By Dikachi Elemba, in Owerri.
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Expert at IHTEF says no longer business as usual
Nigerian hoteliers have been told to work hard to build a hospitality industry that strives for growth that will not only be of benefit to operators in the hotels and tourism space, but also benefit their workers and the general economy.
The International Hospitality, Tourism and Eco-Sustainability Forum (IHTEF), a hospitality consulting institute with a new thinking mindset for the development and growth of the hospitality industry in Nigeria, therefore urged players in the tourism industry in Nigeria to embark on training, standardisation and workforce development to build a new hospitality industry with growth in mind.
Training and retraining, as well as the proper development of the workforce in the tourism sector of the country will be an attribute of the post COVID-19 hotel and hospitality era, said Chibuikem Diala, the chief executive officer, Sustainable Eco6tem and the executive director of the International Hospitality, Tourism and Eco-Sustainability Forum (IHTEF), in a lecture titled, ‘The Hotel Industry: Building a hospitality in Imo’, organised by the Imo State Hoteliers Association(ISHA) in Owerri .
Diala informed hotel, hospitality and tourism directors, managers and supervisors that the International Hospitality, Tourism and Eco-Sustainability Forum(IHTEF) would help in training and retraining of the staff of the sector to build a new hospitality industry with growth in mind.
“There is no doubt that constant training, updates of standard operational procedures (SOPs), and proper supervision will play a key role in the emerging hotels. Our organisation IHTEF is helping hotels in this area with short courses and insights,” Diala said.
He noted that this will help to raise the service standards available, increase guest’s confidence and raise maximum revenue for the owners. In addition, it would also heighten the trust between employees and the owners leading to better welfare, insurance and a secured future.
Having the growth of the hospitality firm in mind, the entrepreneur should develop a new mindset and do away with the old ideas about what hospitality is, as a whole new attitude to life and service is needed, Diala added.
He spoke on the seriousness of hospitality outfits to embark on standardisation and regulations, noting that “it will no more be business as usual as governments will begin to tighten their nose by developing guidelines and ensuring enforcement of [the] same. Only an irresponsible hotel management, employee, or government will sit down and do nothing to ensure that its people, community, [and] visitors are safe in a ‘viralised’ society.”
