An Overview of the Hotel Industry

Hospitality has been extensively researched, with numerous conceptualisations from different disciplines. Hospitality has a broad dimension that challenges management-oriented conceptions of what hospitality is (Lugosi, 2008). Other approaches also exist, such as defining hospitality based on social and cultural norms or even the social and emotional components of the consumer experience. This chapter examines hospitality, including operating structures, hotel ownership, and significant management and operational challenges.