Question:

This is an individual assessment and the essay should be approximately 2,000 words in length.

“Cultures become so mobile that contemporary citizens are thought to possess the rights to pass over and into places and other cultures. Moreover, if household members are forever on the move then distinctions of home and away lose their power.” John Urry, “Globalising the Tourist Gaze”, published by the Department of Sociology, Lancaster University, UK
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/sociology/papers/urry-globalising-the-tourist-gaze.pdf

Discuss the above statement in terms of:
1. The influences exerted on contemporary accommodation; and
2. (Contemporary accommodation) Responses to the inherent challenges of these influences.

The essay must be submitted in compliance with the following:

1. Consider the statement from different points of view and present and analyse those considerations for both the influences exerted on accommodation and responses to challenges in relation to the concepts of ?Introduction to accommodation management? we have been studying.

2. The statement must be discussed in essay format, that is formally structured around an introduction, main body, a conclusion, a reference list and no longer than 2000 words +/- 10%.

3. References must be utilised for this task. References to ?wikipedia? or to similar unsubstantiated sources will not be accepted.

Marked on:

Task
-Fulfilled Assessment Criteria-
-Appropriate Length

Understanding
-Grasp of the Field of Study
-Critical Insights
-Supporting Knowledge
-Identifies and Analyses Relevant Issues

Use (Application)
-Elevant Context
-Broad Range of Real World Examples

Academic Writing
-Structure and Language
-Appropriate Depth and Variety of Sources
-Properly Referenced

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Unit: Introduction to accommodation management
Weeks 1-7 sections required to be studied prior to essay:

1) Introduction of accommodation management
2) Contemporary accommodation provision
3) The contemporary customer and cultural differences
4) Organisational structures and communication strategies
5) The general manager and human resource department
6) Guest services, house keeping and maintenance
7) The front office

Textbook provided with Unit – Stutts, A. T. & Wortman, J. (2006) Hotel and Lodging Management: An Introduction, (2nd ed.) Wiley & Sons, New Jersey

Answer:

Title: Introduction to Accommodation Management

Introduction

One of the critical issues that manifest themselves in the world of accommodation management is mobility of culture. Today, cultures are so mobile that citizens are assumed to possess inalienable rights to cross over into all places and cultures (Urry 2001, p. 119). Urry (2001, p. 120) adds that households appear to be forever be on the move, and this has led to the loss of distinctions between home and away.

This paper discusses this statement by Urry (2001, p. 119) in terms of two key issues: the influences exerted on contemporary accommodation, and responses of contemporary accommodation to the inherent challenges of these influences. The statement is considered from different points of view and all those considerations are analyzed from both the influences exerted on accommodation and responses to challenges in relation to the concepts accommodation management.

Influences of culture mobility on contemporary accommodation

Today, there is a universal acknowledgement that we live in a highly mobile society. Indeed, mobility is an inherent characteristic of the contemporary world. Th. e main enablers of this mobility include the internet, air travel, international trade, and highly intricate systems of information technology. In a simple example, one may point out to Harvard freshmen who hail from Cambridge, and they have to travel across town to be part of a community that is defined by a gradual, collective displacement from their homes. Indeed, all the members of such an institutional community epitomize elements of mobility trends of the recent past.

Any form of movement brings about far-reaching influences on accommodation management. Those who make plans relating to accommodation have to make cultural adjustments so as to accommodate the cultural needs of their visitors. These adjustments may include learning of new languages, a drastic change of gender roles, preparation of new types of foods, and enactment of new laws. All these changes must be brought about in such a way that remarkable, memorable changes are brought in the lives of individual visitors.

It should be borne in mind that a core component of travel in the contemporary world entails leisure. In the quest for this leisure, contemporary citizens adopt the underlying assumption that it is within their rights and abilities to traverse regions of all types of culture. Indeed, cultural variations are normally analyzed, whereby cultures with depth and authenticity are celebrated while those that appear to be shallow are roundly criticized. This type of cultural analysis and critique makes modern travel all the more interesting.

A key challenge for managers of accommodation entails creating an environment where visitors can ‘feel at home’ (Duncan 2010, p. 49). This feeling of being at home is considered a key condition for the establishment of cultural identity. Accommodation management systems have to be put in place with the use of the right conceptual tools so that the fixity of objects of analysis is not taken for granted. Cultural adjustment efforts have to be pursued in such a manner that the local people do not get the feeling of ‘cultural contamination’ by outsiders. This may entail, for example, the creation of an English training center for hotel employees working for American tourists in an Arab country where English is not one of the main national languages.

Today, there is a wide-ranging element of cultural interactions of all sorts. In the course of these interactions, some elements of cultural identities have had to be revisited, both in theory and practice (Teare 2010, p. 58). For example, the French have always been considered stable and timeless, while the Christian and the Muslim world are known to have for a long time existed in complete, hermetic isolation from each other. These ‘landmark’ cultural phenomena are no longer considered to exist. Cultural mobility has played a crucial role in this radical transformation, where, for example, one may find a predominantly English-speaking population in the heart of France, or a Christian migrant community in an Arab country.

In the inherently mobile world, there is a powerful aspect of interconnectedness between tourism and culture. Whenever they travel, tourists not only engage in corporeal movement; they also move with objects, images, and most importantly, cultures. Therefore, those who manage their accommodation have to be aware that they are not only managing corporeal elements but also the accompanying cultures.

This type of orientation and approach in accommodation management is inevitable in the contemporary world, particularly considering that it is characterized by a ‘compulsion to mobility’. People have to keep traversing national and cultural boundaries in the search for pleasure, education, business, ‘greener pastures’ and better life (Mwaura 1998, p. 217). For some people, travel is inherently unavoidable. They have to travel to maintain family relationships, love, as well as successful working relationships. For people who are born and weaned into such an environment of travel, it may be easy to take for granted the national benefits that come with their travelling exploits. They may be inclined to believe and assume that they have the right and freedom to travel to any country whenever they please.

A key aspect of the mobility debate, though, is that all citizens are entitled to travel, largely because more than ever before, travel is an essential component of the contemporary individual’s life. It is for this reason that the element of travel has become both fascinating and intriguing for accommodation management practitioners. These practitioners are increasingly being compelled to think of travel not just as movement of people, but also as a construction of cultural practices that engender particular norms, ideas, and practices.

Discourse on travel has been intricately weaved into that on displacement. In this respect, the critical issue of examining the continuities and discontinuities of ‘travel’, ‘location’, and ‘displacement’ has to form a core component of the cultural mobility debate (Lockyer 2002, p. 298). Whereas some people are considered to be in ‘exile’, others are considered to be ‘tourists, yet others are understood to be ‘nomads’. Each of these terms has varying cultural implications with regard to the way accommodation is prepared for the individuals concerned. This activity is best carried out when one clearly understands the economic, cultural, and political circumstances of the travelers.

Indeed, it is impossible to talk about cultural richness without talking about travel. Travel is considered a core element of developing and sustaining culture, and this normally takes different forms (Girard 2009, p. 14). For example, some people travel to cultural heritage sites, where key cultural events shaping modern civilizations took place. In such places, the visitors may have expectations on which texts, images, and visual information to find. They people managing accommodation in such heritage sites would ordinarily be expected to have understanding of the sites and their cultural significance not just to the local people but also tourists from all parts of the world. Any cultural explanations offered must be tailored in such a way that they contribute to the cultural enrichment of the visitor (Stutts & Wortman 2005, p. 213). A crucial goal would be to ensure that the visitor’s sense of cultural awareness and attachment is reinforced.

Responses to the inherent challenges of the influences of culture mobility

There are many responses that stakeholders in the accommodation and hospitality industry are pursuing in response to the challenges of cultural mobility. These responses are largely derived from an in-depth understanding of how important travel is with regard to matters of culture (Brotherton 1999, p. 171). The responses are also borne out of an intricate appreciation of the fact that whenever travelers come into a new cultural setting, they bring with them their own cultures. Therefore, it is obvious that most of the responses have to do with cultural adjustment and mutual appreciation of cultural differences.

Hotel managers and accommodation experts tend to relate the services they are offering with the cultural narrative of their country of operation. This cultural and national association makes it easier for travelers and tourists to know what to expect once they arrive at the leisure or business destination of their choice. Through an understanding of national histories, travelers are able to relate well to the various sights, images, and practices that they encounter in the new country.

Although the idea of cultural adjustment is a plausible one, it has to be pursued in a manner that does not deplete the cultural attractiveness that makes visitors want to come in the first place. Indeed, the response of balance between cultural adjustment and cultural preservation is a challenging one. In the task of maintaining this balance, stakeholders in the accommodation management industry often endeavor to ensure that socio-economic development is achieved in the process. For purposes of sustainability, the ideal strategy entails pursuing those socioeconomic activities that enhance both cultural preservation and cultural adjustment.

For the most part, there is a trend towards a critical assessment of the economic benefits that are derived from cultural tourism and the accompanying element of cultural mobility. When people become preoccupied with travel so much that they think that it is their birthright to move from one country to the other, the very value of cultural variations may be lost. People may fail to appreciate the value that comes with these cultural differences. A critical assessment is necessary to ensure that crucial cultural artifacts are not trampled under the weight of imperialist pursuits.

Collective participation is necessary, particularly at the national level. It is not purely by coincidence that most cultural images and practices of the modern world are associated with specific countries. For example, London’s Crystal Place, the home of the Great Exhibition, is normally associated with Britain. Another example entails the Centennial International Exhibition, which is now a crucial part of Melbourne’s identity in Australia.

Incidentally, in each of these examples, there is a mention of the cities in which these key cultural events occurred. This implies that the name of the city is an equally, if not more important, cultural identifier. In most cases, it is upon entrepreneurs in the accommodation industry to decide whether to focus their energies on cultural identification at the level of city or country of operation.

However, there are some events that tend to blur the uniqueness of individual cities. This is especially the case with regard to events and extravaganzas that are of global significance. A good example is the Olympics, International Expos, and Football World Cups. When an Olympics competition is held in a city, many travelers around the world henceforth start associating that city with the Olympics rather than its cultural peculiarities. This brings about glorification of international attributes at the expense of strong local cultural idiosyncrasies.

Most of the globally-acclaimed spectacles attract huge audiences, sometimes numbering millions, and the cultural imprint on local populations may be difficult to erase. The impact may be so phenomenal that any tourists who visit the city after, say, a World Cup tournament, will miss the cultural uniqueness that used to exist before the onset of the spectacle.

Most of the international events that are a manifestation of an increasingly globalized world are founded upon the tenets of cosmopolitanism and mass tourism. These events form a melting pot of various cultures. In such scenarios, the best that providers of accommodation can do is to adopt a liberal approach in the way they offer services. Considering that these international events do not last for long, an efficient approach entails adopting service delivery modes that are acceptable to the highest number of people. The problem with this approach, though, is that it risks being seen as culturally insensitive, even offensive, by minority groups.

On the issues of cultural adjustment and mutual appreciation of cultural differences, it is imperative for people who have to move from one country to the other to make use of the available modern technologies to maintain close relations with people in their home countries. Indeed, many hotel operators seize this opportunity by providing their customers with internet ‘hotspots’ to facilitate fast, seamless communication at the global level.

Indeed, the trend towards the adoption of modern technologies in the accommodation industry is gathering pace, even in the developing world. In many developing countries, the mobility patterns of well-off households continue to change. This change epitomizes a radical transformation towards globalization. Hoteliers consider this transformation a business opportunity to open shop in the largely unexploited developing world. during such investment undertakings, the entrepreneurs, again, have to balance the cultural expectations of the developed world with those of the developing world. 

Conclusion

In summary, the cultural mobility of today has created a scenario where citizens are generally assumed to have the rights to visit any place of their choice regardless of cultural variations. In such a scenario, the phenomenon of cultural interconnectedness is inevitable. Moreover, today’s households are more mobile than at any other time in the past. This high level of mobility sometimes even makes it difficult for citizens to make distinctions between home settings and away-from-home settings. This trend has ended up having far-reaching implications on the practice and theory of accommodation management.

A far-reaching effect of this cultural mobility on accommodation management is the need to make visitors ‘feel at home’ wherever they are. This requires the hotel managers to understand the cultural identities of various citizens. Sometimes, there is need to create the right environment for cultural adjustment to occur. This may be a challenging undertaking, particularly in places where people of diverse cultural backgrounds converge for leisure or business travel. In terms of responses to these challenges, an in-depth understanding of how important travel is with regard to matters of culture is crucial. Similarly, stakeholders in accommodation management have to appreciate responses that have to do with cultural adjustment and mutual appreciation of cultural differences.

References

Brotherton, B, 1999, ‘Towards a definitive view of the nature of hospitality and hospitality management’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 165 – 173.

Duncan, T, 2010, The mobilities of hospitality work: an exploration of issues and debates, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Girard, L, 2009, Cultural tourism and sustainable local development, Ashgate Publishing Company, London.

Lockyer, T, 2002, ‘Business guests’ accommodation selection: the view from both sides’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 294-300.

Mwaura, G, 1998, ‘Corporate and national culture – An irreconcilable dilemma for the hospitality manager?’ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 10, No. 6, pp. 212 – 220.

Stutts, A, & Wortman, J, 2005, Hotel and Lodging Management: An Introduction, 2nd Edition, Wiley & Sons, Trenton.

Teare, R, 2010, Strategic hospitality management: Theory and practice for the 1990s, Routledge, London.

Urry, J, 2001, Globalising the Tourist Gaze, Department of Sociology, Lancaster University, London.