Hospitality
This article is about the social phenomenon
of hospitality. For the commercial activity of travel services, see Hospitality
management studies and Hospitality industry.
Hospitality refers to the relationship
between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with goodwill,
including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
Louis, chevalier de Jaucourt describes hospitality in the Encyclopédie as the
virtue of a great soul that cares for the whole universe through the ties of
humanity.
Hospitality ethics is a discipline that
studies this usage of hospitality.
Etymology
Derives from the Latin hospes, meaning
"host", "guest", or "stranger". Hospes is formed
from hostis, which means "stranger" or "enemy" (the latter
being where terms like "hostile" derive). By metonymy the Latin word
'Hospital' means a guest-chamber, guest's lodging, an inn. Hospes is thus the
root for the English words host (where the p was dropped for convenience of
pronunciation), hospitality, hospice, hostel and hotel.
Current
usage
In the West today hospitality is rarely a
matter of protection and survival and is more associated with etiquette and
entertainment. However, it still involves showing respect for one's guests,
providing for their needs, and treating them as equals. Cultures and
subcultures vary in the extent to which one is expected to show hospitality to
strangers, as opposed to personal friends or members of one's ingroup.
Global
concepts
Ancient
Greece
In Ancient Greece, hospitality was a right,
with the host being expected to make sure the needs of his guests were met. The
ancient Greek term xenia, or theoxenia when a god was involved, expressed this
ritualized guest-friendship relation. In Greek society a person's ability to
abide by the laws of hospitality determined nobility and social standing. The
Stoics regarded hospitality as a duty inspired by Zeus himself.
India
In India hospitality is based on the
principle Atithi Devo Bhava, meaning "the guest is God". This
principle is shown in a number of stories where a guest is revealed to be a god
who rewards the provider of hospitality. From this stems the Indian practice of
graciousness towards guests at home and in all social situations.
Judaism
Judaism praises hospitality to strangers
and guests based largely on the examples of Abraham and Lot in the Book of
Genesis (Genesis 18:1–8 and 19:1–8). In Hebrew, the practice is called
hachnasat orchim, or "welcoming guests". Besides other expectations,
hosts are expected to provide nourishment, comfort, and entertainment to their
guests, and at the end of the visit, hosts customarily escort their guests out
of their home, wishing them a safe journey.
Pashtun
One of the main principles of Pashtunwali
is Melmastia. This is the display of hospitality and profound respect to all
visitors (regardless of race, religion, national affiliation or economic
status) without any hope of remuneration or favour. Pashtuns will go to great
lengths to show their hospitality.
Hospitality
service
The concept of hospitality exchange, also
known as "accommodation sharing", "hospitality services"
(short "hospex"), and "home stay networks", "home
hospitality" ("hoho"), refers to centrally organized social
networks of individuals, generally travelers, who offer or seek accommodation
without monetary exchange. These services generally connect users via the
internet.
History
In 1949 Bob Luitweiler founded the first
hospitality service called Servas Open Doors as a cross-national, nonprofit,
volunteer-run organization advocating interracial and international peace. In
1965 John Wilcock set up the Traveler's Directory as a listing of his friends
willing to host each other when traveling. In 1988, Joy Lily rescued the
organization from imminent shutdown, forming Hospitality Exchange.
In 1966, a hospitality service for
Esperanto speakers called Programo Pasporto was created. This became Pasporta
Servo in 1974.
In 1977 U.S. President Jimmy Carter
announced the formation of Friendship Force International, which has chapters
in 57 countries today. In 2000 Veit Kuhne founded Hospitality Club, the first
such Internet-based hospitality service. In 2004, Casey Fenton started
CouchSurfing, which is now the largest hospitality exchange organization. In
2013 Mandy Rowe founded Broads Abroad Travel Network, which is the only online
hospitality exchange network for women.
Home
hospitality in the Scout Movement
In the Scout Movement, home hospitality
("hoho") refers to Scouts living for a few days with a host family to
experience everyday life in that community. This often takes place before or
after a jamboree and is usually organized by the organization running the
jamboree.
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry is a broad
category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, event
planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields
within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a multibillion-dollar
industry that depends on the availability of leisure time and disposable
income. A hospitality unit such as a restaurant, hotel, or an amusement park
consists of multiple groups such as facility maintenance and direct operations
(servers, housekeepers, porters, kitchen workers, bartenders, management,
marketing, and human resources etc.).
Usage rate, or its inverse "vacancy
rate", is an important variable for the hospitality industry. Just as a
factory owner would wish a productive asset to be in use as much as possible
(as opposed to having to pay fixed costs while the factory is not producing),
so do restaurants, hotels, and theme parks seek to maximize the number of
customers they "process" in all sectors. This led to formation of
services with the aim to increase usage rate provided by hotel consolidators.
Information about required or offered products are brokered on business
networks used by vendors as well as purchasers.
In looking at various industries,
"barriers to entry" by newcomers and competitive advantages between
current players are very important. Among other things, hospitality industry
players find advantage in old classics (location), initial and ongoing
investment support (reflected in the material upkeep of facilities and the
luxuries located therein), and particular themes adopted by the marketing arm
of the organization in question (for example at theme restaurants). Also very
important are the characteristics of the personnel working in direct contact
with the customers. The authenticity, professionalism, and actual concern for
the happiness and well-being of the customers that is communicated by
successful organizations is a clear competitive advantage.