History of Accommodation or Lodging Industry A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW 1) In the previous lesson, we have learned about transportation and travel evolution. We learned how the travel evolved to what it is now. We also identified the different modes of transportation available to travelers. We have learned as well the factors that makes travelers choose a particular mode of transportation. To review, can you identify the 5 modes of transportation? Modes of Transportation 1. 2. 3. 4. In this module, we will learn about a different sector of the hospitality and tourism. We will start learning about the lodging industry. First, we’ll get to know how it started. We’ll identify the places that led to the development of the hotel/lodging industry. We’ll also get know better the famous people who made the industry what it is now. 2) Activity 1: What I Know Chart, part 1 (3 mins) Do you know anything about the history of the lodging industry? Try answering the questions below by writing your ideas under the first column What I Know. It’s okay if you write key words or phrases that you think are related to the questions. What I Know Questions: How did the lodging industry start? What I Learned (Activity 4) Who are the famous people who influenced the hotel industry? B.MAIN LESSON 1) Activity 2: Content Notes ANCIENT HISTORY Greek and Roman Days Hospitality as a concept is extremely old. People were hospitable because of their own superstitious fears that a stranger was either God or a representative of evil spirits, perhaps the devil himself. In ancient Greece, hospitality was provided by certain religion; missionaries, priests and pilgrims formed a very large part of the traveling public. However, the accommodations were meager, providing only shelter and the barest of sustenance. They were initially operated by slaves but gradually replaced by freemen, but still considered to of low social prestige. In ancient Rome the inns were large mansions whose owners do not allow guests to stay unless they carried a “letter of eviction” (permission to travel from government officials). Inns and taverns were established throughout the empire. The Romans built monuments throughout Britain and Europe in their exploration and conquering expeditions. Their taverns were called “tabernas” and the attached inn was called a “cauponas”. But still the quality of these taverns and inns were still poor. In early days in the Near East, caravans crossing deserts stopped at caravanserais. These were accommodations that surrounded large courtyards. They were simple structures with four walls where platforms were built for the travelers to sleep in. However, in the later years of the Roman Empire, taverns and inns provided shelter for traveling merchants, actors and scholars. There were rooms for the people but there were no stables for the horses. This led to the development of post-houses along the caravan routes. Middle Ages In the Middle Ages, Charlemagne enacted a law setting out the duty of a Christian to provide free resting place and food for a traveler. Up to this period, it was considered a charitable donation to render hospitality and not a business venture. However, in the year 1282, the great innkeepers of Florence in Italy incorporated a guild or association for the purpose of turning hospitality into a business. The term hostelers, meaning “inn holders” was not used until 1473 but it gradually shifted from “owner” to “inn-servant”. The term hostel, meaning “inn” was not used until the 1800s. In modern usage, hostels are accommodations of lesser quality and hostelers are guests who stay at hostels. Colonial Period (16th – 18th Century) Public coach service was introduced around 1650. The coaches ran between major cities and stopped wherever passengers wanted. Coach inns were built along the routes primarily at points where teams of horses were changed. The British use the term ordinary to describe such inns. These were built in a relatively standard design where the various buildings or sections provided sleeping accommodations for the traveler, a facility in which food and drink was served, a shelter for both the drivers and horses. The United States Postal Service was established in 1710 and called its primary routes between major towns along the Atlantic Coast post roads. Because of this, entrepreneurial farmers converted their farm houses into inns. Passengers from coaches slept in the hostel’s long room with their feet toward the fire. These 20 feet inns were called taverns, with public rooms on the first floor and sleeping rooms above. In the year 1788 in Nantes, Hotel de Henri IV was built with 60 beds and was considered as one of the first finest European hotels during that time. Also during the 18th century, coffeehouses became popular in Europe and were included in many of the inns. 19th Century The introduction of the railroads had a great influence in the lodging industry. As train tracks were being built throughout the Western world, depot hotels were also built. The hotels were usually connected directly to the train stations. Spas also started to grow in popularity during this time. Spas, mineral springs or pools that are believed to be medicinal or helpful, have been tourist destinations since Roman days. However, the advent of trains caused beautiful resorts to be built at these sites. Pennsylvania boasted that it was the first state to have railway travel to its spas. On the other hand, Saratoga Springs in New York was popular for the Saratoga trunks that would accommodate all the clothes one needed to spend a season at a resort. There were also other famous spas for centuries and were accessible to the public via rail travel: Spas at Baden, Germany; Marienbad, Bohemia; and Vichy, France. It was also during century that Thomas Cook arranged his first tour and was considered the first travel agent. Another benchmark for the hotel industry in the 19th century was the opening of the Tremont Hotel in Boston. It was the first luxury hotel that featured the first indoor toilets and first private bedrooms with locks on the doors. The Tremont also had a version of the present day bellman who was called a “rotunda man.” And in 1889, Cesar Ritz became the manager at the Savoy in London. He eventually opened his own hotel, the London Ritz and opened famous luxury hotels in Paris, New York and other cities around the world. 20th Century A bed with a bath for a dollar and a half. This was the motto that led to the hotel industry in the 20th century. In 1907, Ellsworth Milton Statler opened his first hotel in Buffalo, New York which was considered the first commercial hotel. It featured private rooms with keyholes above the door knob and light switch just inside the door. It also had the first private bathroom, full length mirror, circulating ice water and free morning newspaper. Another famous innkeeper was Conrad Hilton also known as the “King of Innkeepers”. He opened his first hotel on 1919, the Mobley in Texas and from there the Dallas Hilton was opened in 1925. In 1954, Hilton bought the Statler chain of hotels. At present, the Hilton brand can be seen in almost every major city in the world. Other famous innkeepers are John Willard Marriott Sr. who is the founder of the Marriott Hotel chain and Kemmons Wilson who is the founder of Holiday Inns. Conrad Hilton John Willard Marriott Sr. Kemmons Wilson Tourist Courts The automobile led the hotel industry into a booming business in the 1920s. the term motel, coined from “motor hotel”, goes back to the time when a farmer owning land along the major routes would build wooden 10 foot by 10 foot cabins along the road in front of his property. A car would pull up to the cabin, where a traveler could spend the evening. The owners of these motels soon expanded to 15 cabins and these were called tourist courts. The Great Depression and Word War II The great depression during the 1930s caused a setback for the lodging industry. Many small motels went bankrupt and the industry did not receiver until the war years. During the Word War II, thousands of people traveled, civilian and military. There were troops being transported, workers going to various war factories and numerous families reuniting. New hotels were then built near all major military bases and industrial areas. Advent of Air Travel The end of the war provided a new means of transportation, air travel. It was now available to the masses and business was booming while conventions and conferences became an integral part of successful commerce. Majority of companies opened regional and branch offices that is why business travelers became the most important lodging guests. And since the people had more disposable incomes after the war, they were able to travel more for pleasure. Different resorts were built all over the world. Many offered package plans usually in cooperation with the airlines. The Industry Today The lodging industry has changed tremendously and is diverse, offering different types of lodging to every type of traveler. According to the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, millennials (aged 18-34) are expected to represent 50% of all travelers by 2025. Companies are modifying their strategies based on this demographic’s personality traits and habits. Millennials travel a lot, are early adopters of technology, like personalized interactions and are spontaneous. This is why hotels are trying to please them with easy check-in and gourmet dining experiences at reasonable prices. In return, satisfied millennials actively promote their business on social media channels. And because of the developments in technology, majority of the guests today are selfsufficient, tech-savvy travelers who are comfortable using apps or mobile websites. Hotels are making sure their offering are up-todate and user friendly. Also, at business meetings and conferences, travelers expect lodging establishments to have high quality tech equipment and a knowledgeable support staff. A lot of travelers also seem to prefer technology over human beings that is why they want to check in digitally and even prefer a robot to deliver room service. Health and well-being is also one factor that is considered by lodging establishments. At present, guests are taking charge of health and hotels are responding by providing well-equipped fitness centers, pools and spas. And aside from providing healthy food options to their guests, some hotels are offering lighting that energizes, air purification, yoga spaces, in-room exercise equipment and even vitamin-infused shower water. Sustainability is also very important now for lodging establishments. Eco-friendly practices are becoming the new normal as companies focus on renewable energy resources and water scarcity. Many hotels are installing solar panels and updating their air conditioners and lights to automatically switch off when guests leave their rooms. Unfortunately, due to the Coronovirus pandemic, the lodging industry have been experiencing a worldwide crises. Many hotels are empty and some even decided to close. Nevertheless, the sad situation has given space for worldwide solidarity as we saw many hotels around the world provided their premises to house medical staff, first responders and even hospital patients not suffering from Coronavirus. However, the lodging industry is now developing ways to adapt their approach towards the new traveler. They are implementing changes that will make them ready when travel and tourism opens up once again. 2) Activity 3: Skill-building Activities Let’s practice! After completing each exercise, you may refer to the Key to Corrections for feedback. Try to complete each exercise before looking at the feedback. Exercise 1: Identify the following. 1. Famous spa in New York 2. Founder of Marriott Hotel 3. First travel agent 4. Forerunner of bellman 5. King of Innkeepers 6. Lodging establishments along the highways 7. First luxury hotel in Boston 8. Founder of Holiday Inn 9. First commercial hotel in New York 10. Founder of Ritz hotel chain Exercise 2: In this timeline, describe the accommodations used by travelers. Greek and Roman Days Middle Ages Colonial Period 19th Century 20th Century Post CoVid Pandemic Present CoVid Pandemic 3) Activity 4: What I Know Chart, part 2 It’s time to answer the questions in the What I Learned chart in Activity 1. Log in your answers in the table. 4) Activity 5: Check for Understanding Write short responses for the questions: a. What do you think are the significant inventions or social trends that affected the lodging industry? b. Speculate on what accommodations will be like after the CoVid Pandemic. FAQs 1. What is sustainability? Sustainability is a complex concept but the most often quoted definition comes from the UN World Commission on Environment and Development: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need.” According the charter for the UCLA Sustainability Committee, sustainability is defined as : “the integration of environmental health, social equity and economic vitality in order to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for this generation and generations to come. The practice of sustainability recognizes how these issues are interconnected and required a systems approach and an acknowledgement of complexity. Sustainable practices support ecological, human and economic health and vitality. Sustainability presumes that resources are finite and should be used conservatively and wisely with a view to long-term priorities and consequences of the ways in which resources are used.” (https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/what-is-sustainability/)
