The hospitality industry:

The hospitality industry is a massive business sector casting a broad spectrum of

services. Travel and Toursim are also categorically incorporated as a branch of
hospitality. suppliers and transportation services are also indirectly linked
contributors of hospitality by delivering the services necessary to keep the industry
running, though this sector does not directly depend on it for survival. Examples of
travel and tourism being a direct enabler of hospitality include airlines, tour buses,
travel agents such as traverze and arima in zimbabwe not excluding destination
marketing organizations.

Accommodation:
There are different types of accomodation that fall under the hospitality industry with
examples being
Lodges for example cresta lodges in Harare
Inns for example White Horse inn in Manicaland Province
Hotels for example Meikles Hotel
Chain hotels for example Rainbow Group Hotels, Holiday inn and Regency
Motels for example Rocky Motel in Masvingo
Resort inns , Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga, Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Falls
Boutique hotels for Example Oasis Hotel, Glen Lorne Harare
Conference centres Harare International Conference Centre and the Hippodrome both
in Harare
Getaway outings such as Hwange Game park, imire game park
Lesiure centres such as Nyabira Beach and Binga Beach
Wedding venues for example Pradize Gardens in Harare
Casinos such as Montclaire Casino.

Food and Beverage:

The accommodations mentioned above also offer guests food, beverages and other
dining options as part of their stay, for example Rainbow Hotels have cafes, bars and
restaurants not excluding holiday inn. There are also stand alone providers like food
outlets, chain restaurants such as Simbisa Brands outlets which are inclusive of
chicken inn, bakers inn, Nandos, steers, and rocko mamas, who, thougth, independent,
contribute to hospitality.

Recreation and Entertainment :

Beacues busineses which are categorized under the hospitality industry often rely on
consumers’ disposable income, they market to the customers the desire for
entertaainment, exploration and edutainment for refreshment purposes.
Bars, nightclubs, theatres, safaris, stadiums, events, museums and other attractions
act as special event venues and tourist attractions, helping to drive a destination
economy.

There are four main approaches in services that distinguish the nature of hospitality
and these include;

Professionalism:
That is the services provided to the customers demanded
It is also known as a platform to forge relations between buyers and sellers
Skills, attitude and behavoural mannersims are critical accolades for staff in the
hospitality industry.

Hospitableness:
This detours from the commercial relations between the service provider and client to
the cultural meaning of hospitality and viewing it as a platform for hosts, of which the
host’s modus operandi should be to ensure the comfort, enjoyment and wellbeing of
the guest.
There is emphasis among staff on the need to exude a spirit of hospitality, with
hospitable behaviour being viewed as a virtue in order to ensure happiness of the
guest.

Hospitality as an experience:
Clients are more interested in memmorable, exciting and satisfying moments.
From the moment they arrive at the hotel to the day they check out, the restaurants
they visit and events they attend they expect exceptional services to their amusement.
Hospitality as a Philosophy:
This stems from the view that hospitality can be a philosophy of service which can be
applied to all service sectors.
Adopting the generosity and kindness associated with hospitality has the potential to
aid other service providers in offering more genuine and sensitive care.

Challenges associated with the hospitality industry:

The hospitality industry, being one of the biggest contributors to the global economy
is not immune to challenges, some of which are not self induced, but rather
determined by external factors. These include;

Covid-19 Pandemic:
The United Nations Tourism names Hospitality as the third largest export sector of
the global economy. Covid-19 affected all parts of the value chain that make up the
hospitality sector.
During the advent and peak of the covid-19 global pandemic, the united nations
tourism report states that tourism globally fell by 1.2 trillion dollars reducing GDP by
2.8 percent. Hospitality also extends to wildlife with conservation and anti poaching
activities being directly funded by tourism in most global economies, with tourism
being a sub category of hospitality.
Solution;
No solution could be offered as the pandemic became a global health emergency and
governments initiated countdowns in their countries world wide. Gathering and all
cultural festivities were all shutdown leading to the closure of heritage sited and all
handcrafts and others artisan products we closed and this saw mainly women and
youth being affected. The global village is now recovering in 2024 as the relaxation of
covid 19protocls kicked iin global at the progression of the year 2022.

Intangibility:

○ Definition: the hospitality industry online enquiries have challenges in

that, they cannot be seen orfelt over the phone or email of enquiries.
 Therefore it makes it harder for a hotelier to market their services
online.

○ Example: Booking a hotel room online. Customers can't physically

inspect the room before making a reservation.

○ Marketing Challenge: convincing guests in another country to book

in the service provider’s hotel room without physical inspection and
tangible evidence of its actual existence becomes daunting.

○ Solution: Visual storytelling: Use high-quality images, videos, and

virtual tours to showcase the hotel's amenities, rooms, and ambiance.
Leverage customer reviews and testimonials to build trust.

Inseparability:

○ Definition: The production of Hospitality services are directly

dependant to the consumption of these services.

○ Example: Dining at a restaurant. The chef prepares the meal while the
customer consumes it.

○ Marketing Challenge: Ensuring consistent service quality during

every interaction. This might be affected by wrong order, complain
oftaste by the client and general dissatisfaction with the services
rendered.

○ Solution: Training and standardization: Train staff to deliver

consistent experiences. Develop service scripts and guidelines to
maintain quality across all critical areas.

Perishability:

○ Definition: Services cannot be stored or inventoried.

○ Example: Empty hotel rooms cannot be saved for future use.

○ Marketing Challenge: Managing demand fluctuations (seasonal peaks

and troughs).
 ○ Solution: Dynamic pricing: Adjust room rates based on demand.
Offer promotions during off-peak periods. Collaborate with travel
agencies to fill vacant rooms.

Variability:

○ Definition: Services are subject to variation due to human involvement

and other factors.

○ Example: The quality of room service may differ based on the staff
serving it.

○ Marketing Challenge: Maintaining consistent service quality across

different employees and shifts.

○ Solution: Employee training and empowerment: Train staff

thoroughly and empower them to handle guest requests creatively.
Implement quality control measures.

Interactivity:

○ Definition: Services involve direct interaction with customers.

○ Example: Front desk check-in, concierge services, and personalized

recommendations.

○ Marketing Challenge: Delivering personalized experiences at scale.

○ Solution: Customer relationship management (CRM): Use data

analytics to understand guest preferences. Tailor marketing messages
and offers based on individual profiles.

1. Not Able To Set A Goal:

○ Solution: Define clear marketing objectives:

■ Improve brand awareness.

■ Generate leads.

■ Increase website traffic.

■ Acquire new customers.

■ Enhance customer lifetime value.

 2. Not Able To Create A Marketing Plan:

○ Solution:

■ Define business objectives.

■ Identify the targeted audience (business travelers, leisure

tourists, etc.).

■ Prepare a marketing budget.

■ Select appropriate marketing strategies (social media, email

campaigns, influencer partnerships).

Not Able To Find the Right Audience:

○ Solution:

■ Conduct fundamental analysis: Understand customer

demographics, preferences, and behavior.

■ Gather customer feedback: Use surveys and reviews to refine

targeting.

■ Utilize Google and social media analytics to identify potential

guests.

3. Not Able To Deal With Negative Online Reviews:

○ Solution:

■ Listen and analyze the problem: Understand the root cause of

dissatisfaction.

■ Verify the authenticity of reviews.

■ Respond promptly and positively.

■ Continuously improve service quality based on feedback.

In this digital age, leveraging tools like social media and email automation can help
overcome these challenges and enhance the overall guest experience in the hospitality
industry.
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Hyperliks;
Service Marketing Challenges and Solutions To Overcome Them
. Strategies to Overcome the Biggest Challenges of Service Marketing
. What Are the Unique Challenges of the Service Industry? - uttyler
. Challenges of Service Marketing and Effective Ways to Overcome It