Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John
Experts advocate tech-driven hospitality experience amid challenging operating environment
[By VICTOR NZE]
Need for operators in the tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry to embrace emerging innovation and trends in technology in their businesses has gained traction, as experts insist the move will serve to grow or sustain private sector enterprise in the industry, and by extension, the country’s economy.
This is as the industry experts maintained that T&H operators in the country run the risk of being left behind by their competitors across the globe if they remain technologically stagnant.
It would be recalled that while speaking during the recently-concluded 27th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), which held in Abuja, Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Chief Folusho Folorunsho-Coker, urged T&H operators to embrace technology in driving their business operations.
Delivering his presentation at the event, the NTDA chief further opined that the tourism agenda must change, as operators ‘must begin to do things in a different way. There has to be a sustainability agenda by operators which involves the desire to start programmes and finish it.’
Coker declared that the sector in Nigeria must seek to create jobs, add value, engage in partnerships, upgrade infrastructure, especially those domiciled with the state governments, and also embrace technology digital reforms, which, as he put it, is the future of the industry and key to sustaining operations.
Similarly, while highlighting the imperative of a tech-driven industry in the hospitality sector, the General Manager of an indigenous hotel chain in the country, L’eola Hotel, Ms Lily Izevbigie also advocated the adoption of a technology-driven hospitality experience by operators in the industry for sustainability of their operations.
During a panel discussion session of the recently-concluded ‘Hotel Expo Nigeria 2024,’ Ms Izevbigie emphasized technology’s transformative role in revolutionising hospitality services.
Citing her hospitality establishment as an example, Izevbigie spotlighted L’eola Hotel’s focus on leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance sustainability and the overall guest experience.
“We view technology as an essential tool for enhancing guest satisfaction and operational efficiency. Our approach integrates advanced booking systems, guest management solutions, and smart room features to meet the needs of modern travelers while promoting eco-friendly practices.
‘We have implemented several technological advancements aimed at reducing its environmental footprint, including the digitisation of operations and a shift toward sustainable room amenities.
“We believe in the power of technology not only to streamline and optimise processes but to drive sustainability. By adopting eco-friendly solutions, we are reinforcing our dedication to responsible business practices,” Lily stated.
This is, however, as she also highlighted the balance between tech-driven efficiency and the human element of hospitality.
“While technology plays a critical role, it cannot replace the personalised attention and genuine care that define exceptional hospitality,” she said.
The Nigerian T&H industry is regarded as the biggest and most viable on the subregion, even as domestic operators continue to grapple with infrastructure challenges, in addition, to inclement policies by the public sector regulators.
With a room-key capacity of over 100, 000, the local industry is also believed to employ over 200, 000 workforce.
In response to the clamour for a more vibrant industry geared towards driving economic growth and development, President Bola Tinubu, last year, created a stand-alone Ministry of Tourism, for the first time in the history of the country.
The new ministry has also moved to chart a new course for the country’s tourism and hospitality sector by initiating a review of the National Tourism Policy and Master plan this year, 2024.
However, while technology remains at the core of emphasis on infrastructure upgrades in the industry, the operators have commendably maintained their resilience in the face of a troubled economy, further compounded by a harsh plethora of inclement policy and regulatory frameworks by the public sector.
During the panel discussion session of the 27th FTAN AGM, business operators agreed that there was a worrying dearth of inclusive monitoring and administration of regulatory policies.
The experts included private sector practitioners like; Mrs Susan Akporiaye, the immediate past President, Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP); Barrister (Mrs) Funmi Kazeem, President, Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA), as well as, Mr Samson Aturu, President, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN).
Other challenges identified by the experts include; the duplicity and multiplicity of regulators and regulations, respectively, which the experts agreed was stifling investment opportunities for the country.
More operational challenges, according to them, included; over-taxation, lack of inclusivity in policy formulation processes by the public sector regulators, lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework to guide operations in the industry, inaccessibility of financing for industry operators.
As imperative as addressing these challenges have become, the bed to embrace a tech-driven approach to delivering hospitality experience is no longer optional.
