What Are The Main Specialties In The Hospitality Industry?
There are five main specialties in the hospitality industry: lodging, recreation, travel and tourism, food and beverage, and meetings and events. These sectors of the hospitality industry each offer a distinct variety of goods and services, and how they are experienced can differ based on the type of business though they often overlap and work in conjunction with each other. The result of this is one complete hospitality experience for a visitor.
Lodging Industry
Typically people think of this sector when they hear the term “hospitality industry.” The lodging industry consists of businesses that accommodate overnight guests. A bed and breakfast may only be able to accommodate a few guests while a chain hotel is able to house hundreds each night. Because of this wide range, an employee’s experience can differ greatly in the lodging industry.
Recreation Industry
This industry covers any experience-based activity that people do for enjoyment, relaxation, education, entertainment, or rest. These events occasionally last overnight, but they typically are experienced for a few hours. Some examples would be art exhibits, concerts, museums, amusement parks, campgrounds, and theaters. These businesses rely on consumers with disposable income to purchase admission tickets and concession sales.
Travel and Tourism Industry
The travel and tourism sector is another large part of the hospitality industry. It allows people to experience different destinations around the world. The context of each trip, such as visiting family or studying abroad, dictates the destination, length of stay, and distance traveled. By nature, this sector most heavily overlaps with each of the other sectors of the industry as the traveler must book a place to stay, purchase food throughout their trip, and will most likely wish to experience the culture and sights in this new place.
Food and Beverage Industry
The food and beverage industry is known for being the largest sector, allowing it to be the most easily identified and most successful. It has many levels of service (think quick-service establishments to full-service restaurants) and consists of the preparation, transportation, and delivery of final products to patrons. Ranging from coffee shops to 10-course tasting menus, this sector holds endless opportunities.
Meetings and Events Industry
The meetings and events industry consists of social, business, and sporting or educational events. Each ranges in size depending on the goal of the event. Typically, the most important aspect of this sector is the venue or the space in which you are hosting the event. Some examples include weddings, conferences, holiday celebrations, family reunions, sporting events, and birthday parties.
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