Serve with generosity

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines hospitality as, “generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests or hospitable treatment.” 

Dictionary.com defines it as, “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.”

The word hospitality derives from the Latin hospes, meaning host, guest, or stranger. Hospes is formed from hostis, which means stranger or enemy (hostile). 

By metonymy, the Latin word hospital means a guest-chamber, guest’s lodging, an inn. Hospes/hostis is thus the root for the English words host, hospitality, hospice, hostel and hotel.

Hospitality is the relationship between a guest (client, customer, visitor, stranger) and a host (receptionist, salesperson, butler, waiter, housekeeping staff) wherein the host receives the guest with an amount of goodwill.

The hospitality industry is vast and can be broken down into separate sectors. 

The top four sectors consist of:

• Travel and Tourism
• Accommodation
• Food and Beverage
• Entertainment and Recreation 

Although the industry is segmented, there is a significant overlap to improve customer experience.

For most countries, hospitality refers to the act of welcoming and receiving guests or visitors in a friendly and generous way, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, making visitors feel welcome and valued. 

The countries that excel in this around the world:

Japan: Japan is famous for its hospitality or “omotenashi” culture. Japanese people are known for being polite, friendly, and welcoming to visitors. They are also known for their attention to detail and willingness to go above and beyond to make guests feel comfortable.

Thailand: Thai people are known for being warm and welcoming to visitors, and for their emphasis on providing excellent customer service. Thai hospitality is often characterised by the concept of “sanuk,” which means having fun and enjoying life.

Italy: Italians are known for their hospitality around food and drink. Italian culture places a strong emphasis on sharing meals with friends and family, and visitors to Italy can expect to be welcomed with open arms and plenty of delicious food and wine.

India: India is known for its hospitality, with a strong emphasis on making guests feel at home. Visitors to India are often treated like family, and hosts go out of their way to make sure their guests are comfortable and well-fed. Their attitude – ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, meaning the guest is equivalent to God.

Greece: Greeks are known for their hospitality rooted in the ancient concept of “xenia” or guest-friendship. Greek hosts are known for their generosity and hospitality, and visitors to Greece can expect to be treated like honoured guests.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi is known for its hospitality with the concept “diyafa” in Arabic, is deeply ingrained in Saudi culture, and guests are considered a “blessing”. Saudi hosts often go out of their way to make their guests feel comfortable and at home, and they will offer traditional foods, tea, or coffee as a sign of welcome. Guests are treated with respect and courtesy, regardless of their background or nationality.

Ireland: The Irish cities Cork, Galway, and Dublin have been said to be amongst the friendliest and warmest (in nature) cities in the world. The great live music and vibrant atmosphere can easily get you addicted. 

Bhutan: with beautiful monasteries, lively happy people, and amazing culture will surely win hearts. This country is known to measure its success in terms of the happiness of the citizens. This method was invented by the king of Bhutan and started being called GNH (Gross National Happiness). 

For New Zealand’s Maori people, hospitality is a tradition. This tradition known as Manaaktinga means “prestige to the guests”, and it is this tradition that makes New Zealand all the more unique. People here believe that taking care of visitors is really important. 

Hospitality is all about caring for people and providing a service that delivers joy, relaxation, and fulfilment.

When you provide excellent hospitality, you basically give people permission to bring whatever they carry with them into your space to be shared. You are inviting them to let their guard down and make themselves at home. 

When you allow someone to be completely comfortable in your space, you build immeasurable trust, making them feel accepted and cherished. It deepens existing relationships and creates the space for new ones to flourish. 

Hospitality means everything for business people, travellers, wealthy individuals, discerning guests, who expect a dedicated, personalised service that reflects the level of their status, a level of dedication that enhances their life and facilitates their day-to-day activities.

Hospitality is all about making your guests feel welcome and comfortable, it is about generosity and kindness

Customer service is about meeting their needs and helping them to solve any problems they may have – in a generous and kind way.