Culture and its impacts on hospitality industry

Donna

Eva

Jackie

Patty

HTM 2118 Hospitality and Culture

Background

Flag & Emblem

Geography• Area: 3,287,590 sq km

– World 7th largest

• Land use:– arable land: 54.4% – permanent crops: 2.74% – other: 42.86% (2001)

• Natural hazards:– Droughts– flash floods– widespread and destructive

flooding from monsoonal rains– severe thunderstorms– earthquakes

People• Population:1,065,070,607

(July 2004 est.)

– World second largest

• Population growth rate:1.44% (2004 est.)

• Total fertility rate:2.85 children born/woman (2004 est.)

People• Ethnic groups:

– Indo-Aryan 72%, – Dravidian 25%, – Mongoloid and other 3%

(2000) • Religions:

– Hindu 81.3%– Muslim 12%– Christian 2.3%– Sikh 1.9– Buddhist, Jain, Parsi

2.5% (2000)

People

• Languages:– English – Hindi (the national language ) – 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil,

Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit

– Hindustani

• Literacy:– total population: 59.5% – male: 70.2% – female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government

• Government type: federal republic • Capital: New Delhi • Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK) • National holiday: Republic Day, 26 January

(1950)

Economy• GDP - per capita: $2,900 (2004 est.) • GDP - composition by sector:

– agriculture: 23.6% – industry: 28.4% – services: 48% (2002 est.)

• Population below poverty line: – 25% (2002 est.)

• Agricultural products• Industries

History

• over 4000 years• never seriously took to

documenting their history

• Indian history come from three sources: – Literature– Archeology– Foreigner's Accounts

The Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BCE-1600 BCE)

• Mohen-jodaro

• Harappa

• sati (suttee)

The Vedic Age: The Aryans and Alexander the Great (1500 BCE-332 BCE)

•religion•classical language of Sanskrit •architecture•civilization

• Hinduism

• Warriors• Priests• Commoners

The caste system– Buddhism– Jainism

The Vedic Age: The Aryans and Alexander the Great (1500 BCE-332 BCE)

• Alexander the Great defeated Porus in 326 B.C.E

• boosted trade contacts outside India

The Gupta Dynasty: The Golden Age of Indian Classicism (320-647 CE)

• Chandragupta II– Literature– Arts– Sciences– Poetry– Romantic comedies– Drama

• Fables• Fairy tales• e.g. Panchatantra

“A Thousand and One Nights”

“Aesop’s Fables”

The South Indian Kingdoms: Dynasties and Temple Culture (100 BCE-1565 CE)

• Cholas

• Pandyas

• Cheras

•Home to temples

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Nellaiappar Temple

•Nellaiappar Temple

The Rajput Era: Clans, Campaigns and Chivalry (647-1296 CE)

• Warrior Rajput clans– chivalry– bravery– passion– devotion

to war

• “Dark Age of India”– rigid caste system – child marriage – polygamy– persecution of

Buddhists– glorification of sati

Turkish Invasion and Rule: The Rise of Islam (997-1526 CE)

• Mahmud of Ghazni• ISLAM• Persian

– new literary genre: • Persian literature

• New architecture:– Mosques– Mausoleums

• geometric• floral

The Moghul Dynasty: Political Ambitious and the Impact of Islam (1526-1858 CE)

• Taj Mahal

• Red Fort

• City of Fatehpur Sikri

• 7 extraordinary rulers

The Moghul Dynasty: Political Ambitious and the Impact of Islam (1526-1858 CE)

• landscaped gardens, dress, food, and customs based on the teachings of the Koran– E.g. pork and alcohol were forbidden

– surplus food always was to be shared with the poor.

Early European Voyages: Leading to British Rule (1500-1885 CE)

• EUROPEANS – Portuguese, French, Dutch,

Danish, British Spices

• The Portuguese king commissioned Francis Xavier to India to christianize Indians and went about converting thousands with zealous evangelism

•  The East India Company arrived India in 1608

The British Raj: From Trade to Dominion

• Mission schools and hospitals• Missionaries study Indian languages• Bible printed in Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Marathi• Grammar books and dictionaries

in local language flourished• official language - English

vanishing of local languages• Westernization

– spread of education 。Schools, universities, museums, libraries

The British Raj: From Trade to Dominion

• Delhi, new capital in 1911, still houses the government today.

•  Laws regulating inheritance, divorce, marriage and law of contracts were uniformly applied to all citizens of India.

• Sati was prohibited in 1829

• Act of 1856 permitted widows to remarry, which was otherwise forbidden by Hindu law These somehow raised the social status of Indian women.

The Indian Nationalist Movement: The Road to Freedom and Democracy (1885 CE-

PRESENT)

• The Indian National Congress– formed in 1885 – establish national unity – seek economic freedom from the British

• INDEPENDANCE fromBritain in 1947

• Mahatma Gandhi

The Indian Nationalist Movement: The Road to Freedom and Democracy (1885 CE-

PRESENT)

• Hindu-Muslim partition– India – Pakistan

Migration

• Indo-Pakistani War

• terrorist attacks

India Today: Continuity and Technology

• Launched space satellites• Economic liberalization • Democracy has survived• A country of unrealized potential

• Challenges:– poverty– oppression of women – illiteracy

Impact on Culture

• Non-violent Religionnever invaded any country in her history

• The British influence inspired western education and thoughts: Created a new educated class. Created a common language – English Inspired freedom and exchange of ideas

– Religious tolerance and freedom of worship

Impact on Culture

• Religious tolerance and freedom of worship Hindus and Muslims live side by side but inter-

religious marriages are rare

• Gandhi’s non-violence movement for freedom appealed to the civilized world

• Caste System– almost all Indians are associated--are ranked

Introduction of India Culture• Clothing

• Religion

• Food

• Customs

• Family

• Visual Arts

• Performing arts

• Recreation and Sports

Clothing• related to local culture, religion and climate

Men– dhoti– kurta– sherwani– Salwar kameez– lungi– kurta-paijama– jeans

Women• women’s clothing

– Sari/ Saree/ Shari– Salwar kameez – Muslim dress– wearing pants and tee-shirts

(influence of westernization)

Religion-Multi-religion

• Hinduism (80.5%)

• Islam (13.4%)

• Christianity (2.3%)

• Sikhism (1.9%)

• Buddhism

• Jainism

• Varies from region to region

• Hindus do not eat beef

• Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol

• Vegetarian cuisine

• Meat for the non-vegetarians(mainly lamb, chicken, and fish)

Meal, drink & snack

• Ingredients: mainly use herbs and spices• Curry – “Pan -Asian” dish• in favor of tea (most famous: Chai)• Snack & appetizers

Meal, drink& snack

Custom• respect elderly and touch their feet for blessing• Eat with fingers• Always use right hand to eat• wash their hands immediately after and

before eating a meal• Believed that food tastes better

when eating with one’s hands• Full or hungry?• Can't Say No• Shaking hands

• take your footwear off when you enter a private house or temple

• Indian names vary based upon religion, social class, and region of the country.

• frangipani and white flowers cannot be the gifts• Yellow, green and red are lucky colour • The people in India always

respect elders, honor heroes

and cherish love everywhere.

Here is a custom to respect

elders and touch their feet as

to request their blessings

Family• About joy and sharing, love and patience

• Strong bonds with family members as well asrelatives (Respect the elders)

• Sons are always more preferred than daughters

• Arranged marriages by parents

• Extremely low divorce rate with only 1.1%

• Most Women do not own any property in their own names

• Women do not get share of parental property

Women Status

• have fraction of freedom

• ask husband to go to grocers store

• no freedom to pursue leisure activities

• little participation in sports, music and arts

• take care of home (i.e. big family)

Visual arts

Painting• rock paintings • Cave paintings• a new era of Indian art with Indian classical

styles

Sculpture• Indus Valley civilization• some extremely intricate bronzes and temple carvings• Gupta period : a very high standard in execution and

delicacy in modeling• contributed throughout Southeast Central and East A

Architecture• a multitude of expressions over space and time,

constantly absorbing new ideas. • Indo-Islamic architecture • dome : to remind people that to gain God's blessing• Distinguished• others can see • Mosques: utilization of kiosks (chhatris), tall towers

(minars) and half-domed double portals

• Mughak Empire in India : Arabic,Persian and Hindu elements. The Mughal Emperor

• E.g. Taj Mahal• one of the Seven Wonders of the world • Onion :about 35 meters high and sits on a

cylindrical drum about 7 meters high.

• Maurya and Gupta empires and their successors: Buddhist architectural complexes,

• Later : South India produced several Hindu temples• strong Indian influence on South East Asian

architecture

• eastern and southeastern Asia, due to the spread of Buddhism.

• temple mound or stupa, temple spire or sikhara, temple tower or pagoda and temple gate or torana famous symbols of Asian culture

• Contemporary Indian• Lotus Temple

Performing artsMusic• multiples varieties of religious, folk, popular, pop,

and classical music• Carnatic (South India) and Hindusatni music(North India)• heavily influenced by Hindu texts• the diverse traditions of folk music from different parts

of the country• remains instrumental to the religious inspiration,

cultural expression and pure entertainment

Dance• Dance and ceremonies chief mode of

entertainment • folk and classical forms• Folk dance e.g. the bhangra of the Punjab, the bihu of

Assam, the chhau of Jharkhand and Orissa• Eight dance forms, many with narrative forms and

mythological, devotional and spiritual elements.

Recreation and Sports

• National sport: field hockey• Northeast: football (soccer)• Cricket :used recently for diplomatic relations between

India and Pakistan • Recent: tennis and chess • Traditional : kabaddi, Kho Kho and gilli-danda• competed in chariot racing, archery, horsemanship,

military tactics, wrestling, weight lifting, hunting, swimming and running races

Hospitality Industry

• Indians all over the world is known for their hospitality and high level of patience. An Indians value is all about living life with a passion and observing the faith that there is one god existing even with so many religions.

What is India famous for?

• The palatial palaces, fantastic forts, impressive art and architecture, frescoes Havelis, magnificent temples

• amazing diversified culture

• Increasing occupancy rates

Impact of Culture on India Hotel

Attitude towards money more service charge required • Tips : expected and eagerly sought • When and how to give are defined by situation • Some do ,some don’t • Bribing given before service; well done tip • Hotel “volunteered” servants

(group) seeking for tips

Architecture of hotel•Indo-Islamic architecture

• Domes

• Islamic design

• (arch)

Painting in hotels

• Religious belief

• Indian color

• Let more tourists know about Indian arts

• Attract folk artist

Servants in Hotel

• Wear Sherwani

(promote culture in India)

• Less women-to-men ratio

( women are not fee to work,or may not be permitted to participate in service

Industry)

• Colour Yellow-symbolize richness, golden

- a lucky colour

• Red

- Symbolize luck

Customers targeting

Business travelers * stay in business hotel - crafts, buying cloth - textiles were popular

- with lower price - with Indian color and style - great softness, vivid colors and translucent texture

• Leisure travelers in resort hotel - like their beaches, cruises, diving, golf, romantic escapes, safari and adventure, snow and ski, etc

Hotel Spa• traditional Indian wellness treatments • unfolds a way of life wherein the life

force is the bedrock of wellness• maintain physical,

mental and spiritual equilibrium.• Treatment rooms• meditation and yoga pavilions, relaxation

pools and fully-equipped gym• pure Indian herbs, indian aromatherapy oils, natural

creams and special ingredients

Duration

• A long journey for leisure, usually last for more than ten days

• People travel to explore the India culture and heritage

e.g. visit the temples

• Mountaineering

e.g. The Mighty Himalayan Mountains of India

• Wildlife in India

• Camel Safari

• Join the festivals

e.g. the Dussehra Festival

• Medical Tourism

• Business traveling

• Nightlife: cultural shows

• No alcohol

• Casino in GOA• culture restriction?

• Dress code of the women travelers: as proper as you can

• Respect the senior travelers ( India respect the elderly)

Impact of Culture on India Food and beverage business

• What to eat when traveling to India?

• Spicy• combat the flu virus• healing and magical qualities

– more valuable than gold or precious stones– trade of spices : an extraordinarily influential factor in history– add flavor and nutrients to dishes without fat or calories– offer significant health benefits

• Indian Chai

– spiced milk tea

– made up of rich black tea and spices including whole cardamom pods pieces of stick cinnamon ginger cloves and pepper

• Herb teas

– the oldest and most reliable

form of supplementation soothing

liquids provide hydration and

a fresh herbal taste

• Filtered coffee– a favorite among South Indians– very sweet, milky version of coffee

• Indian wines– good red and a decent pink– Prohibition has been imposed in some states like

Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana

** refreshing juice instead of wines in hospitality F&B

• Herbs– used for medicines, perfumes and Superstitious

rituals– eg. Amla:

• rich in Vitamin C• good and black hair• has a cooling effect on our body

Medical Tourism

• Alcohol: not culture of India

• Bar : serving lower and middle/higher class

• Large clubs are only found in 5-star hotel

• Mumbai travelers went to lively atmosphere and cheap beer

Reference• Quinn, Brian. (1992-1993). World Travel Guide. : London,Columbus Press.

P.403-421• Hotel Overseas Jul-Sep 2007• BMI India Tourism Report Q4 2009. : Business Monitor International LTD.• Carol E.henderson (2002). Culture and Customs of India, : Westport,CT:

Greenwood Press.• India Chai Recipes, Retrieved October 17, 2009 from

http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Recipes/hotbev_images/ChaiRecipes.htm• India Chai Recipes, Retrieved October 17, 2009 from

http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Recipes/hotbev_images/ChaiRecipes.htm• Krannich,ronald L & Krannich, Caryl Rae (2000). Traveling smart. In The

treasures and pleasure of India:Best of the Best (pp. 23-56). : Manassas Park, VA. Impact Publication.