By Mian Sarosh Mahmud
We all are aware of the word ‘hospital’; its importance in society and its functions for the good of the people. It directly relates to the treatment of the ill and the injured ones. Everybody around us has profound regard for hospitals and those who work in them for the treatment of the people. This all is because hospitals are the buildings or setups which are linked with the service to humanity.
At the very same time, when we encounter or read the word ‘hospitality’, nothing special strikes our minds. Everybody relates it to the food and all. Nobody except a certain stratum of the society shows interest in joining this field for the benefit of society.
We as parents, guardians, and elders want our kids to become doctors because we think that this is the only profession where they can serve humanity in a very direct and effective way; financial security is another satisfaction. We hardly consider ‘hospitality’ as a profession for our kids as we don’t consider it a direct and effective service to humanity.
I am a hospitality student and every other person who comes to know about my area of interest comments that this is not a good field. Some say that hospitality has no scope; study medical science and become a doctor. Some of them say that do anything but hospitality as there is no respect in it. Even those who study hospitality and are seen taking classes in hospitality institutes are those who do not get admission in other reputed fields.
My point is very simple here. Both of the fields are very important for the service of humanity. Most of the diseases that we see in the hospitals are due to bad eating habits or substandard food being served out there. Even the food we cook at home hardly fulfills the hygiene requirements. In this situation, it becomes necessary for the youth to study hospitality and serve the masses with quality food. This is important to tell the people out there that if the quality of food you eat is good, the number of people visiting hospitals will be less. The Government of Pakistan should also spread a good word about the field of hospitality and introduce different study programs that can lure the parents, guardians, and elders socially and financially.
The only reason behind this discussion is that our society should show some seriousness in hospitality as a field. They should urge the youth to join this as an occupation after studying it thoroughly because an engineer becomes an engineer after relevant studies and a doctor also becomes a doctor after having attended the regular and rigorous classes.
I am sure that if we start applying hospitality not only in restaurants and hotels but also in our homes and routine settings, we can change the already altered concept of hospitality in our society.
Mian Sarosh Mahmud is an MSc in Hospitality and Tourism student at the University of Punjab. He can be reached at [email protected].