Discussions

Hospitality is different from selling shoes or phones—you can’t “hold onto” the product in the same way. A hotel room that goes unsold tonight is gone forever (perishable), and the memory of great service exists only in the guest’s mind (intangible).

Pick one of these unique qualities—intangibility or perishability—and explain it as if you were teaching it to a friend who has never studied hospitality before. Share an example from your own experience, such as dining out, traveling, or attending an event, to make it real.

Why do you think these qualities make hospitality such a challenging—and exciting—industry to work in?