Decades ago, businesses focused on exclusivity and appealed only to particular demographics — women's clubs, men's clubs or the wealthy, for example. These days, exclusivity is faced with a more negative connotation and an association with walling people out, instead of welcoming them in.

Over time, this trend has shifted, and inclusivity has become the new trend as more businesses work to appeal to the needs and desires of all ages. Retailers embrace different sizes. Private clubs have expanded membership and activities. Hotels and hospitality services focus on making life better for everyone who enters through the door. Everywhere, businesses are making big breakthroughs in inclusivity and diversity.

The True Meaning of Hospitality

Many luxury resorts, spas and hotel getaways have been marketed and branded for their exclusivity. Yet, it's inclusivity that's taking hospitality to the next level of top notch customer service, for every individual who enters the front door.

The Bespoke Access Awards, initiated through peers of the UK House of Lords, is an international design competition with goals to improve access to lodgings and hotel experience for all guests, especially for those who are disabled. Inclusive design categories include: service design, product design and architecture.

Entries may come from any individual or group of any age, but entrants are advised to communicate with disabled individuals and relevant service users. Ideas may address an experience from check in or check out, to any service a hotel offers a guest.

For businesses in modern society, inclusivity demands transparency. Most businesses in the hospitality industry have a section on their websites outlining their missions of diversity and inclusivity for their brand, to both guests and employees. Starwood Hotels' corporate values are outlined clearly and nicely summarized in this excerpt, "Creating an environment of inclusion for our associates, guests and suppliers isn't just the right thing; it is the very core of our business."

Starwood actively seeks out diverse vendors and suppliers to work with, that are LGBT-owned, women-owned, disability-owned or minority-owned. With many of its destinations in LGBT-friendly cities, Starwood and W Hotels have raised money in support of marriage equality through a series of concerts and talks. Unfortunately many LGBT couples and families face stereotyping and judgment when traveling, and these hotels realize the true meaning of hospitality, focusing on real-world families and their travel needs.

Clothing Retailers Embrace All Sizes

Years ago, you would be hard pressed to find a plus size model on the same runaway as a size two. Today, inclusivity is trending in the fashion industry, and more clothing brands and retailers are embracing all sizes. The focus is celebrating the diversity of the human body.

There are many body shapes, skin colors and heights, and no one type is better than another. Retailers focus less on exclusivity of a particular body type as best, and build all people up instead of playing into their insecurities—particularly women.

A wonderful example of this shift in the fashion industry is American Eagle's best fit campaign, featuring all types of women as it advertised the Aerie underwear brand. The company publically promoted its choice to forgo any use of Photoshop in Aerie promotions in the future. Its campaign emphasized the best fit as: "Every frame. Entire size range," focusing on the empowerment particularly expressed by millennial women, aiming to spread that reflection to all women.

Private Clubs Have Expanded Membership

Private clubs have traditionally offered unique opportunities to network within a specific demographic or industry, keeping the pool of individuals limited or defined by certain traits to better the group. These systems exist even as types of meetup groups for stay at home moms and military families, but some private clubs and their traditions are outdated in the modern world.

To limit privilege and oppression of any student on campus, last year Northwestern University announced that campus groups must admit any interested student within the next year or those groups risk losing funding. Some argued that the quality of group membership would be "diluted," while others opened up the argument of what historical exclusive groups are still relevant in a campus environment. In a college environment, this is a great discussion and growing opportunity, but how does this apply on a larger scale in the real world?

In the wider world, this discussion extends to private clubs and businesses that once catered to a specific target audience. Many of these have expanded membership.

The YMCA and YWCA are a popular set of examples which once limited exclusivity to men and women, with a Christian focus. Keeping up with modern times, they successfully opened up membership, while keeping programs that help underprivileged groups. For example, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) decided to drop the "Christian" term in 2011 in its name across the UK to embrace Platform 51, which seeks to "lobby for changes in the law and policies to help all women," though the name change did receive criticism from religious groups.

Country clubs are also expanding their exclusive memberships to become more family-oriented to families of various classes and backgrounds. In San Francisco, California, the Martin Country Club is focused on family as an aspect of a well-rounded life, and this a great example of a club that provides inclusive membership and activities for the entire family and all ages. The club offers the traditional tennis courts, golf courses and pools, but it also offers diverse groups, classes, activities and lessons, including cooking classes, jazz on the green and poolside barbecues.

As more businesses focus on inclusivity, instead of exclusivity, they appeal to the true needs and desires of all groups of people to reap major benefits. Businesses find great success and rewards in help all families, ages, genders, races and religions network, have fun and develop healthy and beneficial lifestyles. Exclusivity is out, and inclusivity is in. The real focus on what should matter: human beings helping each other be their best selves.