ABSTRACT

The hospitality industry is under pressure to innovate in order to remain competitive. This innovation is steered by several trends including increasing global mobility and the need to cater for diverse guest groups and their cultures. As stated by Lin et al. (2007: p. 27), ‘As the competition becomes intensively globalized, understanding and accommodating the needs of consumers from different cultural backgrounds have become increasingly important.’ The following chapter outlines the need to steer away from simply seeing culture as synonymous with nationality and more closely examine what ‘different cultural backgrounds’ means for the hospitality industry in the 21st century. This includes religion, including the increasing importance of ‘Halal tourism’ and the needs of Muslim guests. The chapter also questions how far different age segments can be catered for and whether their preferences transcend national barriers.