1. Trends and Issues in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

2. CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
fast changing
not a single discipline but connected to many other aspects of life
many factors are involved
a motive for traveling is required
2/95

3. What is there that one can’t find at home?
One will have to take the seasonality of a visit into consideration (will it be winter or summer?)
A permit to visit the destination (called an entry visa) is required in some places
One has to have enough days of paid holidays accumulated to be allowed to leave one’s place of work.
One must be able to afford to travel, saving enough money to be able to pay for an air ticket and accommodation at the destination
What is there that one can’t find at home?
Why should one travel to another part of the world?
3/95

4. Tourism has a connection to many other disciplines
Politics
Religion
Agriculture
Economics
Environment
Health
Finance
Transport
Accommodations
Society
Immigration
Education
Culture
Heritage
Host community
Attractions
Activities
Amenities
4/95

5. tourist companies must be constantly on the alert to detect changes, trends and issues early so that they can make the necessary adjustments to their businesses.
This includes being prepared for unforeseen circumstances and changes in their operating environment.
One way of doing this is by constantly scanning the media for trends that may impact on the firm and by setting aside money to meet unforeseen developments that are out of the control of the company.
5/95

6. ACTIVITY 1
Get a copy of the leading newspapers and scan it for articles that relate to tourism.
You will need to read the articles and draw conclusions because very few of them will actually have the word “tourism” in the text.
Compare your findings with those of your classmates who have looked through different parts of the newspaper.
6/95

7. Sustainable tourism development
A conceptual approach to sustainable tourism: the concept of sustainable development is based on respect for the social and natural environment in which tourism takes place. On the environmental side there are several very important issues that we need to be aware of.
7/95

8. The Big Environmental Issues
It is now beyond doubt that our climate is changing and that humans are, at least in parts, to blame for those changes.
Some experts estimate that unless we act now, climate change will reduce annual Gross Domestic Product of the economies of many countries by 20 per cent.
The movie production “An Inconvenient Truth” by former US Vice President Al Gore is a reminder that time to take action is running out and that all of us must act now to avoid further degradation of our world.
8/95

9. ACTIVITY 2
Watch ‘An Inconvenient Truth” and discuss the issues raised in the film. Pay particular attention to the tips provided on the inside of the front cover of the movie that gives you ideas of what YOU can do to help in the fight against our changing climate.
9/95

10. Sustainability and sustainable development
What does it mean to make an activity sustainable?
It basically means that an activity that is carried out today for the benefit of all involved can continue to be carried out indefinitely into the future without doing harm to anyone or anything involved or impacted by it.
The opposite of sustainability is un-sustainability which involves activities that have a very short term horizon and that involve excessive profit and often greed as the major motivations without any regard to the long term.
10/95

11. Sustainability and sustainable development
Sustainability is about striking a balance between the rights of humans to a decent and meaningful life, the right to life for all types of animals and for nature to be protected for its own sake and for the sake of all other living things, including humans.
Sustainable development is envisaged as leading to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.
11/95

12. These pictures show the two alternatives: Short term greed and long term intergenerational equity. The latter involves a grandfather’s consideration for what is best for his granddaughter and her children and leaving the world a better place so that they can live meaningful and happy lives.
12/95

13. It was the World Commission on Environment and Development that in its report “Our Common Future” first raised the issue of sustainability when they said that:
“Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable – to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
13/95

14. ACTIVITY 3
Find out what fuel sources power companies of your country use to generate electricity. Investigate alternative energy sources that could be used to produce cleaner energy and discuss the merits and potential problems associated with each energy source.
14/95

15. Sustainable Tourism
It has long been known that there is a close connection between tourism and the environment but whether this nexus is sustainable in the long run has only relatively recently been discussed.
If we want to have tourist destinations that can prosper from tourism we need to shift our thinking away from a simple marketing approach.
The major issue for many destinations will no longer be to attract increasing numbers of tourists but how to manage them once they have arrived.
15/95

16. The report addressed the state of the global environment and defined sustainable development as:
" Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
By 1995 the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), a body of the top executives of some 100 of the world’s biggest travel companies, joined forces with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the Earth Council to formulate a tourism industry response to the challenges posed by the Rio declaration. The result was the publishing of “Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry: Towards Environmentally Sustainable Development.”
16/95

17. Definitions of sustainable tourism
In 1995 the World Tourism Organization defined sustainable tourism as: “Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future.” In its definition the WTO included environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability.
Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
17/95

18. Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance
Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
In 2004 the World Tourism Organization added: ”Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.”
18/95

19. Today a variety of sustainable tourism initiatives have emerged
Today a variety of sustainable tourism initiatives have emerged. These include:
Various environmental accreditation schemes that certify that companies are as environmentally friendly as they can be. Some of the schemes benchmark a company’s performance (for example energy and water consumption per guest in a hotel) against industry norms against the industry standard.
PATA Sustainable Tourism Advisory Committee which encourages all parts of the tourism industry to conduct there activities in a sustainable fashion
19/95

20. Blue Flag that classifies beaches in Europe
Blue Flag that classifies beaches in Europe. Classification helps these beaches to be marketed to environmentally sensitive consumers
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assisted international tour operators with the establishment of the Tour Operator Initiative that seeks to put pressure on the suppliers of tourism products to make their products sustainable.
ISO which establishes Environmental Management Systems (EMS) for companies.
20/95

21. The culture and the life-style of local people?
When we discuss issues of sustainability and sustainable tourism some important questions need to be asked. These include:
What does a tourism destination want to maintain (sustain) in the long term?
The culture and the life-style of local people?
The local natural environment?
The local economy including jobs?
At what levels does the government want to sustain tourism at the destination?
21/95

22. This leads to the question of how many tourists, from which part of the world a destination want to attract.
More tourists are not necessarily better and many destinations are now looking to attract fewer but higher spending tourists.
What is the connection between sustainable tourism and the broader social, cultural and economic development of the destination?
Is it possible that in an effort to achieve sustainable tourism we may put other sectors such as agriculture under threat by encouraging people to leave the land and to get involved in tourism?
These are difficult questions to answer and each tourist destination will have to come up with its own answers.
22/95

23. Do we need much stricter rules and regulations for visiting sites?
When we talk about sustainable tourism development we also need to ask whether there are limits of growth for tourism and where these limits are. Questions that should be asked include:
What is the optimal/best level of tourism at any given site or destination?
Have we already exceeded the carrying capacity at certain sites and should tourism activities be excluded from certain places?
Do we need much stricter rules and regulations for visiting sites?
Do we need to install reservation systems for our most treasured natural and cultural sites?
We use such systems for cinemas, theatres and sports events but not for visits to beaches, mountain sites or many cultural attractions.
23/95

24. There are no easy answers to any of the above questions because they will depend very much on the local situation and on how tourism is handled on the ground. Policies set by governments set the guidelines for tourism development and how tourism is managed at a destination will make the difference between success and failure of a destination.
24/95

25. There is no doubt that if tourist destinations want to be sustainable, that is successful in the long term, they will have to maintain or improved the environment in which tourism takes place while at the same time taking the needs of the local population into full consideration. Tourism that only benefits the tourists is unsustainable.
25/95

26. ACTIVITY 4
Look at some of the above questions and discuss with your class mates what some possible answers could be in Thailand’s tourism context.
26/95

27. Protection of World Heritage
Following the end of the Second World War, there has been increasing international concern that precious cultural and natural heritage sites around the world were vulnerable to threats from wars, natural disasters, environmental catastrophes and industrial development.
This worldwide awareness has led to the adoption of the famous Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage by the General Conference of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at its 17th session in Paris on 16 November 1972.
27/95

28. “World Heritage” refers to various kinds of heritage sites that have undergone evaluation and have been approved by UNESCO to be inscribed in The World Heritage List, according to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
At present, World Heritage is classified into five categories: Cultural Heritage, Natural Heritage, Mixed (Cultural and Natural) Heritage, Heritage of Cultural Landscape and Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage.
28/95

29. Transport
Travellers an often select from a diverse range of modes of transport. Depending on where they are traveling to they can walk, cycle, or use a car, coach, ship, train or aircraft. The various forms of transport have different impacts on the environment. Obviously walking and cycling have the least negative impacts on the environment because no fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) are burned and hence no green house gas emissions occur.
29/95

30. Towards sustainable tourism
The current model of mass tourism means that success is measured in increases in tourist arrivals from one year to the next. If there is no, or only a small, growth in visitor numbers the destination and its managers are seen as having failed in their duty.
We need to move away from such a thinking that is only focused on quantity to one that is based on quality. Not how many visitors we attract but how they are treated, what experiences they have at our destination will matter most. Of course how positive their economic impact on the destination is also needs to be considered.
30/95

31. To maximize the positive benefits and to minimize the negative environmental impacts we need to be aware of the consequences for a tourist destination when additional people visit. More tourists generate more income and employment for residents but more people also can put severe pressure on a destination’s natural, social and cultural resources.
31/95

32. Tourism development can have many impacts on the environment
Tourism development can have many impacts on the environment. As visitor numbers rise there will be an increase in:
Demand for fresh, clean water
Demand for electricity
Creation of waste and sewage
Increase in vehicular traffic
Crowding
Land, sea and air pollution
All these aspects need to be evaluated and planned for before a destination can become sustainable.
32/95

33. Find out where the local government puts its solid waste?
ACTIVITY 5
Establish where and how each destination obtains its water for residents and tourists.
Establish how and where electricity in each destination is generated. What fuels are used to generate electricity?
Find out where the local government puts its solid waste?
If you get a chance to talk to tourists, ask them what they think of environmental conditions in the destination under study.
33/95

34. OBSTACLES TO CHANGE OR WHY IT IS SO DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY
We now know that the more people visit a destination the greater the impacts will be. So we need to ask ourselves what can be done to manage a tourist destination in a way that it is sustainable.
We need to discuss the obstacles that stop destinations from becoming sustainable.
There is also a need to establish guidelines for sustainable tourism development that limit the damage we do to the environments.
Measures require that destination managers first get an understanding of the limited capacity that all sites have to accommodate tourists.
This concept is usually referred to as the concept of carrying capacity.
34/95

35. The Concept of Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity has been defined as “The maximum number of people who can use a site
without an unacceptable alteration in the physical environment and without an unacceptable decline in the quality of experiences gained by visitors
without an unacceptable adverse impact on the society, economy and culture of the tourism area.
We have to be aware that this concept is not always an exact science and that visitor number limits established should only be used as guidelines.
There are several types of carrying capacity.
35/95

36. Physical Carrying Capacity
When no more people can physically fit into a space its physical carrying capacity is reached. Theatres, cinemas, or sports stadia are examples. To increase physical capacity a new venue may be need to be built. You can also think about capacity on an aircraft. If all seats are occupied the plane has reached its physical carrying capacity.
36/95

37. Ecological Carrying Capacity
The ecological state of the site must be maintained, or where possible, enhanced. Sites vary and detailed environmental assessment is needed to establish carrying capacities.
37/95

38. Socio/Cultural Carrying Capacity
This refers to the acceptance of tourists by the local population. The level of acceptance depends on previous experience and benefits that tourism brings. People who benefit from tourism such as those who own shops that cater to tourists or those who are employed in the industry tend to hold more favourable attitudes towards tourism than those that are not involved with it at all. One way to minimize the negative impacts that tourism may have is by educating visitors and tourists about what they can expect of each other.
38/95

39. This souvenir seller in Ubud, Bali is trying to benefit from tourists and hence will have a positive attitude towards them – if they buy his products.
39/95

40. Psychological Carrying Capacity
Crowding is one of the problems that can be brought on by the presence of too many tourists in a place. Some people and nationalities are more tolerant of crowds than others. In Hong Kong people are so used to huge crowds of people that they don’t worry much if tourists add to the congestion. In other countries such as Australia that have low population densities even the presence of a few additional people can be perceived as intruding on the life-style of the locals.
40/95

41. How tolerant locals and tourists are of crowding will depend on the site. During the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament, spectators will tolerate crowded conditions at Hong Kong Stadium because crowds are part of the party atmosphere. When going for walks on the beach Western people tend to want to have their own space and they do not appreciate if there are too many other people around
41/95

42. Socio-cultural impacts of tourism
Closely linked to some of the points raised above are the socio-cultural impacts that can result from tourism. With this in mind the United Nations World Tourism Organization has developed a Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. This code was adopted at the WTO General Assembly in The code states:
Tourism’s contribution to mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies
Tourism as vehicle for individual and collective fulfilment
Tourism, a factor of sustainable development
42/95

43. Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and communities
Tourism, a user of the cultural heritage of mankind and a contributor to its enhancement
Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and communities
Obligations of stakeholders in tourism development
Right to tourism
43/95

44. Liberty of tourist movements
Rights of the workers and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry
Implementation of the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for tourism
44/95

45. Break down of stereo-types
Break down of stereo-types. Most people have a certain stereo-typical image of other peoples and cultures. By meeting foreign tourist’s face-to face such often wrong stereo-types can be corrected.
Civic pride is enhanced because outsiders value the place. Often local people do not appreciate the true value and attractiveness of what they have in their local community but once tourists arrive who tell locals how wonderful their place is, residents often start to develop a greater appreciation of their own environment.
45/95

46. Potentially negative impacts
Overcrowding of sites used by local people
Distortion of local customs by adapting them to tourist consumption
Effects on local language – English words replace local ones
“Demonstration effect”-perception that all tourists as wealthy which can lead to envy of tourist’s material goods. If tourists carry items such as cameras or an I-Pod many locals may also desire these. If they can’t afford to buy the item they may resort to theft or robbery to obtain it from the tourists who are perceived as rich.
46/95

47. Loss of traditional industries – replacement of agriculture with tourism. There is a danger that agricultural land is converted to tourism use and that farmers leave the land to get involved in the tourism industry at the expense of producing food for consumption by local people and tourists. This may lead to food shortages and/or the need to import food at higher prices.
47/95

48. ACTIVITY 6
Make a list of all the positive and negative impacts you think that tourism has in the part of destination where you live. Compare these lists with those created by your class mates.
48/95

49. Sex and Tourism
One of the often mentioned negative impacts of tourism is the perceived increase in prostitution at some tourist sites. It must, however, be remembered that sex and tourism covers a wide spectrum ranging from romance to commercial exploitation of women and children. The book Sex and Tourism: Journeys of Romance, Love and Lust by Thomas Bauer and Bob McKercher (The Haworth Hospitality Press, New York, 2003) covers the topic well.
49/95

50. Sex and Tourism
The authors argue that there is a spectrum that ranges from the positive/mutually beneficial encounters such as people on honeymoon or young people participating in a singles only cruise on one end to commercial sex tours, trafficking of women and children for prostitution and child sex tourism at the other, darker end of the spectrum. It is important to note that there is a big difference between “sextourism” which implies a commercial transaction and “sex and tourism” which can take many forms.
50/95

51. Sex and Tourism
While sexuality is a perfectly normal human activity that goes on at home and away from home (as tourists), it is the commercial side of sex that tends to be highlighted and that is often shown in a negative light.. The images are of mostly young and female prostitutes from poor regions ‘entertaining’ older and ‘rich’ foreigners at destinations such as Bangkok or Pattaya.
51/95

52. Sex and Tourism
In some countries (for example Holland and Germany) prostitution – the provision of sexual services in exchange for rewards (usually cash) is a legal activity. It is conducted as a business and sex workers are subject to taxation and regular health checks. In other jurisdictions prostitution is illegal but it still goes on but underground.
52/95

53. Sex and Tourism
The message is clear: sexual activities between consenting adults who agree to participate out of their own free will – whether paid for or not – have been going on since time immemorial and such activities should not be condemned solely on moral grounds. When it comes to the exploitation of children for sexual purposes the message is equally clear: it is totally unacceptable and such acts must be prevented at all costs and offenders must be prosecuted.
53/95

54. ACTIVITY 7
Start a discussion with other members of your class on the pros and cons of legalizing prostitution.
54/95

55. Globalization and its effects on tourism development
“ Globalization is essentially a process by which an ever tightening network of ties that cut across national political boundaries connects communities in a single, interdependent whole, a shrinking world where local differences are steadily eroded and subsumed within a massive global social order”. It is facilitated by the rapid movement of people, information , money and ideas around the globe.
55/95

56. How is globalization felt in the tourism context
How is globalization felt in the tourism context? We can think of several ways which include the following:
Commodification and trivialization of local cultures – everything takes on a practical and commercial (for money) aspect
Money is king!
56/95

57. Americanization through McDonald’s , KFC and Starbucks
McDonald’s fast food outlets can now even be found on islands in the South Pacific such as in Fiji.
57/95

58. Welcome to New York, London or Paris? No, welcome to Beijing.
Homogenization – all cities of the world look the same. Experiencing the diversity of building styles, dishes and cultures was once a main reason to visit cities. Today as one travels around the world one finds that many airports, hotels and cities are more or less the same – this takes the fun out of traveling.
Welcome to New York, London or Paris? No, welcome to Beijing.
58/95

59. Small scale operations are bought out by bigger companies.
Free flow of money around the world where it can earn the highest rate of return on investment
The location of manufacturing shifts to where wages are the lowest at the expense of local people. Souvenir production is an example whereby Australian koala toys are manufactured in China or where coconut souvenirs sold in the Maldives are made in Bali.
Small scale operations are bought out by bigger companies.
59/95

60. Most of the economic restructuring (change in ownership) is in the interest of big business not in the interest of the public and of the local people.
The Hilton Hotel Corporation was recently sold to an investment fund that is primarily interested in a high rate of return on its investment for its shareholders and not in the wellbeing of guests, local people, and employees or in corporate social responsibility.
Multinational companies such as CNN present consumers with their idea of the “truth” behind the news. They tell us what is important and what is not. They show us places we should want to travel to
National Geographic brings the world’s most exotic travel experiences to our living room and we become “armchair travellers”. This raises the question whether we still have to travel to places when we have already ‘experienced “ them on our flat screen TVs.
60/95

61. Globalization is felt particularly in less developed countries, many of which see tourism as an important development option. Unfortunately developing tourism can require that poor countries have to take out billion dollar loans to build the necessary infrastructure for tourism development and this can be a problem because they may not be able to pay back their debts. Airports, roads, hotels, restaurants and theme parks may be built but they are of little use to locals who can’t afford to fly or stay in those hotels.
61/95

62. Tax concessions (tax holidays) are often provided to outside developers to provide them with incentives to develop tourism infrastructure such as hotels in developing countries. By allowing developers not to pay local taxes for the first 5 or more years they are depriving the local government and hence the citizens of revenue but often no infrastructure would be build if such concessions are not offered.
62/95

63. International tourists demand international style hotels, food and drinks and hence developing countries have to import up-market building materials such as marble from Italy, food (oysters from Australia) and drinks (Scotch whiskey) from abroad which means that much of the tourism earnings flows abroad. This is called leakage because the money leaks out of the local economy and it can’t be used to benefit local people.
63/95

64. Leakage in the Maldives
The Republic of the Maldives is a low lying island nation in the Indian Ocean. The main source of income is tourism.
Resorts are mainly funded by European tour operators and most of the profits flow back to Europe to pay for construction and maintenance
More than 50 % of all labour is imported and remittances flow out of the Maldives economy back to the home countries of the workers (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan).
64/95

65. What is a net loss for Maldives is a net gain for those countries where the remittances of those workers make an important contribution to their families survival and hence also to the economy
Above water bungalows provide exclusive accommodation in the Maldives
65/95

66. Poverty alleviation through tourism
Poverty is still a very serious problem in many parts of the world. One of the United Nations Millennium Goals is to substantially reduce the number of people who live in poverty and tourism has been called upon to play its part in this effort.
There are different levels of poverty ranging from extreme to moderate. Extreme poverty is often defined as applying to people who live on less than 1 US$ per day. One thing is clear: There is nothing ‘romantic’ about being poor as is sometimes shown in destination photographs of some African countries.
66/95

67. Often it is assumed that people in rural areas are the poorest but this may not necessarily be the case because as long as people have access to land they can sustain their lives by growing their own food or by raising animals. People who live in urban slums are the poorest of the poor because they have no access to land to sustain their lives. All they can sell to make money is their labour. Because they are mostly unskilled they have a hard time in getting jobs because they have to compete against often much higher skilled city residents.
67/95

68. Gardening and luggage handling (Nepal)
Creating employment or self-employment opportunities for poor and unskilled peoples is one of the fastest ways that tourism can assist in reducing poverty. Here are a few examples:
Gardening and luggage handling (Nepal)
68/95

69. Self employment business opportunities (Nepal)
69/95

70. Making carpets that tourists buy as souvenirs (Nepal)
70/95

71. Silk production in Assam, India is another form of employment and revenue generation for local people
71/95

72. Development of tourism products to assist in poverty alleviation
The tourism product is made up of many components including transport, accommodation, activities, amenities, food and services. The challenge is to develop products that meet the needs of the tourists while at the same time assisting in poverty alleviation. A range of products can conceivably be developed including attractions, tours, packages, guiding services, shopping, entertainment and information provision.
72/95

73. Products can be developed from two perspectives:
By involving the poor in the development and management of the product and
By developing products based on the assets of the poor (culture, natural features, way of life)
73/95

74. The first question that needs to be asked, however, is whether local people genuinely want tourists to visit and if so at what intensity? Sometimes people may appear poor to outsiders but they may be content with their lives because they live in strong communities where they enjoy full family and social support and hence they may not need additional income from an activity that involves outsiders. If they do want tourism we have to ask what he poor need to know to enable them to participate in tourism. What assistance do they need so that they can benefit from tourism and how can provide this assistance? There are some potential difficulties and barriers:
74/95

75. Potential Difficulties
Unequal distribution of benefits from tourism. Not everyone in a community will benefit equally when tourism is started.
Unequal distribution of problems created by tourism. Sometimes the women in a community are required to do most of the tourism related work such as cooking and dancing for tourists while the men benefit without contributing much. This can lead to dissatisfaction among the women and to conflict between the sexes.
75/95

76. Potential Barriers
Time constraint of tourists. Visitors invest time and money into their holidays and they only want to visit places that they think can fully satisfy their needs.
Tour operators control many products – unless a new tourism itinerary or product can pay money (commission) to the wholesalers they will not include it into their brochures and hence the product will not get exposure and therefore no customers.
Distance of a new tourism product from existing main tourist areas can be a problem.
Lack of transport infrastructure.
76/95

77. Potential Barriers
Lack of tourism and hospitality related skills of the local population.
Lack of understanding of the expectations of tourists.
Lack of attractiveness of the local area.
Competition from other areas that may offer similar products.
Lack of environmental hygiene.
Distance from major tourist source markets.
77/95

78. Children working in tourism
Employing children, in particular young children in the various sectors of the tourism industry is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it is very common for restaurants or small, family owned guest-houses or hotels to require children to contribute to the economic well-being of the family by performing some tasks in the business. This is not necessarily a bad thing since children who grow up in the family’s hospitality business will have a very good understanding of the operation of such a business and this may well lead them to become successful restaurant or hotel owners when they grow up.
78/95

79. There are many examples where children who have worked in the family business from an early age have later taken over the running of the business when their parents are ready to retire. Such practices are not restricted to the hotel and tourism industry but can be found on most farms in the world and in small shops, in particular in Chinese shops.
79/95

80. At the same time the opportunity exist for young people who do not have family connections to a tourism or hotel business to be given the opportunity at a relatively early age to perform certain small task such as maybe cleaning the beach or assisting with other cleaning duties or as messengers in a hotel. Such employment opportunities can be particularly important when they are provided in some of the least developed countries where employment for the young and poor is often difficult to obtain. By earning some money they can help their families to survive.
80/95

81. While the above noted scenarios are positive, there is also a darker and more exploitative side to children’s employment in tourism. Often children are made to work in the hospitality industry without appropriate care, wages, working hours and work conditions. They may even be forced to work in this industry against their own free will and at the expense of their schooling and health. Such practices need to be prevented wherever possible but unfortunately they are often tolerated in countries where poverty levels are still very high.
81/95

82. ACTIVITY 8
Discuss the concept of poverty, its causes and consequences with your class mates.
Think about the issue of poverty in Thailand’s context and consider what role tourism can play to assist poor people to improve their lives.
82/95

83. Trends and issues in Hospitality
Hospitality can be defined as the reception and entertainment of guests or strangers with empathy, kindness, and an overall concern for their well-being. It is at the heart of all tourism and without providing a friendly and welcoming environment for visitors, tourism cannot develop successfully.
83/95

84. Trends in the accommodation sector
One of the most basic requirements for tourists is the need for clean and secure accommodation.
This can range from luxury hotels with full services to motels, guest houses, backpacker lodges, youth hostels and camping facilities.
Because people are different and have different reasons for travel they also have different accommodation requirements.
The accommodation of business travelers is usually paid for by their employer and hence they are more inclined to stay in up-market, more luxurious hotels whereas the more prices sensitive leisure travelers who pay for their trip themselves may prefer more affordable and therefore also less luxurious places to stay.
In particular young people who travel around the world as backpackers for long periods of time, sometimes years, do not want to spend a lot on accommodation. They prefer to spend their money on activities and experiences instead of on sleeping.
84/95

85. Greening of accommodation
Inline with the previously discussed trend towards a more sustainable tourism industry, accommodation places are also increasingly trying to be more environmentally friendly in their designs and practices.
In many hotels around the world the guest now finds notices in the bathroom that encourage them to indicate if they do not want their towels and sheets changed daily.
This is a measure that helps save water and reduces the pollution caused by the discharge of detergents into the sewage system.
85/95

86. Guests are also encouraged to turn off lights and air conditioning if they are not needed and in many hotel rooms electrical appliances and lighting can only be used after a key card is inserted into a slot that is located near the entrance to the room.
Once the card, which also opens the room door, is removed, the electricity to the room is cut off thus avoiding any unnecessary energy consumption.
86/95

87. More personal ‘boutique’ styles of accommodation
Commercial accommodation places tend to be large with many rooms and facilities but a recent trend is that experienced travelers are seeking smaller, more personal accommodation facilities such as boutique hotels, small guest houses, home-stays or eco-lodges.
Such facilities usually have more limited facilities but they provide guests with the opportunity to be in close contact with local people who own or operate such facilities.
87/95

88. Hotel Branding
There are many different hotel brands in the world. A brand is essentially the name of a product, in this case hotels, that is recognized, trusted and valued by the consumer to deliver the services required in the expected fashion. The table below shows the top 20 hotel brands, the number of hotels they operate and the number of rooms they control. As the industry is expanding these numbers are constantly changing.
88/95

89. Hilton is one of the most recognized hotel brands in the world.
89/95

90. Top 10 Hotel Brands in the World as of January 1, 2008
Rank Hotel Chain Number of hotels Number of Rooms
1 Best Western
2 Holiday Inn
3 Comfort Inns & Suites
4 Marriott Hotels & Resorts
5 Hilton Hotels & Resorts
6 Express Holidays Inn
7 Days Inn of America
8 Hampton Inn
9 Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
10 Super 8 Motels
90/95

91. More than just sleeping and eating
Integrating accommodation, dining, entertainment casino gaming and shopping is a new trend that recognizes that people who stay at a hotel or resort want to be able to participate in a diversity of activities during their stay. Gone are the days when a hotel was only a place to sleep.
The Grand Canal at the Venetian Resort in Macau provides guests with an indoor boating experience that simulates a real canal ride in Venice, Italy.111
91/95

92. Trends and issues in the restaurant and food services sector
92/95

93. Food
Food is a necessary and often enjoyable component of the tourism experience and the challenge for the hospitality industry is to provide good quality and healthy meals in a pleasant setting.
93/95

94. Conclusion
Trends and issues in tourism and hospitality are constantly subject to change. As societies change so will trends in the tourism and hospitality industry. Many trends are subject to what is fashionable at the moment while other trends and issues emerge from wider issues in society souch as a greater awareness of environmental protection or the increased concern about health. Companies that operate in the tourism and hospitality industry are required to keep their eyes and ears open and to constantly scan their environment for emerging trends so that they can meet the requirements of their customers. This is an ongoing process that never ends. As students of these fields we need to do the same so that we keep up-to-date with developments that impact on our industry..
94/95

95. END