The increase in number of hotels and such other hospitality centers in recent times, particularly in Osun seem to have given impression that hotel business is a lucrative one. Inspite the prospect in the venture, some investors still see it as dangerous business to engage in.
But the President, Hoteliers and Hospitality Association of Nigeria, State of Osun chapter, Dr Jimoh Agboola, who is the Chairman, Brymor Hotel, Agunbelowo Area, Osogbo, said, there is no point entertaining any fear before investing in hotel business.
According to him, what is require of any investor in the business is to be focus, has related professional background or seek professional advise as to how to establish and manage such venture.
In a chat with Osun Defender, he said, “Hotel Business is a very lucrative business, in the sense that you will have guest to take care of in terms of their accommodation, catering and laundry needs and even more.
“Hotel business requires professionalism. There are those who studied hotel and catering management in school, but most of them hardly establish hotels, because of capital. Anybody can go into the business, but if you don’t have the professional background, you must seek professional advise to be able to sustain it.
“For your hotel business to be lucrative, you must have responsible, well-mannered and qualified staff that will impress customers”, he said.
Agboola also hinted that for the safety of guest, the Hoteliers and Association in the state have commissioned recognised car hire service providers to protect the guests from incidence like kidnapping and others.
Talking about challenges in the business, Agboola said, “A lot of thing can run down any hotel business and one of them is deplorable condition of roads, epileptic power supply, and lack of security”.
Encouraging people to invest in hotel business, he said, fund can be sourced through loan, which, according to him was the same strategies used for the establishment of Brymor Hotel and Shara Guest House, both in Osogbo.
While stressing that his association had been engaging its members to perform their civic responsibilities as expected, he said the government which has up the ante of security for the protection of live and properties, as well as for businesses to thrive must be supported to be able to do more.
Hinting that his association has good relationship with security personnel in curbing criminal activities in various part of the state, he said, “That will not stop us from emphasising that hoteliers should not harbour criminals in their various hotels and instead alert security agents in case of strange appearances to curb crime”.
He then urged the state and federal governments to give adequate attention to road construction, which according to him, also contribute to survival of businesses of all categories.
Describing hotel business as a venture that must be engage in by professionals, he said “hotel business is for those who have resources to start, either at a small or medium scale, but beyond that anybody that wanted to go into it must be ready to learn the rudiment of it”.
