Back to: Nature of Hospitality
The nature of hospitality is unique because you are selling an experience, not just a physical product. The atmosphere and the service are just as important as the food or the room. Hospitality is intangible, meaning you can’t touch it before you buy it, and it is perishable—if a hotel room goes unsold for a night, that revenue is lost forever.
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Intangibility: Guests form an opinion based on their feelings and interactions.
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Perishability: An empty hotel room or an unsold seat on a mountain flight is lost income.
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Inseparability: The service is produced and consumed at the same time. The guest is part of the experience.
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Variability: The service depends on who provides it and when. A Nepali guide might give a different experience on a rainy day compared to a sunny one.