ABSTRACT
The need to have standard hotels in Enugu Urban cannot be over-emphasized. This
is because of the part they play in the socio-economic growth of the town.
They assist travelers coming into the city in the provision of comfort and other
facilities to residents of the city.
In order to lend support to the business of these hotels and the entire economy of
the city, these hotels need to apply promotion advertising in the running of their
business in order to create awareness to their present and potential customers.
What this study aims to achieve is to examine the promotional problems experienced
in hospitality industry (A Study of Selected Hotel in Enugu Urban).
A sample size of 480 respondents were randomly selected and was used for the
study.
The following hotels were sampled
1. Home Pride Guest House
2. Zodiac Hotels
3. Crystal Park Hotel
4. First Hotel
5. Presidential Hotel
Based on the data collected and analysed, the following were found.
1. That the establishment of hotel in Enugu urban is a welcome development
because of the socio-economic role played by these hotels to the public.
2. These hotels require and actually make use of advertising in order to create
awareness to the public including their present and potential customers.
3. By the use of advertising, a lot of progress was made by these hotels.
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4. The researcher also found out that so many constraints militated against
hospitality industry such as finance.
5. The researcher did not stop with the finding but went ahead to make
recommendations as what to do to eliminate constraints on hospitality
industry.
6. The researcher concluded the work on an encouraging and hopeful note,
stressing that a lot still stand to be achieved from hospitality industry if and
only when aggressive advertising is embarked upon and the proprietors of
hospitality industry and professionals are given support and encouragement.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 OVER VIEW OF THE STUDY
In hospitality industries promotion is a key ingredients in marketing campaign.
Promotion has contributed a lot to boost a better image of both major and minor
hotels in every part of the world. It does communicate to its publics; the type of
services it renders, and also believes in fair deals and considers the interest of its
customers and various publics. Hospitality industries services, pricing, as well as
promotional policies and strategies constitute elements of its promotion – mix.
Hotels provide meals, drinks, attractions, accommodation etc., to the general
public or persons in transit especially people traveling to places where they have
neither their own homes nor any relation to cater for their needs. Such persons will
like to know few things about the hotels in their transitory area. In other words, they
may like to know about available hotels, the categories of such hotels, the room and
suit fares, and the type of food served, the necessary comfort customers are
accorded – with, the game that is both indoor and outdoor games available and
perhaps and other special feature that make such hotels appealing to the sojourners
in transit.
These characteristics of hotels are boosted by promotions of various types in
so many countries of the world. In Nigeria, major hotels live like Sheraton, Eko
Hotels, Federal Palace Hotels, NICON NUGA, to mention just a few of them, have
made impressionable image both nationally and internationally and the praises go to
promotions that have heralded their various characteristics, class placement status
to the public generally. Without promotion, the image of their hotels and their
excellent services would not be so diffused to the public. For instance recently in
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Enugu, some hotels have come up with incentive – type promotions to attract new
terriers, to reward loyal customers and to increase the patronage rates of occasional
users. One of such hotels is Home Pride Guest House situated at number 16 Chime
Avenue, New Haven in Enugu, promoted its hotel as (10%) Ten percent discount
awaits customers that patronizes its hotel superbly built, and lavishly furnished with
ultra-modern guest houses, with about sixteen (16) air conditioned rooms each with
its exclusive toilets, cold/hot shower, stand-by water storage tanks to ensure
uninterrupted water supply; a lounge with well stocked bar and assorted types of
edibles including Chinese foods available; a well cemented car park adorned with
beautiful flowers, and powerful stand-by generators to ensure uninterrupted power
supply.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The study is aimed at finding the importance as well of promotional problems
experienced in hospitality industries. This is an organization that the principal
objective is to make profit. To realize this objective, the business concern must be
prepared to uphold the marketing concept of the supremacy of the consumer.
Marketing promotion contributes a great deal in upholding the supremacy of the
customers which involves identification and satisfaction of specified needs.
Hospitality industry like hotel-ling is a competitive business and must endeavour to
identify and satisfy customers’ needs to be able to stay in business.
There are some promotional problems in hospitality industry business in Enugu
State. The problems are the factors that hinder promotion of hotel services.
One of such factor is income. The income level of both customers and proprietors
will hinder the work of marketing promotion on hotels. Low income earners, for
example may find it difficult to cope with high prices of hotel services which
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happened as a result of marketing promotion carried out which invariably attracted
high prices on them.
There are also several classes of people in society. We have high class individual
and low class people as well. Those in the high classes are usually enlightened while
those in the lower class are mainly illiterates.
For instance, some advertising messages are produced by professional for high
class people while non-professional produced the type we call below the line
advertising for low class people. Culture consider some advetisement as taboo,
while some people in a special class, like corporation may find it not necessary
advertising their hotel, hence it is only for members.
1.3 PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at critical analysis of the promotional problems experience
in hospitality industries like hotels.
With the above problem statements, the main purpose or objectives of this research
work will be as follows:-
1. Finding out to what extent the selected hotels in Enugu State have gone in
the application of advertising as one of the tools for marketing promotions
on hospitality industry.
2. Finding out what benefit have accrued to those hotels that applied
advertisement in their business.
3. Knowing what the customers have gained from hotel services because of
the use of promotional element like advertising by the hotels in Enugu
State.
4. Understanding the mode of advertising mostly used by hotels in Enugu
State.
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5. Finding out the problems facing hotels in promoting their businesses in
Enugu State.
6. Determining the effects of those problems on the hotel proprietors, the
customers and the entire hotel business.
7. Finding out how to reduce or eradicate totally the problems militating
against hotel promotions in Enugu State. As we have already noted that a
promotion element like advertising is important in hotel business, we
should also note that hotel promotions have so many problems associated
with it.
For instance, it costs a lot of money to undertake advertising of goods and
services. It is one thing to carry out advertisement by hotel proprietors and
it is another thing for the proprietor to give the customers services that will
eventually ensure customer satisfaction in accordance with what have
been promoted and advertised.
The research therefore will endeavour to find out if the customers are
actually satisfied according to the advertisement made, and if not, the
researcher will try to proffer solutions as to how to eliminate the problems
noticed in hotel promotion.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In pursuance of the above objectives, questions of this nature will be asked by
the researcher.
1. How have these hotel promotions created awareness to present and
potential customers to the hotels?.
2. If any awareness has been created through advertising, how have the
profit margin reflected this awareness?
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3. Are the hotels actually providing the services that they advertise/promote?
If yes, does the patronage measures or reflects the promotion/advertising
input?
4. What are the problems noticed in hotel promotions?
5. What recommendations can be put in place for improved hotel promotion?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
In order to carry out effective research work, the following hypothesis will be
tested as stated below: –
1. Hi: Hotels in Enugu State promote and advertise their business
adequately. Ho: Hotels in Enugu State do not advertise their business
adequately.
2. Ho: Customers awareness and patronage of hotels business do not
increase with hotel promotions/advertising.
Hi: Customers awareness and patronage of hotels business increase with
promotion by hotels.
3. Ho: Hotels in Enugu State do not offer all the services they
promote/advertise.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study is expected to provide useful information on ways to
reach potential customers, travelers, institutions or corporate customers through
planned promotion.
The significance of this study, therefore, lies on its contribution to the
upgrading of hospitality industry image in general. To create awareness for the
public to patronize this industry as providers of services essential to human life.
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Finally, in the field of academics, the study will stimulate further research into
marketing of hotel, catering services and
hospitality industry as a whole and delivering of quality and competitive services.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study will cover just some few selected hotels in Enugu Urban. The
researcher meant those businesses which on provision of a fee, lodging facilities and
decent food and drinks are accorded the customer, whether open to the public or
restricted to members of particular organization.
The work will cover the following five hotels situated in Enugu Urban.
1. HOME PRIDE GUEST HOUSE, CHIME AVENUE, NEW HAVEN ENUGU
2. PRESIDENTIAL HOTEL, INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT ENUGU.
3. FIRST HOTEL, OGUI NEW LAYOUT, ENUGU
4. ZODIAC HOTEL, INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT, ENUGU.
5. CRYSTIAL PALACE HOTEL, GRA, ENUGU.
In many occasions, the researcher was denied audience by the very people
whom he had hoped would supply him information. The questionnaire which was
distributed was either returned unanswered or half answered.
The researcher spent much time and money repeating visits to those he distributed
questionnaire to. Many even thought that the interview being sought for was for taxpurpose and therefore bluntly refused to grant the researcher any opportunity for
interview.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Urban – A large city, especially the developed town.
Proprietor – An owner, especially of a shop, hotel, business etc.
Problems – Limits or restrictions from professing.
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This study will be extended to cover the promotional problems experienced in
hospitality industry (A study of few selected hotels in Enugu State).
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The researcher met with the following physical and logistical limitations in
addition to the limitations imposed by cost and time.
Bureaucratic Bottleneck
Because of the bureaucratic problems associated with research findings
generally in the country, the researcher was denied access to files and documents
which could have helped with a more quality and reliable work.
Finance:
The researcher spent so much money while sourcing for information which includes
transportation costs etc.
REFERENCES
Babalola W. Adeyemo (2003) Hospitality Marketing.
Bitel, Lester Robert Ramsey, Jackson Eugene (1995),
Encylopedia of Professional Management. Fourth Groiler. Groiler
International, Danbury, Connecticut.
Doughudje Chris (1984), Advertising in Nigeria: The Need for
Advertising in the Nigeria Society.
Hornby, A.S. (1980), Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of
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Current English. The English Language Book Society and Oxford University
Press. Low Priced Edition, Tenth Impression.
Nwosu, I.E. (2001) Marketing Communications Management
and Media. An Integrated Approach.
Osuala, E.C. (1982), Introduction to Research Methodology,
Onitsha, Nigeria Feb Publishers Ltd.
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