Question of the Week, Nov. 5, 2008

In the field of hospitality, most controversies and questions lie below the surface and rarely are exposed to media or those outside the industry, unless if they are extremely heated or controversial, such as the issues of casinos and ethics, or minimum wage for workers. New concepts aren't as often publicized as they might be in other industries. I find the minimum wage controversy very interesting, as a current worker in the field and future industry leader, thus why I have chosen it as my paper topic. I also find questions about the "greening" of hotels and environmental sustainability quite fascinating. New fields in hospitality, such as agri-tourism, adventure tourism and eco-tourism generate many new questions about what true ecological sustainability means and how practical it is. However, I am not so interested in corporate issues and questions or ultra-urban-chic projects; I prefer smaller businesses and more laidback rural approaches.