Smile For The Day

 

“If the giver exhibits generosity, the taker can also show generosity of spirit”

In this post, I will be talking about something different, not about nature or wildlife as usual, but a part of it. And that is Hospitality. The word itself comes with responsibility. Hospitality is a big part of the tourism industry, or I would say tourism starts with better hospitality. Now the question is, why have I used the term 'better hospitality'?  There is nothing as good Hospitality or bad Hospitality, but it is all upon the traveler and the host, who makes it a good or bad. The hospitality is not restricted only to resorts or four and five-star hotels, but also a place, state, or country. For example, let us say, Gujarat is known as one of the best states for its hospitality, or another example would be the travelers from XX state are most of the time annoying. So always remember, as a traveler or a host, we are representing our place or state, or country. As a traveler, we think that it is the responsibility of the host to take care of his/her needs and everything he/she demands, which to some extent is okay to think and expect, but there is a limit to it. 

I know it is still a bit early for me to talk about this as it has been just two years for me being in this industry, but I worked from a small resort to a well-known eco-resort, also I have traveled to quite a few places. So, with experience, I have learned few things which usually go unnoticed by the host or the traveler. In this blog, I shall be putting light on the same.

Let's talk about the traveler to start with. As a traveler, our breaks, it’s all we have right? our precious holidays which we don’t want to ruin, a break from work and daily routine, precious savings, and some family or friends time. But always remember, the place you are about to go might be different, so level your expectation according to the places you have decided to visit. Visiting some isolated areas and making a fuss about the network could be not so inadmissible. 

As a traveler we have few responsibilities, So, always remember: 

★   You are traveling to escape your daily routine, so don’t look for a place just like your home, you can get a home-like experience but not as similar to home. 

★   Do a bit of research about the place you are planning to visit.

★   Always respect the local culture, local people, and their thoughts.

★   Make sure your attire is according to the place you are about to visit. It is not about mindset but maybe people are not used to your attire as per their culture and may get uncomfortable with your presence. 

★   Always respect the local food, environment. Never comment on anything or anyone inappropriately.

★   Learning about their local culture and lifestyle can contribute to your ethical tourism as well. 

★   Never compare two different places because every place has to offer something new and unique.

★   Always have patience.

★   Be polite to the staff because your smile and humbleness can lessen their burden. 

★   To sum up, Three things to keep in mind as a traveler are Empathy, Humility, and Knowledge.

Now, let's talk about the host. In India, we have the saying “Athithi Devo Bhava”, which means guests are like Gods. As Host, we have many responsibilities and we have to meet the expectations of the guest. It is hard but not impossible. But again, as a host few things have to keep in mind:

★   Always keep a smile on your face because your smile represents your welcoming nature.

★   Always choose your words wisely.

★   Never say No, because saying that “I can try to arrange as per request” sounds much better and polite.

★   Try to communicate as much as possible and make them comfortable. 

★   Unwanted situations can sometimes make your guest angry as they are there to spend their best time. Never feel ashamed for apologizing for the mistake.

Tourism is the industry where there is no national holiday. You must work 24/7 and 365 days with a smile on your face, no matter what you are going through.  Festivals come with bonuses and weekends with extra tips. But, there is no festival and weekend for us as a host. In hotels and resorts, I have witnessed my colleague working day and night to make guest's experiences memorable. I have gone through the same. Sometimes, the situation used to get so worse. Whether you are hungry and did not eat anything full day, you still have to explain about the food in such a tongue-licking way, that your guest must wish to have it on their plates.

This industry is a place where you cannot speak less as it’s sometimes considered rude or more as it’s very irritating, be subtle. A place where you cannot be too friendly but cannot be ignored as well. I must say, it’s a tough place to survive, but with learning, even a short-tempered person like me learned how to handle tiny things before a situation gets out of your hands.

But as I mentioned earlier, it is us who make it a good or bad experience. Our polite behavior and a kind gesture can do a lot. I have seen resorts where the host will make you feel you are home or make you say, “I will never visit this place again”. But as a traveler, always be patient, polite, never misbehave or try to show your superiority, and always try to be understanding. Compliment your Host for every little thing. This will encourage them to do more for your service with the best quality. As a host, respect your traveler. There is no shame in saying that they are the source of your earning, so do respect them. Misbehaving, being rude can give a bad impression about you and the place you own/belong to.

In the end, I just want to say, “always remember that in this we world we all are traveler, and we all are host, so act wisely”.