Traveling and Hotels

Traveling and hotels are one of the largest service industries in the world. The industry is centred on the movement of people from one place to another and encompasses a broad range of sectors and companies, such as airline, hotel, tour operator, car rental, and cruise line.

Some of these services may be provided for free, while others require a fee. For example, some hotels have fitness rooms and swimming pools; some provide saunas or massage/therapy rooms; while others have beauty salons and barbershops. Many also offer internet access, usually for a charge. They may also have a business centre with equipment and services such as printers, fax machines (at a set price per page) and currency exchange.

Besides accommodation, some hotels offer food and beverage services, such as restaurants and bars, which may be open to the general public or to hotel guests only. Similarly, some hotels have on-site convenience stores. Increasingly, some hotels are catering to the needs of families by offering suites with separate sleeping and living areas, as well as kitchenettes.

Other types of accommodation include bed and breakfasts, which offer a home-like experience at a lower cost than hotels. Boutique hotels are characterized by their unique qualities and may have specific themes. Hostels are a form of shared accommodation that offers mixed or same-sex dormitories, often with a social atmosphere. Many travellers use Airbnb or similar websites to find and book these types of accommodations.