The First Dwellings: Hospitality and Hotel Industry

Evidence of hotels and the hospitality industry have been recorded as far back as biblical times when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem during the census. As the Bible depicts, Mary and Joseph were refused accommodations because there "was no room at the inn." Since the beginning of time, people have traveled for commerce, religion, family, health, immigration, education and recreation. As cited by Texas Tech University, the word "hospitality" comes from the Latin root meaning "host" or "hospice." The university further noted that the first hotels were nothing more than private homes opened to the public. Under the influence of the Roman Empire, inns and hotels began catering to the pleasure traveler in an effort to encourage visitors.