Hospitality and Tourism Business Communication

I. Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. define communication;
2. explain the importance of communication;
3. explain the process of communication;
4. identify the components and types of communication.

II. Content

Introduction

Tourism is a multi-billion dollar business with hundreds of millions of

travelers arriving in destinations across the world every year, but there’s a lot
a more to tourism than just the tourists.
Before you even leave home you probably use a number of services. You
book your trip through tour operator, if it’s a package holiday, or a travel
agent, if you want to buy products and services like flights separately. These
days, many people book directly online with companies that offer both
organized and independent travel. You usually need to purchase airline, train,
ferry and coach tickets to your holiday resort in advance to reserve a seat and
get a good price. If you’re hiring a car it’s also a good idea to book in advance,
but you can arrange local transport like taxis and buses when you’re there.
You also need to book accommodation to be sure to stay where you’re there.
You also need to book accommodation to be sure to stay where you want,
when you want. There is a wide range of options for different people and
pockets: from luxury hotels to roadside motels, family-run guesthouse or B&Bs
(Bed and Breakfast), to self- catering apartments to youth hostels. You can
decide about hospitality (catering and entertainment) during your holiday,
unless you book it with your accommodation. B&Bs means you get breakfast
included in the price of your stay. Half board, usually only available a hotels
means breakfast and dinner are included. Full boards means breakfast, lunch
and dinner are included. This option is common on package or cruise ship
holidays to keep the cost down, as are all inclusive leisure activities such as
sport, shopping and live shows. Most places have a Tourist Information Point
where they give you free information about what to see and do and how hand
to help you, but you can also pay a local tour guide to take you sightseeing or
show you tourist attractions.

What is COMMUNICATION?
∙ Derived from the Latin word “communis”, meaning to share
∙ Communication is the exchange thoughts, messages, or information by
speech, visuals, signals, writing or behavior.
∙ It is an transmission of idea or feeling so that sender and receiver share
the same understanding.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT

Course: Business
Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD
Email:[email protected]
DEFINITION
Communication is a process involving the selection, production and
transmission of signs in such a way as to help a receiver perceive a meaning
similar to that in the mind of communication.

IMPORTANCE
In the professional world, communication and related skills decide a
person’s career curve-better the communication skills, higher are the chances
of touching the zenith of success. The new global and diverse workplace
requires excellent spoken and written communication skills.

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is a process whereby information is encoded,
channeled and sent by a sender to receiver via some medium. All forms of
communication require a sender, a channel, a message, a receiver, and the
feedback. A hindrance in a communication process is called noise.

ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION

∙ Sender- initiates the communication process by developing an idea into

messages known as encoding.

∙ Message – the idea that the sender passes on to the receiver.

∙ Channel- the sender transmits the messages through a channel, or a method

of delivery; e.g. email, phone conversations, instant messages, face to
face discussion or even text messages.

∙ Receiver- this messages then moves through the channel to receiver who
completes the communication process by interpreting and assigning
meaning to the messages known as decoding

∙ Feedback- this is a critical component in the communication process it

ensures a messages was properly received and interpreted.

∙ Barriers – things that cause misunderstanding or mistakes in communication

∙ Situation- refers to the communication setting or the time and place as to
when a where such communication takes place.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

One-Way Communication- involves the transfer of information in one

direction only, from the sender to the receiver. There is no opportunity for the
receiver to give feedback to the sender eg. Weather television report in
television, newspaper, recorded music on the CD, billboard messages.

Two- Way Communication - A form of transmission in which both

parties involved, transmit information. It has also been referred to as
interpersonal communication e.g. chat rooms and instant messaging,
telephone conversations, classroom lectures etc.

Verbal Communication - In this type of communication the

professional uses language as a vehicle of communication and uses spoken
words. Talk about two examples of verbal communication:
(1) Talking face to face
(2) Talking on the telephone
 When we communicate we should use:
- the right words for the situation or person
- an open, friendly manner
- the right – pitch, tone, speed
- no slang or other words that might be misunderstood or might cause
offense.

Oral Communication- a face to face interaction between the sender

and receiver.
♣ e.g. making presentations and appearing interviews.

Written Communication- the sender uses the written mode to transmit

his/her messages
♣ e.g. writing reports and emails.
♣
Non-verbal Communication - when a message is communicated without
using a word, the process requires non-verbal cues to be transmitted and
received. ♣ e.g facial expressions, posture, eye contact, walk, person’s voice,
sign language, body language volume, pitch, voice
modulation etc.

COMMUNICATION INCLUDES BOTH VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL FORMS

Formal
Communications takes place through the formal channels of the
organization structure along the lines of authority established by the
management. Such communications are generally in writing and may take
any of the form, policy, manual; procedures and rule books, memoranda,
official meeting, reports etc.

Informal
Communication arising out of all those channels of communication that
fall outside the formal channels is known as informal communication. Informal
communication does not follow lines of authority as is the case of formal
communication. Such communication is usually oral and may be covered even
by simple glance, gesture, or smile or silence. e.g. talking with friends.

Grapevine
It is an informal type of communication and is called because it
stretches throughout the organization in all directions irrespective of the
authority levels. It exists more at lower levels of organization. Thus, grapevine
spreads like fire at it is not easy to trace the cause of such communication at
times.

Downward
Communication in the first place, flows downwards. All information in
this medium is usually in form of instructions, directions and orders. The
direction of communication strengthens the authoritarian structure of the
organization.

Upward
The process of information flowing in from the lower levels of a
hierarchy to the upper levels. The function of upward communication is to
send information’s, suggestions, complaints and grievance of the lower level
workers to the managers above.
Lateral/horizontal
This type of communication takes place between persons at the same
level of working under the same executive. The main use of this is to maintain
coordination and review activities assigned in various subordinates.
 Interpersonal
an exchange of information between two or more people. It is the
process by which people exchange information, feelings, and meaning
through verbal and non verbal messages.

Intrapersonal
It is the communication which takes place within one’s own self. This
implies individual reflection, contemplation and meditation.

Organizational
a process by which activities of a society are collected and coordinated
to reach the goals of both individuals and the collective group. It is subfield of
general communications studies and is often a component to effective
management in a workplace environment.

Mass Communication
It is a means of conveying to an entire populace. This is generally
identified with tools of modern mass media, which includes books, the press,
cinema, television, radio, internet, etc. it also includes speeches delivered by
leader to a large audience.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
You can have all the great ideas in the world and if you can’t
communicate nobody will hear them. Business communication is the giving
and receiving of feedback between individuals and/or groups for the purpose
of exchanging information and altering performance in the workplace. It is the
process of sharing information between people within and outside a company.
Effective business communication is how employees and management
interact to reach organizational goals. Its purpose is to improve organizational
practices and reduce errors.

FACTOID:

-The average employee receives about 190 communications a day by

paper, voicemail, email, phone, etc.
- 2 hours and 10 minutes…. amount of time people waste each day at
work …of which 1 hour and 38 minutes was due to ineffective
communication practices.
PROCESS MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

Noise
MESSAGE Encode

Decode

Medium:
Sender r Receiver Sender
-Phone
-E-mail
-In person
- Instant message
Decode Encode
-P
 FEEDBACK

COMMUNICATION FLOW IN AN ORGANIZATION

Upward to
a
supervisor

Diagonally
to a
different
department
Features of Business Communication: 
Business Communication has certain features or characteristics which enable us to
distinguish it from  other communication. 
A communication to be business communication must be: 

1. Practical, 
2. Factual, 
3. Clear and brief, 
4. Target-oriented, 
5. Persuasive. 

Practical 
Effective business communication deals with the practical aspect of the information
explaining why,  how, when and the like queries. It avoids impractical, imaginary,
unnecessary or repetitive information to  eliminate waste of time. It conveys important
information to the receiver. 

Factual 
In general a business message contains facts and figures in place of overall idea.
Important date,  place, time, etc. should be clearly mentioned in a business communication. 

Clear and Brief 

The language used in business communication should be simple, clear, brief and
without ambiguity.  Sometimes charts, photographs, diagrams, etc. are used to condense or
clarify the information. 

Target-Oriented 
A business communication must have a specific objective and must be planned
properly so that the  objective can be achieved. 

Persuasive 
Business communication often plays a persuasive role. It persuades an employee to
perform his/her  duties, a customer to buy a product or service etc. The basic characteristics
mentioned above are related to  the message or information of the communication. 

The process of business communication has certain other characteristics. They are:

Communication encompasses those activities by which the ideas, opinions and

decisions of the  managers are conveyed to the subordinates of different ranks. It also
involves the exchange of facts, feelings,  suggestions and responses between the
superiors and subordinates. 
Communication, in this way, puts the people into action, guides and directs their
activities, regulates  and co-ordinates them for proper work performance. A manager, thus,
performs the management functions  through communication and managerial positions
become the communication centers to receive information  from various sources for its
transmission to relevant points. 
So, communication is a part and parcel of management function, and is, thus, an
integral part of  management process.  

2. Two-Way Traffic 

Communication does not only mean its downward movement from superior to the
subordinates it  implies both the transmission and reception. So, when conveying any
information, a manager should know its  reactions and responses. Otherwise, managerial
task of guiding and directing will be ineffective. 
A man should, thus, not only speak, inform and order, but should also be able to
listen, answer and  interpret. Communication, therefore, involves two-way traffic from the
managers to the employees and from  the employees to the managers. It is not complete
unless the message has been correctly understood by the  receiver and its response
becomes known to the sender. 
3. Mutual Understanding: 

The basic purpose of business communication is to bring about understanding

between individuals in  the organization. It is an important element for establishing human
relationships. A leader can lead and a  manager can direct effectively by establishing perfect
understanding with the subordinates, peers and  superiors in the organization. 
The greater the degree of understanding presents in the communication the
more possibility that  human action will proceed in the direction of accomplishing the
goals. 

4. Pervasive 
The subject-matter of business communication covers a wide range and extends
to all functions— purchases, production, sales, finance, recruitment, wages, dividends,
market standing, innovation,  productivity, etc. It also moves through all levels of
management— upward, downward and sideways.  Business communication is, thus,
said to be a pervasive function. 

5. Continuity 
Communication is an ever-present activity and without it an organization cannot
exist. Communication  is as necessary to an organization as blood circulation in a living
body. Therefore, the managers should  ensure that adequate and smooth communication
flows in all directions. 
Breakdown of communication results in misunderstanding, creation of unfavorable
attitudes, hostility  and conflict. So, communication must be a continuous process and move
up, down and sideways for active  participation of all concerned. 

6. Specific 
A business communication is generally specific in nature. It means that a particular
communication  should deal with a single subject at a time. This is necessary for the
effectiveness of communication.  Multiplicity of subject in a communication has the
possibility of creating confusion which is dangerous to sound  management. It must be
specific with regard to the information intended to be conveyed or received. 

7. Result and not Cause

Sound communication is the result of competent management, not the cause of it.
Business  communication is a means to an end and acts as a tool in the hands of the
managers. Successful handling of  this tool depends upon the competence of the managers.
It is not an independent activity, rather an essential  ingredient of managerial function. 
So, good communication does not produce good manager. But good manager is
nearly always a good  communicator. Misconception of management process often leads to
poor communication. 

8. Internal and External 

Business communication is primarily internal. It is, thus, a part of administrative
function and intended  to apply to the members belonging to an organization. Orders,
instructions, suggestions and even public notice  announcing the annual general meeting of
a company are some of the examples of internal communication. 
But nowadays, many communications move beyond the organizational horizons and
touch the outside  population exceeding the organization’s own (e.g., advertisement).
Business communication may thus be  internal and external. 

9. Different Types 
Business communication may be of different types—formal, informal, upward,
downward, sidewise,  written, oral, etc. 
10. Feedback 
A communication cannot be complete unless and until feedback or response of the
recipient is made.  Feedback may be written, oral or gestural. Sometimes mere silence may
also constitute a feedback. 

Objectives of Business Communication: 

 The main objective of communication is to give information and to persuade different
persons. Other  objectives include conveying suggestion, opinion, idea, advice, request,
etc.; imparting instructions, guidance  and counseling; providing training; giving warning;
appreciating good work; boosting of morale; etc. In the case  of a business enterprise the
main objective of communication is the improvement of its activities, all-round  development
of the organization, and ultimate success in its operation. 

1. Giving Information: 
The primary object of communication is to make the members of an
organization aware of its  goal and acquaint them with all the relevant information.
This helps the business enterprise to achieve  success through concerted efforts of
all the people concerned. It is a fact that well-informed people  can achieve better. 
The managers should know in details the social, political, economic and other
conditions of  the place where the business is situated. Information regarding the
employees, consumers and  competitors should be at their fingertips. Employees,
likewise, should be well-informed about their  positions, powers and responsibilities in
particular, and the aims and objectives of the organization in  general. 
Information regarding demand for a particular product, the taste, liking, etc. of
the consumers;  availability of raw materials, credit facility, advertising media; latest
government rules and regulations,  etc. are required for the production and selling of
the product. 
Information can be obtained from past records, books, journals, newspapers,
government  publications, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, trade fares, etc. The
other sources of information are  the chambers of commerce, structured
questionnaires, radio, television, internet, etc. Whatever might  be the sources, the
information must be reliable, accurate, complete and latest. 

2. Persuasion 
To persuade means to make other people decide to do something, especially by
repeatedly  asking them or telling them the reasons why they should do it; in other
words, influencing other people  to believe or to do what one wants. This is one of
the important objectives of communication. 
The seller often influences the buyer through persuasion to buy his/her
products rejecting  earlier decision to buy other products. This persuasion should be
so planned that the buyer becomes 
least conscious of being persuaded and even if he/she becomes conscious, he/she
should be made to  understand that it is for his/her own interest. Actually persuasion
is an art which should be suggestive  in nature rather than coercive. 

3. Conveying Suggestion 
Communication helps in conveying suggestions, opinions and ideas. The
workers who are  actually engaged in the work know better the loopholes in it and can
suggest to the managers the  ways to plug the loopholes. This is an example of
upward communication. In big offices, suggestion  boxes are provided and
suggestions are received throughout the year. Sometimes further  communication is
made with the suggestions for clarification. Interaction of suggestions and ideas  help
the progress of an organization. 
Suggestions are not in the nature of order or advice and are, therefore, never
obligatory to  follow them. Either acceptance or rejection is possible in the case of a
suggestion. Some executives,  supervisors or managers who have a false notion of
self-dignity, self-respect, higher position, etc. may  not accept a suggestion, even
though it is good one because it comes from lower level. But dynamic  executives
welcome constructive suggestions in the interest of the organization. 

4. Advice 
One of the objectives of business communication is to advise an individual
or a group of  people. The manager advises the subordinates about the ways and
means of better performance.  Advice involves personal opinion and it influences
the opinion and action of the other person(s) to  whom advice is being given. 
Today’s business world is very complex and no one can be an expert in all the
spheres of  business. So, a businessman has to take advice from experts regarding
the matters in which he is not  well-informed. For example, he may need advice
regarding banking, insurance, stock exchange, tax  rules, legal procedures, etc.
Within the business the managers, supervisors and executives may  advise each
other (a case of horizontal communication) and the subordinates (downward 
communication). 

5. Motivation 
Communication is made to inspire, to motivate, and to create a sense of
loyalty among the  employees. Through communication their morale is boosted up
and it leads to better performance.  Regular communication is necessary for
motivating the employees and infusing in them a positive  attitude towards work and a
healthy relationship with the managers. This, ultimately, increases  managerial
efficiency. 
Motivating someone means inspiring but not forcing him/her to do something.
A motivated  worker is an asset of any organization. The greater the motivation, the
lesser is the cost of  supervision, because a motivated worker never neglects his
duties. 
Motivating factors include monetary incentives, security of job, job satisfaction,
good working  environment, participation in decision-making, fixation of target, etc.
Money works as a good  motivator. A worker works overtime when he/she is allowed
extra wages. Security of job motivates an  employee to devote himself/herself
wholeheartedly to the job. 
If an employee is satisfied with the job, he/she gets pleasure in doing it. Good
working  environment attracts him/her to work in co-operation with other members.
Workers’ participation in  decision-making gives them a sense of being part and
parcel of the organization. Fixation of  production target, sales target, etc. of an
organization helps the workers to work together to achieve  the target. Thus, different
factors of motivation contribute to achieve performance excellence of an 
organization. 

6. Training 
To meet the need of an organization, senior employees may need to be
trained to update  them about the new technological developments so as to adjust
themselves to changing work 
environment or job demands. The new employees may also require training at the
initial stage to cope  up with the methods, techniques and systems of work in the
organization. 
Communication is the key to all these kinds of training. Such communication
can be made  through classroom teaching, lectures, seminars, short courses,
conferences, educational tours, film  shows, etc. Not only the ordinary employees, but
the managerial staffs also need to be trained in the  process stated above. 

7. Instruction, Guidance and Counselling 

One of the objectives of business communication is to manage the employees
by means of  imparting instruction, providing guidance and arranging for counseling.
Legal, vocational and medical  guidance and counseling are provided free of cost for
the employees in a good business organization.  Doctors, lawyers, coaches, etc. are
employed for the purpose. The underlying objective of such  assistance is to keep the
employees physically fit and mentally alert so that they can work whole heartedly for
the well-being of the organization. 

8. Giving Warning and Appreciating Good Work 

It is very much necessary to appreciate a good worker. It will encourage
him/her to strive for  better performance and greater involvement. It makes the
employee conscious about his/her  responsibilities. On the other hand, it is also
necessary to give warning to the employees who tend to  be in disciplined, non-
accountable and unproductive or create disturbance. The objective of both 
appreciation and warnings may be accomplished through oral or written
communication. 

9. Resource Utilization 
 Communication checks wastage of the resources of the organization and
helps their better  utilization. Lack of knowledge or lack of proper direction in time
may cause the waste or misuse.  Communication helps to bridge the gap of
knowledge through instruction, advice, etc. and waste or  misuse of resource is
minimized. Not only material resources, but also the financial resources, human 
resources and other resources are utilized properly through communication. 

10. Management Efficiency 

One of the objectives of business communication is to increase efficiency of
the management.  If there is a good network of communication (formal and informal),
the organization can be managed  efficiently and effectively.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  
Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD
Email:[email protected] 
Steps of Business Communication: 
The process or steps of communication involves a series of actions and operations
undertaken for the  fulfillment of a certain end or objective. 

According to Lawrence A. Appley, the basic communication process involves the

following 
steps: 
(i) Clarifying the idea or problem, 
(ii) Getting participation in developing a solution to the problem, 
(iii) Transmitting the idea or decision, 
(iv) Motivating others to take action agreed upon, and 
(v) Measuring the effectiveness of communication. 

Charles E. Redfield states that the following elements are involved in the process
of 
communication: 
(a) A communicator (a speaker, sender, issuer), 
(b) Transmits (says, sends, issues), 
(c) Stimulus (message, orders, reports) to a 
(d) Communicate (addressee, respondent, audience) to influence his behavior
as seen in his (e)  response (reply, reaction). 

The process of communication can best be expressed by Laswell’s popular five

‘Whs’: “‘who’ says  ‘What’ in ‘Which Channel’ to ‘Whom’ with ‘What effect’?” 

Importance of Business Communication: 

The significance or importance of business communication is increasing very rapidly

day-by-day. The  business world of today cannot move smoothly without the help of
communication. It makes a business  enterprise dynamic and increases its efficiency. It is
regarded as the motivating force that leads to industrial  harmony. 

It can be used as a device for controlling the business activities to ensure the
achievement of  organizational goals. According to Keith Davis, the role of communication in
business is as essential as the  blood veins or arteries in human body. In its absence, a
business organization would cease to exist. 
 Business communication has a significant role to play in management whose
objective is to direct the  individual efforts for securing overall co-ordination of organizational
activities. It performs the energizing  function in the organization by transmitting information,
facts and ideas and thereby making coordinated efforts  possible. Communication can, as
such, be regarded as basic to the functioning of an organization. 

Business communication promotes managerial efficiency and induces the human

elements in an  organization to develop a spirit of co-operation which finally leads to peak
performances. The process of  leadership depends on effective communication. Sound
communication system is an essential requirement of  good labor-management relations. 

With the help of communication there is better understanding of the objectives and
policies which  encourage co-ordination. Growing importance of human relations in every
business with customers and  workers has made communication the life-line of business.
Producers are required to make sales appeal to  their customers.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  
Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD
Email:[email protected] 
The subordinates are required to communicate their grievances and complaints to
their superior,  otherwise they may lead to conflicts. Proper communication helps in
implementing the decisions effectively and leads to smooth running of the business. It
creates mutual trust and confidence and builds up the morale  of the employees and, thus,
provides job satisfaction to them. 

Business communication is all the more important in management because the

success of an  enterprise depends upon how effectively its employees understand one
another. Most of the problems of  business can be attributed to poor communication
between the managers and workers. 

So, lack of communication or poor communication will affect a business in different

ways. It will greatly  affect understanding of the employees, place them in utter confusion,
create apathy to their work, hinder their  willing co-operation, put co-ordination out of gear
and invite dislocation, chaos and conflict in all business  affairs and, ultimately, the very
survival of the business will be at stake. 

The importance of effective communication in management has been widely

recognized in recent  years. It has become one of the most vital factors in the efficient
performance of management. It has an  important bearing on management affairs from
different points of view. 

Above discussion of the significance of business communication may be

stated point- wise as follows: 

1. Movement of Information: 
Communication helps to move information from one place to another and from one
person to another.  It develops a chain of understanding among the workers of different
levels in a business enterprise. 

2. Efficient and Smooth Running of Enterprise: 

The smooth and efficient functioning of an enterprise entirely depends upon the
effectiveness of the  system of communication. It provides the basis of direction and
actuates people to action in accordance with  the desires of the management authority.
 According to G. R. Terry: “Communication serves as the lubricant  fostering the smooth
operation of the management process.” 

3. Promotion of Management Efficiency: 

Communication encircles all the functions of business management. So, without it, no
function of  business management can proceed towards its desired goal. It is the tool of
managerial efficiency. The  managerial efficiency depends upon getting things done through
other people by making them know and  understand what the manager wants them to do. It
is the work of communication to keep the employees  informed of everything necessary for
smooth work performance. 

4. Proper Planning: 
Communication is very helpful in planning the activities of business. It provides the
managers  information and ideas necessary for sound planning. According to Theo Haimann
“Only through good  communication can company policies and practices be formulated and
administered.” Secrecy of information  creates suspicion among the workers and separates
them. Understanding of the common problems unites  them for showing a better record of
their performance. 

5. Basis of Decision-Making: 
Communication helps the managers to take essential decisions and conduct vital
operations. The  quality of decisions made in an organization entirely depends on the
volume and quality of information  available to the management authority. In the absence of
effective communication it may not be possible for  top management personnel to come in
closer contact with their subordinates.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  
Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD
Email:[email protected] 
6. Basis of Co-Operation: 
By promoting mutual understanding and meeting of minds, communication paves the
way for co operation. Communication creates condition for mental acceptance of the work
before its actual performance.  This mental acceptance is the will- to-do before actually
doing it. Communication involves understanding and  willing acceptance of orders and
instructions and acts as the basis for individual and co-operative efforts. 

7. Means of Co-Ordination: 
Co-ordination implies orderly group efforts to provide unity of action. This unity of
action is the result of  team work which, in turn, depends, to a great extent, upon clear
understanding of the organizational goals, the  mode of their achievement and situation of
the work. The function of the business communication is to get the  workers fully informed of
everything relating to the work and bring a perfectly tuned harmony in their work. 

8. Job Satisfaction: 
Proper communication system extends mutual trust and faith. It thus creates
confidence in the ability  of their manager, promotes their loyalty to the enterprise and
stimulates their job interest. Proper  communication system enables the subordinates to
bring to the notice of the managers their viewpoints,  grievances and troubles. This facility
raises the morale of the workers and, ultimately, leads to job satisfaction  for high
performance. 

9. Establishment of Public Relations: 

 A business enterprise comes into contact with several social groups, e.g., customers,
investors, trade  unions, government and the local community. It must maintain cordial
relations with each of these groups to  develop a favorable image. It must continuously
strive to convince the public in general that its actions are  taken in the interest of the
society. No public relation can be established without communication. 

10. Establishment of Effective Leadership: 

Effective leadership is established through communication. The ideas, orders,
instructions, direction,  etc., of the leader or manager is transmitted to the subordinate
employees through communication. The  manager can influence them and create a healthy
relation by wiping out misunderstanding and distrust  between management authority and
subordinates through communication. 

11. Assisting Motivation: 

Communication creates motivation. Through it the managers and employees are
well-acquainted with  the latest information relating to the organization. This leads to
avoidance of hostility, acceptance of reality,  change of attitude, consciousness of
responsibility and—ultimately—motivation to work. 

12. Loyalty: 
The confidence and loyalty of the lower employees on the management personnel
increases as they  become aware of the competence of efficiency of their boss through
communication. It helps to strengthen  mutual trust. 

13. Accomplishment of Goals: 

Communication fulfills the organizational objectives through co-operation and co-
ordination among the  managerial and working staff. Interconnections between the
managers and subordinate employees are  established through effective communication
system. 

14. Industrial Peace:

Workers’ unrest is a problem today. It is communication which can establish peace in
the industry.  Two-way communication helps to develop mutual cooperation and
understanding. Through downward  communication the management personnel send their
orders, instructions, directions, etc. to the subordinates. 

On the other hand, the upward communication helps the subordinates to convey to
their superiors  their demands, grievances, complaints, suggestions, etc. Thus, through
communication of facts and  information between the superiors and subordinates, industrial
peace can be established. 

III. CONTENT 

Introduction 

Today businesses are borderless and economies are interlinked more than
before which I  why practitioners and researchers argue that people and
organizations will survive by means of  effective communication only. The balance
between organizational objectives, profitability and stability  is ensured by means of
effective communication.  
∙ Effective communication ensures necessary information and having the necessary
skill set to  perform the job. Communication has been characterized as the most
important and one of the  most used of all skills in every industry and particularly
in tourism & hospitality sector which is  one of the fastest growing sectors.  
∙ Effective communication is very compelling in the tourism and hospitality sector
which is the  reason why companies spend a lot of money in training their staff.  
 ∙ The behavior of the staff indulged in the communication process is very elements
which are responsible to build a good image of a hotel.  
∙ Managers in tourism and hospitality sector spend bulk of their time in either verbal
or written  communication with their subordinates and higher ups.  
∙ Effective communication is also very important in leadership roles. An old saying
goes, “it’s  not important what you say, but how you say it.”  
∙ Managers and leaders usually do six major functions like: 
o leading,  
o planning,  
o organizing,  
o staffing, and 
o controlling 
∙ . Effective communication is a key to good leadership.  
∙ Effective communication helps to remove misunderstanding between the
employees which  will automatically help to maintain a healthy and peaceful
environment which is very crucial in every  industry and particularly in tourism and
hospitality sector 
∙ Communication is not just transferring information. According to Lane,
(2000)communication  also includes “how people use message to generate meanings
within and across various contexts,  cultures, channels, and media” Therefore
effective communication is the exchange of information for  the intention of creating
denotation that is satisfactorily received and comprehended.  

Benefits of Effective communication in Tourism and Hospitality Sector  

Effective communication is the central pillar of any organization. Effective
communication is a very  important issue because customers are not paying just for the
food, the room or the facilities but for the service 

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  

Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD

Email:[email protected] 
also. There are usually two areas which hospitality communication covers customer service,
and 'behind the  scenes' staff and management interaction. The various benefits of the
effective communication in tourism and  hospitality sector are as follows: 

1. Helps in Team Building: Team building is very important in hospitality and

tourism sector to  ensure free flow of the information. Effective communication will
help mangers to form highly efficient  teams which will have a positive correlation with
the organizational productivity.  

2. Employee Morale: Good remuneration is the concern for many employees but
research has  highlighted that it’s not their only concern. Effective communication can
help to improve and boost the  overall employee morale. Employees appreciate the
effective and clear communication coming from  top management. Effective
communication can help in transforming workplace into a very healthy  work
environment which is very crucial in tourism and hospitality sector to provide good
quality  services. Ineffective communication in tourism and hospitality sector may
lead to frustration and  confusion among the workers which can have negative
consequences on the organizational  performance. 
 3. Helps with Diversity: Hotel and hospitality sectors these days have people from
all cultures,  religions, castes and languages. They have become more diversified
that any other business.  Therefore, effective communication becomes more crucial
to remove the various cultural and  language barriers. It’s very essential to remove all
these barriers in order to provide a good quality  customer service. Companies can
avoid all these differences and confusion by providing good quality  training to
employees before joining and also on a regular phases post joining. 

4. Global Businesses: The businesses in tourism and hospitality sector are more
global and  borderless than ever before. Therefore, the need for effective
communication in tourism and  hospitality sector has become more crucial. Managers
and employees must know how to  communicate with their international counterparts.
The difference in the cultures across different  countries in international business
requires managers to understand that similar terms used in one  country might be
offensive in other. E.g. In England pants are commonly referred to as underwear 
while as in United States it means trousers. Therefore, if businesses want to expand
their businesses  beyond their national border effective communication is a very
crucial element.  

5. Improved customer service: Customer service is of a huge importance in

hospitality and tourism  sector. Effective communication channels can bring greater
understanding among the employees in  an organization which will result in a positive
attitude thereby improving customer service. Effective  communication also helps in
better understanding of the latest technology used by the companies  which will
automatically improve productivity. 

The Effective Communication Process in Tourism and Hospitality Sector 

Organizations spend millions of dollars in training and development of

employees so as to  ensure that communication channels in and out of the
organization are effective. How to ensure  effective communication in tourism and
hospitality management sector has been a burning issue of  late. Many researchers
and practitioners have tried to bridge this gap with least success. The various  steps
in effective communication process are as follows: 

(a) Conduct Staff Training: The first step to ensure effective communication is to
conduct a training  for all of the employees as how to effectively communicate
effectively with guests in handling with  complaints, harmonization between
departments, attending to visitors at the front desk and helping in  documentation like
menus, bills, reports and other hotel procedures. The training has to be conducted 
on a regular basis and the progress needs to be monitored before the training and
after the training.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  

Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD

Email:[email protected] 
(b) Listen to Your Employees: Management needs to listen to their staff for their
ideas and feedback  on a regular basis because communication at the end of the day
 is a two way process. Listening to  your employees is very crucial in order to ensure
effective communication and improver the customer  service because they are
dealing with the customer directly. The best way to give a listening ear to  employees
is by holding weekly feedback sessions. The feedback from the employees needs to
be  rewarded in order to motivate them 

(c) Train your Staff on Attending Guests: It’s very much important that the
employees working in  the hospitality and tourism sector should know as how to
communicate well with the customer.  Communication with guest is absolutely crucial
in service industry and particularly tourism and  hospitality sector in order to give a
great customer experience. These days with the variety of online  tools available for
customer in the form of social media bad customer experience can have a serious 
negative impact on the overall image of the company. 

(d) The Mirror Technique: Good professionals having experience in customer

service in hotel  industry take every customer on his merits. For instance some
customers are interested in a lengthy  conversation thereby building a personal
relationship while others would be interested in a quick  solution of the problem.
Therefore, it’s absolutely crucial that every customer has to be taken on his  merit. 

Measuring Communication Effectiveness 

Measuring communication effectiveness in tourism and hospitality sector can be quite

a tedious and  complicated task. Some people suggest that statistics is the best way to
measure the communication  effectiveness but exclusively focusing on stats at times can be
misleading. Therefore researchers suggest a  mixed method involving some elements of
statistics and a variety of subjective methods. Subjective methods  will involve assessing all
of the elements of the business. The various methods of measuring communication 
effectiveness are as follows: 

Define your  
Goals 

Scorecards

Focus Groups 

Figure 1. Steps in effective communication Process 

Employee  
Engagement Levels 

Setting  
Benchmarks 
 Surveys 

1. Define Your Goals: People in charge of measuring communication effectiveness

in tourism and  hospitality sector need to define the role of effective communication in
reaching the organizational  goals. It’s very imperative that the goals are set before
measuring communication effectiveness.  

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT 

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT 

  
  

Course: Business Communication to Tourism and Hospitality Faculty: LIEZEL M MACALALAD

Email:[email protected] 
Management teams need to look whether the international communication programs
are in line with  the overall organizational vision and mission statements.  

2. Understanding the employee engagement levels: Lots of research in the recent

past has been  done on employee engagement level. Researchers argue that
employee engagement levels can  make or break the company. Managers and
practitioners on the other hand have highlighted the  various difficulties in keeping up
the engagement levels. In order to watch and monitor employee  engagement levels
companies are commonly taking the help from social intranet.  

3. Setting Benchmarks: Many managers and practitioners believe that there is no

one fit approach  and every organization is different but nevertheless it provides a
reference point to the organizations.  Setting benchmarks will help an organization to
get better insights on the company intranet.  Benchmarking will also help the
organization to understand the performance gaps by analyzing the  expected and the
achieved results. Companies in hospitality and tourism sector need be vigilant and 
careful selecting the benchmarks. 

4. Surveys: There is one two things people believe in one is God and the other one
is data. Survey can be very useful to access the effectiveness of communication
channels in an organization. It’s very  important that the survey questions are kept
specific to the objectives, are neither too short nor too  long that the respondents has
to spare a lot of time to fill the questionnaire. Survey is a great tool to   measure the
effectiveness of the internal communication process. Surveys will help the
management  to make well informed decisions. 

5. Focus Group/ Interviews: Focus groups are one of the most effective techniques
recommended  by researchers to explore issues, test concepts and spawn
recommendations. Focus groups will help  the companies in hospitality and tourism
sector to make meaningful changes to the overall  communication program.
Companies can also conduct one-on-one interviews with the top  management and
other managers at leadership roles to gain perspective and generate ideas. Focus 
group interviews can be of great help in hospitality and tourism sector to explore as
‘why people hold  certain opinions. It can be also helpful to know beliefs and attitudes
by asking more open ended  questions.  
 6. Scorecards: Scorecard provides a blueprint of how effective communication
program is  performing. Constantly reporting on the effectiveness of internal
communication channels will help management to know the value of their efforts. The
key is in designing the right scorecard by selecting  right metrics. 
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF WRITING
 
These are three basic principles of writing, namely: unity, coherence, and emphasis. These
will serve as our basic guides as we go through the writing process.

1. UNITY. It means consistency or oneness. A sentence has unity if it expresses only one
main idea. 

a. Consistency of Tense. Tense means time. Consistency of tense or unit of tense

may be achieved by observing proper tense sequence.

Example:
The goods will be shipped tonight, and they will reach Zamboanga City at early
dawn. 

In the above example, the verb in the adverbial clause agrees with the tense of the
verb in the main clause.

b. Consistency of Voice. Voice is that aspect of the verb which indicates whether
the subject performs the action (active) or receives it (passive). Use the same voice
throughout the sentence.

Example:
If you have already remitted your payment, please disregard this reminder.

Note that in the above example, the first clause and second clause have verbs, which
are both in the active voice. Therefore there is unity of voice. 

c. Consistency of Mood. Mood is an aspect of the verb which indicates whether the
action or the condition is factual (indicative), or contrary to fact (subjunctive). Maintain
the same mood throughout the sentence. 

Example:
i. The secretary hopes she can finish her work before the deadline comes.
(indicative)
ii. Albert wishes that he were the boss. (subjunctive)

d. Consistency of Subject. Avoid unnecessary shifts of subjects in sentence.

Example: 
The janitors worked fast, and soon they were done with their duties ahead of
time.

In the example above, note that the subject in the main clause is in agreement with
the subject in the second clause. There is therefore consistency of subject.

e. Consistency of Number and Person. The pronoun will have to agree in number
and person with its antecedent.

Example:
Everyone in the department played his part well.

Note that the underlined indefinite word everyone is singular. It corresponds

consistently in both number and person because the antecedent pronoun his is
likewise singular.
 f. Consistency of Ideas. Maintain consistency of ideas by excluding loosely related
or irrelevant ideas from the sentence by avoiding too many details and by using the
proper connective or conjunctive word to relate the ideas expressed in the sentence.

Example:
As the department head, I report to office on time because I would like to set
an example to my subordinates.

g. Consistency of Tone. Tone refers to the style or manner of expression. Maintain

the consistency of tone throughout the sentence.

Example:
The AA Club held a shindig in honor of the new members.

In the above example, the word shindig is not formal in tone. To preserve the
consistency of tone in the sentence, it must be replaced with either dance or ball.

h. Consistency of Language. This refers to the use of the same language

throughout the sentence. If a foreign term has been used, it should either be enclosed
in quotation marks or underlined to maintain/ preserve the consistency of language
within the sentence.

Example:
The “mamaya na” attitude is common among our government employees.

Note that the Filipino words injected into the sentence are enclosed in quotation
marks.

2. COHERENCE. It means the quality of putting ideas together (how the ideas get together
within the sentence). Make sure that modifiers are placed closely to the words they modify.
Misplaced modifiers will result in an incoherent sentence. 

Examples:
i. We have just opened our scenic hotel in Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte.
ii. The young business executive brings with him fresh perspectives.

In both examples, the modifiers ( scenic, young, fresh) are paced before the nouns
they modify.

3. EMPHASIS. To secure emphasis within the sentence, there are several strategies or
techniques. One can emphasize the positive aspects of the situation in a variety of ways:

a. State the information positively. Emphasize what you will do rather than what you will not
do.

b. Justify the negative information by giving a reason or linking it to the reader’s benefits (be
careful to use a benefit which your reader will see as valid)

c. eliminate negative words.

d. Omit negative statements that are unimportant.

e. put negative information in the middle of the paragraph rather in the first of last sentence;
in the middle of the memo rather than in the first or last paragraph. 

f. Use the passive voice and impersonal words in sentence construction to avoid assigning
blame.

g. Highlight the most important idea by using italics, by underlining it, or by writing the same
in bold print.
 h. Repeat the most important idea in the paragraph.

The Writing Process

Letter writing, according to Baugh (1994) involves a three-step process. Make sure that
business letters are recipient-based rather than writer-based. Aside from the writer’s own interests
and purposes, needs, concerns, and aspirations of the readers must also  be considered. 

A simple three-step process: prewriting, writing, and revising, help in creating reader-based
letters that communicate effectively and produce better results.

Step 1: Prewriting – involves answering the four key questions of letter writing: What is my
purpose? Who is my audience? What should the letter cover be? What desired action or response
do I want?

Step 2: Writing  -involves writing the rough copy all the way through to the end. The first
draft is just a working draft. Just write until the letter is finished.

Step 3: Revising – means reading the draft and organizing the letter so that it flows logically
from point to point. Check for grammatical lapses, double-check the accuracy of facts and figures,
eliminate unnecessary words and irrelevant ideas, and proofread or edit the final copy.

Writing and Revising the Rough Draft

Facing a blank piece of paper is intimidating for all writers, both novice and experienced.
Experienced writers, however, have strategies for getting the first draft down on paper and for
revising the draft effectively. The following are the various work styles of different writers. 

Producing the First Draft

When writing the first draft, you must get the ideas down on paper. Polishing,
rethinking, and reshaping can come later.

Below are techniques, which some writers found useful:

1. Jot down ideas or phrases you want to include in your letter or memo.

2. If you have a lot of material, as in a report or if tight logic is crucial, as in a problem solving or
negative message, write a formal outline.

3. Brainstorm – list as many ideas as you can. Then, go back and decide which reader-benefit or
attention-getter is best. Brainstorming helps writers get over the tendency to develop a mental
block after they have thought of one idea or approach. The first idea one has may not be the best.

Revising the Draft

Revision means one has to revisit his draft several times. Revision is not a matter of
checking the spelling and punctuation. This comes later at the editing stage, and is discussed on
that section. Instead, revision means making changes in content, organization, emphasis, word
choice, and style in order to make the meaning clear, achieve the writers purposes, build goodwill,
and save the reader’s time.
To revise effectively, you must be able to step out from your work mentally and to look at it
as an outsider would. Revision is literally “re-seeing” what you have written. 

What to Look When You Revise

What should you do first when you revise, check words, sentences, paragraphs, content,
organization, emphasis, logic, and the probable effect on the reader? You do not necessarily need
to look at the aspects in this order, and you may be able to cover them all without going through a
checklist, but you do need to cover them all. 
1.  Content

a. are all the information I have included correct?

b. Have I included all the necessary information?

2. Organization, Emphasis, and Logic

a. have I organized my material in a way that fits the situation and the reader?
b. have I used the beginning and end of my letter or memo to highlight important points?
c. should I use additional techniques of emphasis, such as repetition, underlining, lists,
headings, etc?
d. are all the information I have included correct?

3. You-attitude
Did I use the You-Attitude? The you-attitude is achieved differently in positive than negative
situations. When the situation is positive or neutral, the you-attitude can be achieved by following
these guidelines:

a. look at the situation form your reader’s point of view.

b. stress information, which the reader’s want to know. 
c. show the reader how he or she can benefit from what you have to offer.

4. Positive Emphasis
Did I use positive emphasis? Emphasize the positive aspects of the situation in these ways:

a. state the information positively.

b. justify the negative information by giving reason or linking it to the reader’s benefits
c. eliminate negative words
d. omit the negative statements that are unimportant.
e. put negative information in the middle of paragraph or memo.

5. Words
Check the denotation, a word’s literal or dictionary meaning; and connotation the emotional
associations that accompany words. Accurate denotations are important to avoid the situations,
which occur when the sender and receiver use the same words but have different meanings for it.

6. Sentence
Ask these questions:

a. Have I used a good variety of simple, complex, and compound sentences?

b. Are my sentences clear and free from wordiness?
c. Have I used active verbs in most cases? Passive verbs emphasize and focus attention on
what was done rather than who did it.

7. Paragraph
Ask these questions:

a. Have I provided transitions between ideas?

b. Is each subject about only one subject?
c. Does each paragraph have a topic sentence?
d. Have I kept paragraphs reasonably short?

Editing the Final Draft

When you are confident that your draft says what you want to say, edit your draft to make
sure that it is free from error in format, spelling, punctuations, and grammar. As you check, ask
yourself the following questions 

1. Format
a. Is the format appropriate for the message and the reader? Are all the necessary
elements included?
 b. Is the visual impact good?

2. Spelling 
Is there any doubtful words?
Steps in Writing Sales and Promotional Letters

By and large, sales and promotional letters are written by specialized and highly skilled
professionals. These letters come in letter-size or larger envelops with attached brochures in some
instances. Both share one common denominator- their attempt to motivate people to spend money
or patronize an organization.
In reality, all letters in businesses, industries, and the corporate world are essentially sales
and promotional letters.
There are three basic steps in planning sales or promotional letters. These are:
1. Determine the Main Idea. Sales and promotional letters revolve around a selling point and
related benefit. Know the products’ selling points and their benefit to the customers, both of
which are attractions on the part of customers.
2. Define the audience. The most persuasive sale letters are written to appeal to a specific
target audience. Marketers seek to define customers Iin terms of demographics such as
age, gender or sex, occupation, income and education, and psychographics which include
personality, attitudes and lifestyle/s.
3. Plan the approach and format. Basically, expensive items/ products and hard-to-accept
propositions call for a more elaborate campaign than low-cost products and simple actions.
Another tried and tested formula in writing/ planning effective sales and promotional letters
revolves around the AIDA plan. That is, start with an attention- getting advise. A case in point is to
appeal to the reader’s emotions and values. After which, move to escalate the readers interest and
desire and end with a specific call to a desired action.

Types of Sales and Promotional Letters

1. Reminder That a Sale is about to End

Remind a customer that a sale or sales campaign is about to end.
2. Announcing a Sales Campaign, Promotion, or Incentive Program
This type of letter informs client of an upcoming sales promotion, incentive program, or special
sales packages that are available. It is followed by a personal call form the salesperson.
3. Announcing a Sales Campaign to Preferred Customers
Announce a sales campaign to preferred customers to give them a head start in purchasing or
offering them further reduced prices.
4. Announcing a Price Increase or Price Adjustment
Announce a price increase and soften the blow to the customer. A price adjustment lowering/
reducing the price, on the other hand, is welcome news among customers.
5. Announcing New Product to a Select Group of Customers
Announce new products to aspect group of regular customers. It may be seen as a sales pitch.

Additional Types of Sales and Promotional Letters

The Prentice Hall Model Letter Desk Book (1988) identifies other types of sales and
promotional letters below:
1. Letters Calling Attention to Missing Enclosures
When you receive a letter in which someone has neglected to include an enclosure, notify
the writer immediately with the following important details:
a) Identify the incoming letter and enclosure;
b) State that the enclosure was omitted; and
c) Ask that the enclosure, or a copy of it, be sent to you.

1. Letters Arranging Appointments

Letters arranging for appointments usually follow a definite pattern:
a) Refer to the purpose of the appointments
 b) Suggest the time, place, and date. if that is not possible, be sure to ask the person to
whom you are waiting to indicate his or her preference; and
c) Ask for a confirmation of the appointment if time and place are specified.

1. Letters Making Hotel Reservations

For hotel reservations, the following details should be emphasized:
a) Accommodations desired;
b) Name of person for whom reservations is requested;
c) Date and time of arrival;
d) Probable or expected date of departure; and
e) Request for confirmation.