What is an example of perishability in tourism?

In tourism, perishability refers to the inability to store or save a product for future use, meaning that once the opportunity to provide a service has passed, it cannot be recovered. A hotel room or bed that is not sold represents an instance of perishability. Once the check-in time has passed and the room remains vacant, that potential revenue is permanently lost since the service (the accommodation) is time-sensitive.

For example, if a hotel has a room available for a specific night and it is not sold, the opportunity to generate income from that room for that night is gone once the night ends. This characteristic of tourism products emphasizes the importance of effective inventory management and pricing strategies to maximize occupancy and sales.