timeline of hospitality industry

• group of people who inhabited mesopotamia, near the persian gulf in 4000BC
• The recorded history of the hospitality industry begins with the Sumerians, who inhabited Mesopotamia around 4000 BC
• The Sumerians were skilled farmers and cattle breeders due to the fertile land in the area
• Sumerians were credited with inventing money and writing, and they also produced alcoholic beverages from grains
• Local Sumerian taverns were among the first hospitality businesses, serving various beers and providing a gathering place for residents
• The lodging industry developed to provide accommodations for travelers along trade routes, leading to the development of junction points that evolved into cities
• In Ancient Greece, hospitality was provided by missionaries, priests, and pilgrims, with meager accommodations operated by temple slaves
• In Ancient Rome, inns were large mansions requiring guests to carry a "letter of eviction" to stay, and taverns were called "tavernas"
• Caravans crossing the Near East stopped at caravansaries for accommodation, which were simple structures providing protection and sleeping platforms
• Innkeepers began to offer food and beverage services, and Roman roads facilitated travel during the last years of the Roman Empire
• The development of the inn in the Middle Ages was due to improvements in security, and the Industrial Revolution led to a demand for accommodations in cities
• The growth of the hotel industry was aided by the development of spa resorts during the Industrial Revolution
• The evolution of lodging saw spare rooms in castles and estates being used for revenue, leading to the development of the City Hotel in New York in 1794
• The Tremont House in Boston, built in 1828, is considered the first 5-star hotel, offering innovative amenities like in-room water pitchers and free soap
• Ellsworth Statler opened the Buffalo Statler Hotel in 1908, considered the first "modern hotel" with innovations like fire doors and private bathrooms
• Conrad Hilton opened the first Hilton hotel in 1925, and J. Willard Marriott opened his first hotel, Twin Bridges, in 1957
• The first Holiday Inn Hotel was founded in 1953 by Kemmons Wilson, who reinvented the lodging industry with family-friendly motels
• Holiday Inn was the first to implement the Holidex system in 1965 for guest reservations, and the first International Holiday Inn opened in Montreal in 1960
• Holiday Inn Hotels are currently owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group, offering rooms with specific measurements, amenities, and no extra charge for children