1.2 The Host and Guest Experience
A discipline can be understood as a specialized branch of knowledge where professionals in the field, professors, and students can explore a particular topic in depth. An academic discipline refers to a specific subject area that experts focus on to gain understanding. Each discipline has its own unique methods and concepts that assist professionals in comprehending that subject.
Disciplines are like branches on a tree. Each branch represents a different area of knowledge from the applied field in question. For example, hospitality is an applied field rather than a discipline. The hospitality and tourism tree has branches such as geography, business, political science, psychology, and economics.
Disciplines often have their own specialized vocabulary and ways of thinking that assist experts understand and problem-solve complex problems. In the fields of hospitality and tourism, understanding hosts, guests, and the relationship between these individuals in the context of hospitality and tourism is necessary to succeed as a practitioner.
Hospitality and tourism are industries built upon the foundation of the host and guest experience. In fact, one of the most famous books in hospitality and tourism is literally called Hosts and Guests: The Anthropology of Tourism. This book was first published in 1977 by Valene Smith. This was at an important time for hospitality and tourism, as it was becoming its own community, beyond the scope of traditional business operations as hospitality and tourism is quite unique. Understanding the host and guest experience is crucial for professionals in the hospitality and tourism industry as it forms the cornerstone of customer satisfaction but also effective management. This made Smith’s articulation of this relationship a particularly apt title for her book. We as professionals in this field can gain insight to the relationship between hosts and guests by delving into the perspectives of each group. Holistically, this cannot be accomplished within the context of any singular specific discipline. Hospitality and tourism professionals need to understand how many disciplines relate to host and guest experiences and interactions.
The role of a host can be played by an individual or an organization. Either way, the host holds a pivotal position in hospitality and tourism. The host is responsible for creating a guest-centric environment and nurturing rapport. To achieve this, hosts must possess a range of skills and attributes. This includes the responsibility of customer service for guests. This also includes a financial and supervisory acumen to ensure operations go smoothly.
The term guest refers to an individual who travels to a destination or stays at an accommodation establishment. One may assume, falsely, that guests have no role in tourism beyond experiencing tourism and being waited upon by hosts. There is more to being a guest though.
Guests have expectations when visiting a dest