Tourism and Hospitality in the 21st Century

Citation

Ingram, H. (2001), "Tourism and Hospitality in the 21st Century", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 13 No. 3, pp. 159-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm.2001.13.3.159.1

The text for this edited book is drawn from an international conference held at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK in January 2000 to herald the third millennium. Those who contributed conference papers and subsequent chapters represent an eclectic mix of specialists and commentators from around the world. For example there are generalists such as Marvin Centron (an American forecaster/futurist) and Michael Willmott (of the Future Foundation). Prominent specialists in tourism and hospitality have contributed chapters.

Interestingly, the book approaches the task of contemplating the future of tourism and hospitality in three parts. The first part gives the macro backdrop to the industries in question by considering global issues that are likely to be major influences. These include general views on the world population and living standards (Douglas Frechtling), leisure time (Colin Clark), tourism research (Betty Weiler) and hospitality research (Michael Olsen). Part two looks at the future of global regions such as Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. Each of the seven chapters in this section considers regional trends, key issues and future prospects and includes data and forecasts to support the conclusions. The third and final part addresses the future of sectors such as tourist attractions (Victor Middleton), cruising (Bryony Coulson) and transport (John Seekings). There are also chapters on job roles (tour guiding), sustainability (coastal resorts and climate change) and the role of government (public‐private sector partnerships). In the final chapter Richard Butler and Peter Jones give their analysis of the problems, challenges and solutions facing tourism and hospitality, and their interpretation of common ground in the preceding 27 chapters. As complexity and emergence could be said to characterize tourism and hospitality, there seem to be more problems and challenges in evidence than solutions. For example inconsistent data, problems of definition and of forecasting growth give a frustratingly fuzzy view of both industries. Important issues of global dynamics (demographics, technology) and of variable perceptions of travel are not illuminated by inadequate research and huge continuing gaps in the body of knowledge. This uncertainty limits predictability and “solutions” in this chapter. Butler and Jones confine themselves to highlighting key responses that are needed from the industries, including marketing (customer focus, branding, security, product development), management (labour quality and supply, crisis management) and, inevitably, research.

Unfortunately most of the book addresses tourism rather than hospitality issues, interpreting tourism broadly as “covering every aspect of people staying away from home”, and hospitality is an aspect of this. Nevertheless, more focus could have been placed on the implications for hospitality practices.

In summary there is much to recommend in this book for academic, student and practitioner markets. The 28 chapters are written in a concise, accessible and informative way that point to general and specific trends. Even the preliminary nine chapters in the first section apply their generalist knowledge to tourism and hospitality concerns and the contributors write authoritatively on their respective subjects.