CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BCKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Overall modern business and tourism development philosophy is geared towards tourists, guests and consumers and satisfying their needs and desires. Modern hospitality is distinguished from other related activities in the sphere of providing accommodation by means of continuous maintenance of the quality of services and introduction of new types of services that are not characteristic of the hospitality business, all in order to increase the quality of basic services of accommodation and meet the needs of the modern consumers (customers). Survival of the hotel industry in the demanding and dynamic market and raising the level of competitiveness depends on improving the quality of hotel products and services. Hotel companies that are focused on quality, and thus the satisfaction of their guests, can be successful in the demanding tourist market.

        A hotel always strives to maintain healthy and positive guest relations to improve their business and to generate maximum revenue every time which is only possible if the guest has a pleasant stay in the hotel without having any issues or complaints related to their stay in the hotel.

        The hotel industry globally has been associated with crime related challenges since the days of small inns to the present times (Greenberg, 2015). These challenges are attributed to a 24/7 business operation times that the industry provides (Burstein, 2014). Security measures in the hotel industry are lax due to the permission granted to members of the public, who are strangers to the hotel to visit the premises (Hughes, 2015). However, theft is a crime that is undeniably the most prevalent in the hotel industry (Mansfeld & Pizam, 2012). The security measures already in place need to be reviewed to ensure protection for valuable hotel resources, such as, assets, personnel, and most importantly, the guests and their valuables.

        The hotel industry provides service to hotel visitors who are known as guests. According to Angelo and Vladimir (2011), the service is described as meeting customers’ needs in the way that they want and expect them to be met and by providing superior service which meant exceeding customers’ expectations. The hotel business provides a fully paid furnished accommodation on a short-term and temporary basis.

        The hotel industry’s goal like any other industry is committed to improve management efficiency and customer satisfaction. To achieve this goal, the management of the hotel should ensure to have the right staff in every department with effective human resource management policies (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2015). There are some management issues in some hotels where guests need to be protected against the swimming pool areas, spas, and parking bays. External resources like local law enforcement and property insurers also contribute towards the safety and security of guests and hotel employees (Hayes & Ninemeier, 2013).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Effective hotel management is very important for the growth of any hotel in the area of customer satisfaction, customer patronage and staff productivity. However some there are factors that can hinder effective management of hotels; take for instance hotels in owerri during the 2015 to 2021 have experienced a lot of challenges such as employees’ turnover, multiple taxation, increased level of competition among other hotels and financial implication for proper running of the hotel. Most hotels in owerri lost management effectiveness during the covid-19 period. There is low customer patronage but the wage bills of the hotel remain the same. It is to this regard that the study is based on hotel management in Owerri from 2015 to 2021.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The study seeks to examine hotel management in owerri. Other specific objectives are:

1. To determine the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri.
2.  To identify the challenges faced by hotels in owerri L.G.A. 
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri. 
4. To examine the various emergency situations in the hotels and their handling procedure.
   1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri?
2.  What are the challenges faced by hotels in owerri L.G.A? 
3. How effective is the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri?
4. What are the various emergency situations in the hotels and their handling procedure?

1.5 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTRHESIS

H0: the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri are not effective.

H1: the management methods adopted by hotels in owerri are effective.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This study is very important to all the hotels in Owerri L.G.A towards improving the growth of the hotels through customer satisfaction and patronage.

This research would make a significant contribution in assessing and reviewing the effectiveness of management methods in hotels, evaluating the types of management procedures that are most prevalent in hotels.

The hotel industry will be steered, hopefully, by the findings and the recommendations of this study and enhance any inadequacies that may be exposed by the research assessment.

The research results can be documented into future study guides of the Department of hotel Management in order to equip the students with the knowledge in terms of management procedures hotels.

Finally, the research will help hotel management improve on their customer relationship management.

1.7 SCOPE OF STUDY

The study covers on hotel management in owerri.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Hotel: Facility that provides comfortable lodging and generally, but not always, food, beverage, entertainment, and a ‘home away from home’ service (Beaudry, 1996).

Customer: A customer is a person or company that receives, consumes or buys a product or service and can choose between different goods and suppliers. The main goal of all commercial enterprises is to attract customers or clients, and make them purchase what they have on sale.

Customer Relationship: customer relationship. The development of an ongoing connection between a company and its customers. The relationship involves marketing communications, sales support, technical assistance and customer service.

Management: The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives. Management consists of the interlocking functions of creating corporate policy and organizing, planning, controlling, and directing an organization's resources in order to achieve the objectives of that policy.