Final answer:
Changes in the hospitality industry are greatly influenced by competition, technology, and globalization, with improvements in communication technology and global connectivity increasing competition for local businesses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some factors causing change in the hospitality industry include competition, service, technology, security, and diversity. In recent decades, there have been two especially important shifts affecting markets, which are particularly relevant to the hospitality industry: one centers on technology and the other on globalization.
The vast improvements in communications technologies, such as the development of the internet, have allowed consumers to order services and goods from across the globe, increasing competition for local businesses. This increase in competition is due to businesses now competing on a global scale, where 'business-to-business' websites facilitate connections between buyers and suppliers from different parts of the world.