The aim of this research is to discuss by elaborating on the importance of delivering quality services in the hospitality industry and by analyzing the expectations and perceptions of how quality services have an impact on the industry. It also extends in identifying the differences between service delivery in the hospitality industry and service delivery in other business, the main factors as to what attracts tourists’ in the Caribbean which keeps them coming back
The Hospitality Industry
In recent years the term “hospitality” has become increasingly popular as an all embracing nomenclature for a larger grouping or organization including hotels. As a collective term, the hospitality industry may be interpreted in a number of way; according to the HCTC report it includes hotels, restaurants, pubs, clubs, cafes, guest houses, contract catering, public sector, industries, hospital, education and leisure catering. The hospitality industry may also be divided into major sector headings: commercial, industrial and public services (Mullins, 2001).
The Importance of delivering quality service in the Hospitality Industry
Customer service is the essence of the hospitality industry. The importance of customer service in hospitality is stressed in professional courses as well as on-the-job training modules since aspiring hoteliers, restaurateurs and others in the industry need to be well aware of its significance and implication for successful business operations (Kidwai).It is an industry with a major impact on the quality of life of people and communities. It is a global industry embracing both cross-culture development and the rise of Multinational Corporation that are a part of this development (Buswell, 2003). Tourism services are primarily intangible. For example, a traveler cannot experience the tangible outcome of the holiday perchase in advance, however since tourism services are activities and experience of the service performance rather than physical objects, they can be perceived in the mind (mental intangibility. Consequently, tourism services represent a more abstract concept than physical goods. (Jay Kandampully, 2001)
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Quality has a direct impact on product or services performance. Thus, it is closely linked to customer value and satisfaction, in the narrowest sense, quality can be defined as “freedom from defect”; the amarican society of quality control defines quality as the totality of features and characteristcs of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy customers needs (Philip Kotler, 2006).
Is Service Delivery in the Hospitality Industry Different in other Industries?
Customer service on a whole in hospitality industry and other businesses reflects on the quality service that customer either receives (tangible) or experiences (intangible). Hospitality organizations, then, exhibit may have the basic characteristics of service industries and may share many common features such as high fixed cost, labor-intensiveness, low wages and unsocial working hours. But is the service industry any different from other industries? Not according to leading writers such as Levitt (Mullins, 2001):
“Purveyors of service, for their part, think that they and their problems are fundamentally different from other businesses different from other businesses and their problems. They feel that service is people-intensive, while the rest of the economy is capital-intensive. But distinctions are largely spurious. There are no such things as service industries. There are only industries whose service components are greater or less than those of other industries. Everybody is in service” (Mullins, 2001)
In order for us to know what quality service is we have to analyze the standards of delivering quality service that exist within our industry, hence the nature of our service in hospitality is for leisure and entertainment while other businesses on a larger scale would be a mixture of tangible or intangible service (Trigg, 1996).
Community-Base Tourism in Jamaica
KINGSTON – Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says community-based tourism has the potential to significantly boost employment for persons in rural Jamaica, while further driving the development of the product.
Speaking at the National Consultation on Community-based tourism, held at the Devonshire Restaurant at Devon House, in Kingston on September 8, Mr. Bartlett said the policy framework for the community-based tourism strategy will facilitate the provision of a wide range of job opportunities in the sector.
The consultation aims to facilitate further dialogue among stakeholders on the draft Community-based Tourism Policy and Strategy, which has been submitted to Cabinet for consideration (Reynolds, 2011).
The development of community-base tourism attractions has generated significant interest over the last decades. There is now of a conscious effort to develop attractions that are sustainable and that genuinely benefits all stakeholders in the process, including local communities who are often affected by such activities (Jayawardena, 2005).
Pros & Cons of Community-Base Tourism and the implications it has on the country as a whole.
Pros:
A community-based tourism project is a profitable and sustainable activity that enhances the environment while adding value to the experience of both locals and visitors.
It directly involves the community – providing both social and economic benefits.
It is market driven and has to meet high standards in order to be sustainable.
Private entrepreneurs, community groups and or organizations may own it. It should aim to educate, train develop, encourage and utilize any skills and human potential within the community, towards the delivery of professional service.
It should be operated within a business structure that adheres to government regulations, financial obligations, good labor relations and sound management systems.
Members of the community are expected to exhibit friendliness, honesty and professionalism amongst themselves as well as in their dealings with the visitor to ensure the integrity of the project (Tourism Product Development Company Limited., 2005).
Pros & Cons of Community-Base Tourism and the implications it has on the country as a whole.
Cons:
If the community is a rural community it can create a bad image on the tourist attraction, in other words it can reduce the tourist from wanting to venture in that location.
Tourism can be a seasonal benefit to the community and can leave people jobless untill tourist returns.
If a community is being delveloped as a community-base tourism, it sometimes may cause breakdown of the community in a sense that sometimes construction may threaten the community to relocate.
Tourist area normally attracts business ventures/ Entrepreneur, in this case this can take away the benefit of the community-base tourism within the community hence (e.g. if a independent business individual decideds to develop a tourist attraction within the community it may capture the tourists’attraction which will eventually causes the tourist to be less involved within the community).
Main Factors that attracts tourist to the Caribbean
The islands of the Caribbean are known for its people, service, hospitality and more over its ‘Sun, Sand and Sea’ concepts, tourist are lured to such activities such as swimming, sunbathing and water sports. The islands are blessed with warm tropical climates year round which mean that sunshine is an integral part of its weather pattern, but what main factors that attracts tourist to the Caribbean?
Culture:
Culture can be vast variety of what makes up the Caribbean as a whole. These are usually organized events such as festivals, displays of culture artifacts arts (music, theatre, dance and craft). Also included are customs, traditions, religion, folklore and cuisine (Morgan, 2000).
Heritage:
These reflect the history and folklore of the destination. Included in this type of attraction are museum, galleries, forts, churches and other historical sites (Morgan, 2000).
Leisure:
These are designed for the purposed of providing leisure activities for visitors. Leisure attractions can be a combination of natural and man-made attractions. Good examples of leisure attractions are casinos, sporting facilities, theme parks and night life (Morgan, 2000).
Man-Made:
Man-made attractions are physical structures, e.g. Theme Parks, Bob Marley Statue or events (World Cricket games). These are created, designed or organized to attract visitors (Morgan, 2000).
Hence the Caribbean as a lot to offer to countries around the world, doesn’t matter where your origin, there’s a piece of everything to offer to tourist around the world that will and always have our visitors coming back.
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