Benefits of Working in the Hospitality Industry

You might ask what exactly does the hospitality industry mean? Is it lucrative to start a business or work in such an industry? What does it entail to get a job in this industry? Many other questions in your mind will be discussed today. Just keep your eyes glued to the end.

It has been speculated that in the next five years, Nigeria, when compared to other West African countries, will have a market evaluation of 12%. This means there would be high job opportunities in the hospitality sector. If you are looking for employment in this industry, you’ll agree that your chances are high, other factors being equal.

Now, let’s proceed. What does the hospitality industry entail?

Meaning of the Hospitality Industry and its Categories

The hospitality industry is a broad, encompassing sector that houses different businesses such as travel/transportation, accommodation (hotel, motel, inn, etc.), tourism, food and beverages, events centres and meeting halls, relaxation spots, etc.

For an in-depth understanding, let’s dive into what each of this categories of hospitality business deals with:

Food and beverages

The food and beverages sector comes as a necessity in providing consumables/food for customers in restaurants, resorts, hotels, etc. This service is an integral part of all other sectors of the hospitality industry.

Job opportunities are open to food servers, waiters, and receptionists (who require little or no training) and professionals like chefs, and managers (who require extensive training).

Accommodation

This is one of the vital sectors of the hospitality industry. It varies with different lodgings like hotels, motels, inns, and resorts and in most cases it extends to event centres. When a tourist lands in the country, there’s a need to provide where the individual will live temporarily during the stay.

In Nigeria, from local to more standardized service, accommodation is provided for guests. Moreover, halls are rented out for big events like conferences, weddings and conventions. Job opportunities are available in this sector and you can make a lot rendering these services.

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Travels and tours

The hospitality industry is connected to the tourism industry. In most cases in Nigeria today, a tourist book for its activities, from transportation (air travel, shuttle service), accommodation (hotel, recreational spot, etc), to tourist guide.

Usually, it’s a particular agency that handles the provision of all these services. This sub-section of the hospitality business is lucrative with several job opportunities, including business ventures.

Tourism

Owing to the numerous beautiful places in Nigeria where you can have a sneak peek, tourism has experienced a boost in patronage and this has contributed immensely to the economy.

The vast cultural heritage of the country holds a beauty to behold with ancient monuments displaying the rich ancestral traditions. Cultural festivals also display this rich cultural diversity in Nigeria. Job opportunities like tourist guide, booking agency/agent, restaurant service, and many more, are interesting positions to take up.

Challenges Facing the Hospitality Industry in Nigeria

Although Nigeria has experienced hype and an increase in the income generated from this industry, there are still existing challenges confronting the industry. Some of these challenges include:

Corruption

Corruption is one of the challenges faced by not only the hospitality industry but also all other sectors of the economy. This malady called “corruption” could cripple and impoverish the masses.

For instance, government agencies, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the compliance of owners of these sub-sectors, collect bribes, allowing the decadence of operation to persist.

Inconsistent regulations

Regulations inconsistency is another challenge that makes hotel, inn, motel, clubs, resorts, rentals, shuttle owners, etc, increase their services at will. This is because there isn’t a proper and consistent review of the compliance of all stakeholders in the industry.

Environment

The ripple effect of hotels, for example, could endanger the public due to their high level of waste which produces carbon, high consumption of energy and climate change. This therefore calls for strict laws in curbing these excesses which sometimes leads to the closure of defaulters.

Government policies

In recent times, the government has imposed a higher rate of taxes on private industries whether small, medium or large conglomerates. This has affected the level of productivity of all sub-sectors within the hospitality sector.

For instance, the cost of lodging a night in a local inn or hotel for a night has increased by 100%. The business owners weren’t to be blamed. After all, in this kind of economy, they have to “survive” as the saying goes.

Poor energy supply

As an economy, we are still grappling with insufficient power supply (electricity, diesel, gas, petrol, etc) and this could be detrimental to the hospitality industry.

Insecurity

Another menace that has gradually taken full shape in Nigeria is the issue of insecurity. Presently, the nation’s food productivity has been negatively affected and this brings untold hardship on its citizens. It hinders tourists from coming into the country for fear of being kidnapped as well as the high cost of service.

Benefits of Working in the Hospitality Industry

From the rich tourism attractions to impeccable accommodation service and delicious cuisines, working in the hospitality sector is surely alluring. Fancy yourself looking cool as an air hostess, walking gracefully to welcome a guest in, quite adventurous you will agree.

Common benefits of working in the hospitality sector include:

Meeting new people

Meeting individuals from all over the world is exciting. It’s just like being in your sitting room, watching an 80-inch television screen with binoculars. It makes you feel you are in the scene. Sometimes, these interactions breed lasting relationships.

Exposure to new things

You get exposed to a variety of things such as cultural traits, different perceptions, different cuisines, getting to know people, etc. You could know a lot while still in Nigeria.

Making an impact

You become a positive change agent, contributing to the economic growth of the country. For example, you welcomed a tourist as a receptionist in one of the resorts in the country.

Your warm reception created a picture of the friendly disposition of Nigerians and prompted the continuous visit of the tourists to Nigeria. Indirectly, you have contributed to the income revenue base of the country.

Learning and growing

Learning never ends; it propels growth. There are always avenues in the hospitality industry to learn and grow professionally. For instance, as a food server, you’d learn how to cook different meals from different countries around the world.

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Conclusion

The hospitality sector is purely based on service rendition. It has its challenges and benefits. It could be challenging to work in this industry if corruption, favouritism and discrimination exist. The high tax imposed on service delivery also clams down on productivity and employment opportunities.

Other challenges are due to poor power supply, inconsistency in regulations, government policies, etc. Lastly, working in the hospitality industry helps you leverage connections with people from diverse backgrounds. This can inform innovative ideas for professional or personal advancement.