THE CHALLENGES OF HOTEL BUSINESS

THE CHALLENGES OF HOTEL BUSINESS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background to the Study

The hospitality industry is widespread, encompassing hotels, bars, restaurants, theme parks, and a variety of other related businesses. Globally, it is a money-making industry with billions of dollars to its name, even though in this part of the world, we are still figuring out how to put the industry on the right pedestal so that it can fully benefit like other countries. Like any other business in Nigeria, there are areas of concentration, such as accommodation and restaurants, which appear to be the “honey pot” for practitioners in Nigeria.

In recent years, the Nigerian economy has seen tremendous ‘growth’ in the hospitality industry, which has resulted in the establishment of hotels, fast food restaurant chains, night clubs, and cruise lines. These positive trends are not insignificant.

Measures are clearly assisting in redefining the face of Nigeria’s hospitality industry. According to word on the street, the industry is thriving. Nonetheless, the author believes that every Tom, Dick, and Harry with sufficient funds is investing in the business despite having little knowledge of the expertise required to run such a business. Most of them overlook the fact that the industry requires investors who understand that investing in this area requires a long-term commitment. As a result, they expect returns as soon as possible, at the expense of their underpaid employees.

The hospitality industry in Nigeria varies according to location. Dansaky Hotel and Suites, Ifako Ijaye, and other establishments in major cities boast of’reasonably’ high service quality.

Lagos State has a higher standard, whereas those on the outskirts have a lower standard. It is not surprising, then, that since the industry has become a “all-comers affair,” there is no true classification of restaurants and hotels available in other countries. As a result, most hotels have taken the bold step of prescribing their own grading, leading to client confusion.

The Nigerian hospitality industry is confronted with a slew of issues ranging from poor energy supply and insecurity to misconstrued internal perception, cynical global perception, flawed hotel classification, poor customer service, little or no standardisation in operations, an inconsistent regulatory environment, and skilled labor shortages caused by a few entrepreneurs with little knowledge of the industry’s workings who hijack the process to perpetuate themselves.

Chukwudi Njoku has plans for personal advancement (2015).

Indeed, the industry operates in a country with an estimated annual growth rate of 7.4%. The difficulties cascade from the ineffective top echelons of government to the most junior employees in the industry. Arguably, the industry has not made much progress in terms of previous achievements. Regardless, it has become more profitable than ever before, depending on which side of the divide you find yourself on, i.e. employer or employee.

The hospitality industry has provided high returns on investment all over the world. Whether or not this has filtered down to the employees is a different story. Recently, the staff of three’self-acclaimed’ international hotels

In Lagos State, hotel workers went on strike, disrupting hotel operations. According to them, this was due to these organizations’ poor working conditions and employee benefits, though their employers were not in agreement with these claims.

International brands have flooded the Nigerian market. This, however, is not reflected in the quality of services provided. They appear to have fallen into an ideological quagmire by failing to recognize that the industry thrives on service. If the hospitality industry’s services are removed, there is nothing to build on. Even in Japan, where plans to replace humans with robots are in the works. Experts have questioned whether robots will be as intelligent as humans. Others According to the Guardian UK, it is klutzy because humans still outperform robots in terms of dexterity and balance on the job. Although hotels in Nigeria provide a variety of services to all types of customers, they are plagued by a culture that is hostile to providing good customer service. It is a difficult time to be an industry stakeholder, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Against this backdrop, the study seeks to investigate the challenges of the hotel business in Lagos State through the use of Dansaky Hotel and Suites, Ifako Ijaye, Lagos State as a case study.

1.2   Statement of the Problem

The businessman who fails does not know himself, his market, his business, or what is going on around him. Everyone wants to achieve their personal, social, and economic goals, but very few do. The key to success is not the desire to be successful, but the desire to be successful. It is easy for anyone to wish for a million dollars in business, but in order to succeed, the individual requires a number of factors. Above all, there must be energy, drive, and a plan to work toward it, as well as the recruitment of people who share the same goals. Of course, many people settle for less (Campbell, 1993).

Anything can be an indicator.

an economic need. Better or different food, faster service, new convenience, increased status, or a new product may be required. The only way to thrive is to think, not just to see the various facts, but to understand each fact independently in order to understand the significance when the facts are combined, and to understand the significance, scope, magnitude, complexity, and completeness of this relationship. Ignore an individual’s potential ability to solve complex problems such as food quality, service, atmosphere, price, and competition and focus solely on the dynamic relationship between emotion and success. Can anyone succeed if they are bored, indifferent, lazy, stubborn, and in service? How far can an aggressive, crude, tasteless, impulsive, arrogant, and hostile person go?

Another significant cause of business failure

is a lack of in-depth comprehension and knowledge of the product. Although the inability to plan, direct, and control the various functional areas associated with food is a severe management flaw. Failure to fully comprehend the nature of the product sold can also be disastrous. The potential restaurant owner is confronted with two major issues that he will not face if he chooses to pursue another career. The two specific issues he must address are the perishability of food and inventory control.

The majority of people are aware that food spoils. However, they are unaware of how serious this fact can be. Spoilage begins when a food item is ordered and continues through delivery, drying, and storage. Food items are thawed, bumped, mishandled, bruised, or robbed of their freshness on the delivery truck due to refrigerated storage, preparation, production, and service. Frozen food spoils in other functional areas because it is not stored immediately. Milk source, bananas overripen, lobsters die, fish rot, meat dehydrates, lettuce wits, oil becomes rancid, food is cooked for too long, at too high a temperature, and for too long, and the list goes on and on (Mintzberg, 1975). As a result, using Dansaky Hotel and Suites in Ifako Ijaye, Lagos State as a case study, this study will investigate the challenges of the hotel business in Lagos State.

1.3   Research Objectives

The study has both broad and specific objectives. The overall goal or main goal of this study is to investigate the challenges of the hotel business in Lagos State using Dansaky Hotel and Suites in Ifako Ijaye, Lagos State as a case study. The specific goals are as follows:

I To investigate the challenges confronting the hospitality industry in Lagos State.

ii) To investigate the factors causing the slow growth of the hospitality industry in the study area.

iii) To identify the factors that can boost the growth of the hospitality industry in Lagos State.

iv) To propose potential solutions for the development of the hospitality industry in Lagos State.

1.4   Research Questions

The following are some of the questions that this research will attempt to answer:

I What are the challenges confronting the hospitality industry in Lagos State?

ii) What are the factors causing the slow growth of the hospitality industry in the study area?

iii) What are the factors that can help the hospitality industry in Lagos State grow?

iv) What are the potential solutions for the growth of the hospitality industry in Lagos State?

1.5   Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses will be tested for this study.

I There is no significant influence on the challenges that hotels in Lagos face and their performance.

ii) There is no significant relationship between organizational policy and performance.

1.6   Significance of the Study

This research focuses on the evaluation of hotels in Lagos. Hotels will benefit from this because they serve as tourist attraction centers. The following statements summarize the overall assessment of the study’s significance. It will also contribute to closing a gap in the literature in the fields of hospitality and tourism. It has evolved into a secondary source of information for researchers, academicians, and practitioners. It also serves as a guide for policymakers in the adaptation, formulation, and implementation of genuine urban development strategies, efficient urban management, migration policy, hotel establishment, and so on. Finally, it will provide town administrators with information about the town’s current and emerging socioeconomic challenges. migrants in relation to the socioeconomic services provided by the municipal government

1.7      Scope of the Study

This project is intended for waiters, receptionists, and room maids in small hotels in Adamawa State. Dansaky Hotel and Suites in Ifako Ijaye, Lagos State, will be our case study. In addition, the study will only include employees from the food and beverage service, reception, and housekeeping departments.

1.8   Limitation of the Study

This research had limited research materials because the researcher’s research materials were insufficient, limiting the study. Another limitation for this study was time, as the time frame allotted to it did not allow for broader coverage because the researcher had to combine the study with other academic activities and examinations. Organizational privacy also hampered this study because there was limited access to the chosen auditing firm, making it difficult to obtain all of the necessary and required information about the activities.

1.9   Definition of Terms

During the course of this research, the following terms were used:

Challenges: The situation of being confronted with something that requires significant mental or physical effort to complete successfully and thus tests a person’s ability.

Hospitality is defined as the welcoming and entertaining of guests, visitors, or strangers in a friendly and generous manner.

Tourism is the theory and practice of touring, as well as the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.