Overview

Historically the accommodation industry has been referred to as "a home away from home" and throughout its development there have been many changes in the facilities and attractions offered to guests. Many of these developments have taken place since the beginning of the nineteenth century. For example in 1846 central heating was introduced, 1859 saw the introduction of elevator, the electric light was introduced in 1881 and the in-room telephone in 1907. The first in-room entertainment became available to guests in 1927 with the introduction of the in-room radio. In many parts of the world the introduction of air-conditioning in 1940 made a very significant impact on guests' level of comfort. This was followed by the introduction of free television, a very popular entertainment feature (Bardi 2003: 6). Each of these developments has changed and enhanced the experience of guests.

The facilities and attractions offered by accommodation providers closely follows changes in the community at large, with growth in the entertainment sector of the economy today having a direct impact on the service industry as a whole and in particular the accommodation sector. The U.S. Department of Commerce (1992) showed that the consumer expenditure on entertainment and recreation increased rapidly from US$ 91.3 billion in 1980 to US$ 256.6 billion in 1990 (Figure 24.1).