HOSPTALITY INDUSTRY

EVOLUTON OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

 Characteristics of hospitality
Industry
Intangibility-
Tourism products are services and, as such, they are largely intangible though with
tangible, concrete elements. The importance of the abstract elements is such that we must
make them tangible in order to apply marketing techniques to the services we provide. A
direct consequence of intangibility is that the properties of tourism products cannot be
transmitted, displayed or tested in advance. It is their use what is transmitted. This implies
that the purchased product is unique and, in contrast to tangible products, tourism
products are fundamentally experiences. Besides, intangibility implies that buyers are not
sure about what they buy or about what they will get. This is why those who are planning
to contract the services of a tourism package will look for information about it in advance in
order to reduce uncertainty to the maximum.
Limited life-span-
Tourism products cannot be stored so, unless consumed when planned, they are waste.
This affects hotel industry in such a way that we must choose between selling at the
markets pace and selling in advance (through agents). In fact, overbooking is a
consequence of this limited life-span, an inherent feature of tourism services that we must
try to counterbalance.
Aggregability
A tourism product can be formed by aggregating various products, and this makes its
commercialization and quality control more difficult. Prices can vary by eliminating or
adding services to the existing pack, creating new, customized, products.
 Continued
Heterogeneity
As mentioned, aggregability implies a difficulty when it is about controlling
all phases so that they are at the same level of excellence. A single mistake
in any aspect affects the final product. Nevertheless, aggregability allows
preparing custom-designed products, no matter how standardized they
are initially. In this sense, we can talk about heterogeneous
standardization. It is not only the product what is being customized but a
given trip will be different from any other even if they share the same
characteristics.
Simultaneity of production and consumption
While other products are created, stored, purchased and then used,
tourism products are purchased first and then produced and consumed
simultaneously, at the same place and time. This implies that services
cannot be separated from their providers and, therefore, consumers have
to travel to the location of the product, not vice versa. For this reason, the
human component in the provision of services is extremely important
Importance of hospitality industry