating in the hospitality industry focus on catering to guests and providing them with the best experience possible.

Hospitality companies include

• hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and other types of accommodation;
• restaurants, cafes, bars, nightclubs, and catering services;
• spas and other wellness businesses;
• cruise companies;
• tourism services (eco, sustainable, responsible tourism, etc.)
• casinos;
• theme parks and other attractions;
• event organizers, and so on.

Even though there’s an overlap, hospitality is different from tourism. Hospitality encompasses lodging, food, and experiences (for visitors and locals alike), while tourism caters to people traveling to a different destination, including their accommodations and other needs.

In a general sense, hospitality means the quality of being friendly, welcoming, and generous to guests, visitors, or strangers.