It is important to understand that the hospitality industry and the travel industry are closely linked. Many of the services that are classed as travel industry offerings are also hospitality offerings, because they are linked to leisure, customer satisfaction, pleasure, experiences and the use of disposable income. Importantly, the cross-over between the tourism industry and the hospitality industry centres on services, rather than end-products.

The hospitality industry is generally recognised as a section of the wider service industry, with a focus on leisure, rather than more basic needs. By contrast, the hospitality industry is concerned with services related to leisure and customer satisfaction. This may well mean offering services to tourists, but it can also include the provision of services to people who are not tourists, such as locals enjoying their free time, or people coming to an area for reasons other than tourism.