Type of Accomodations

Tourist accomodations may be classified into the following categories:

1. Hotels – provide accommodation, metals, and refreshments for those who may reserve
their accommodation in advance but need not to do so. In broad terms, they provide
facilities that meet the needs of the modern travelers. They portray an image of
efficiency and services;

2. Condominium – is an apartment or individual dwelling unit owned by an individual but

the management and services, such as maintenance and security, are handled by an
independent company. The company often contracts to rent the condominium when it
is not being used by the owner. Each owner can sell this or her unit independently of
other owner

3. Motels or motor hotels – provide bedrooms, bath, and parking to motorists; rooms are
usually accessible from the parking lot. They are usually near the highway;

4. Inns - are lodging establishment catering to transients which do not meet the minimum
requirements of an economy hotel;

5. Apartment – are hotels (apartelles), buildings, or edifices containing several

independent and furnished or semi-furnished apartments that are regularly leased to
tourists and travelers for dwelling, on a more or less long-term basis and offering basic
services to its tenants similar to hotels;

6. Paradores – are old convents, monasteries , castles, or fortresses converted into hotels
by the government and operated by a national tourism office. First-class paradores are
found in Spain and Ireland. They are generally priced reasonably with full-meal plans.
They appeal to tourists who would like to experience the romances and ambiances pf
the past in a fifteenty-century Augustinian monastery of a nineteentg-century mansion;

7. Pensions – are private or family-operated tourist accommodations similar to boarding

houses or guesthouses. They offer food and lodging to tourists and are well-known for
their informal family atmosphere;

8. Bed-and-breakfast accommodations – provide room, bath and a hearty breakfast to

tourists and/or travelers. They are known as B&Bs and are popular in Britain, Ireland,
and the United States;
 9. Hostels – provide minimal amenities such as bunk bed and a commonly shared toilet
and bathroom. The traveler provides his or her own bedding. They appeal mostly to
young travelers.

10. Campgrounds – appeal mostly to families who travel in recreational vehicles (RVs);

11. Health spas – are hotels and resorts which cater to individuals who go to spas or mineral
springs for weight reduction or medical treatments, and;

12. Private homes – provide lodging to tourist when accommodations are not available
during peak periods.

Hotel Classifications
There are different ways of classifying hotels. One way is by location, such as city
center, suburban, airport, highway, and resorts. A more meaningful classification is one based
on price such as economy or budget, standard or midscale, first-class, or deluxe.
A star rating system is often used to classify hotels in Europe and other parts of the
world outside the United States. Stars are assigned according to the quality of restaurants,
rooms, amenities, and services. The highest is the five-star hotel and the lowest is the one-star
hotel. Other classifications are deluxe, first-class, standard, and economy.

Food and Beverage

More of the tourist dollar is spent on food and beverage than on any other service.
Countries which are highest in per capita eating place and sales are also top tourist counties.
The type of food service provided will be related to the needs of the tourist. Many
destinations areas have successfully developed menus which are indigenous to the area to
promote local economy food.
Restaurants
Besides hotels, motels, and other types of accomodations, restaurants are also
classified as superstructure. Restaurants are establishments offering refreshments and/or
meals to public.

Some of the basic standard requirements for restaurants are the following:

1. The facades and architectural features of the building shall be appropriately designed. It
shall be provided with the proper entrance and exit. There shall be an adequate and
secured parking space provided free to customers. A receptionist shall be available to
usher in the guest. A waiting lounge with a telephone shall be also provided.

2. The dining room shall be adequate in size, with sufficient and well-maintained furniture;

3. There shall be cuisine of good quality and presentation and served with distinction.
There shall be a menu book or card which shall be presentable, clean, and easy to read
with the menu items listed in logical sequence. All tables shall have clean table cloth and
cloth napkins of good quality. No piece of crockery, cutlery, and tableware in use shall
be chipped, cracked, or gazed. The silverware shall be kept polished and clean at all
times; and

4. Adequate number of well-trained, experienced, efficient, and courteous staff shall be

employed. The bar shall be well-stocked at all times. The kitchen, pantry, and cold
storage shall be in good operating condition at all times and shall be of good quality
fixtures and fitting and provided with running water. Tissue paper, soap, paper towels,
and/or hand drier shall be provided. All main diningor function rooms shall be fully air-
conditioned and/or well-ventilated.
 SUMMARY
The travel industry is a tourism and hospitality network encompassing both the public and
private sectors. Businesses and organizations can be thought of as components of the travel
industry and categorized as direct providers, support services, and tourism development
organization. The first category involves organizations that provide services or products directly
to the travelers. The second category provides goods and services for both the travelers and for
organization that send goods and services directly but not exclusively to tourists. The traveler
receives the service indirectly through these support services. The third category affects the
two categories, both directly and indirectly, as well as the travelers. Thus, all aspects of the
tourism and network are affected by decisions of government agencies and planners.
Tourism and hospitality supply components are classified into five main categories;
natural resources, infrastructure, transportation, superstructure, and hospitality resource,
Natural resources include climate, topography, flora and fauna lake, rivers, volcanoes,
waterfalls, caves, and canyons. Infrastructure consist of facilities that are underground or on
the surface, such as water, power, communications system, sewage and drainage, streets,
highway, and bridges. Hospitality resources refer to the general feeling to being welcomed that
tourists receive in a destination area. It can be improved by providing a program of hospitality
training to tourism and hospitality personnel and encouraging positive feelings toward tourism
and hospitality and tourists by the general public. Transportation includes passenger
transportation facilities used on land, air, and sea. Superstructure refers to facilities that are
above the ground. Examples are hostel and other types of accommodation, restaurant, and
shopping centers.
 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Explain the direct and indirect components of the tourism and hospitality network.
2. Name the five major tourism and hospitality supply components. Explain and give
examples.
3. Define hospitality resources. How can they be improved.
4. Enumerate the different types of tourist accommodations. Explain each.
5. Descibe the different ways of classifying hotels.
6. Discuss the basic standard requirements for restaurants.