CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
In
the olden days, there was no marketing because individual tended to be self
sufficient, growing and producing things that were needed to satisfy basic
needs. There was almost no exchange of commodities and hence no desire for the
market place.
As
time passed however the concept of division of labour evolved people began to concentrate
on producing the items which they cannot/could exchange with others which they
can not produce thus brought about specialization in production system. This
people began to exchange goods with goods a system know as trade by barter.
This involves the uses of some specific items such as cowries, shells and after
this stage came the existence of a medium of exchange called MONEY. The
introduction of money as a suitable medium of exchange led to the evolution of
modern industries which undertake high production of commodities and improved
marketing of the products system.
In
the beginning the exchange process was in simple form. The emphasis was largely
on the production of basic need which usually were in short supply. Little or
no attention was given to marketing. Later on, there was evolution of
marketing.
Marketing
is all about organizing the company to meet the need of customers, not just
today and tomorrow but also in five on even ten years time. It is about
supplying customer with well designed, good quality reliable product at a price
which their considered to be fair. It is also about the placing of an order
that customer have a right to expect marketing therefore, is all about company
outward looking for customer oriented to do this you have to be able to put
yourself in the customers shoes (or even better inside their minds) in order to
really understand what they want and what they feet about things only in this
way, can the form organize itself successful to meet the need of the customers.
Marketing
is defined by Philip Kolter in his broke principles of marketing (1980) as a
set of principle for choosing large marketing, measuring their need
developments want satisfying product and services and delivering them at a
value of the customers and profit to the company. Form the definition,
marketing process is aimed at getting the right goods to the right people in
the place and at the right time with right communication process. This should
form part of literature review.
This
means that the activities designed to make commodities available of either times
or place where they are more in demand than the time and place at which they
are available create wealth to the industries. In this present age of changes
marketing is the heart beat of many business operations and it is very
important, if a business is to be successful.
Meanwhile,
marketing concept was defined by Ayuba (1987) as a new philosophy or a way for
customers need as they key to achieve organizational goals and the focus page
three of the concept is the customer whose needs and wants the marketer strives
to satisfy in order to achieve the indeals of the organization is reflected in
various contemporary adverts “have it your way” No dissatisfied customer”
However,
the hotel proprietor act of 1957 defined hotel as “an establishment offering
food and drink, and sleeping accommodation if so required to any who appears
able and willing to pay for the service and facilities.
1. According
to this definition tourists are mostly considered as the total customers that
is the buyer of hotel products those tourist could be categorized into the
common interest domestic, international tourists. Since people tend to fall
into one of the above categories, hotel therefore could be said to be serving
the public. The success of this hospitality industry would depend on its
ability to satisfy customers.
2. Marketing
is the scientific study of exchange of relationship it is also business
activities that direct the flow of goods and services. From the producer to the
ultimate consumers (users) on the other hand. It is the set of human activities
directed at facilitating and consummating exchange.
Despite
importance of marketing in an organization, the hotel in this country has not
put marketing concept in its proper place.
Marketing
concept proclaims that the interest of the forms will be best served to the
extent that it can anticipate changing customers needs and organize the
resources to need those needs. It is also the process of anticipating changing
customers need, that page 4 marketing management it required to adopt a very
different approach from association with more convection finance and protection
functions.
Therefore,
there is even no room for marketing manager in most hotels marketing activities
have been total practiced in Nigeria and partially practice in very few ones.
For example what generally happen in the hotel industry page four is that the
general manager hires as an individual and labels himself with the tag of sales
manager, director of sales or similar titles. He assigns this person with the
job of going after group room business conventions, touring groups and the
likes.
The
general manager himself takes up the advertising to individual room sales. The
catering manager take care of the food and banquet manager the above halation
shower that what operates in the hotels is an indefinite, disconnected,
unrelated, accidental sort of partial marketing.
This
is more so in Nigerian businesses because business in Nigeria today especially
in the hoteling industry operates in a “seller market” that is market where
less attention is paid to the customers needs and satisfaction and yet the
success or product still old.
As
a result little attention is paid to customer wants and satisfaction and yet
the products are sold this is because
a.
Lack of suitable
substitutes
b. The
increasing purchasing power of Nigerians
c.
The issue system that
present in our society
But in view of
the proliferation of hotel and the state of the country’s economy which is
liable to change, marketing must be placed in its proper perspective, the
hostelling industry
Infact, the
hotelling industry to a great extent enjoys the monopoly of trade but as the
springing up of many hotels, the present monopoly bring enjoyed by the hotel
industry would be broken and the state of economy which reflects on the
consumers purchasing ability is liable to change.
Hence,
the stage of marketing orientation rather than selling orientation which
operates now become essential
The
difference being that, marketing focuses on the needs of the buyer while
selling focuses on the needs of the seller. There are several means and
producers which can be used in marketing campaign in the hotelling industry.
Viz: sample
survey, marketing behaviors and competition and marketing research.
This
project will examine the following developing of hotelling industry
classification of hotels, economic and contribution of the study and
application of marketing mix to hotel industry.
Finally
we should consider how hotel industry can borrow some of these credible factors
for the success of marketing for proper management.
In
assessing the performance of the hotelling industry a questionnaire was develop
for the study to solicit. Relevant information from management and customer/
client of the industry as the issue related to the project.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Over
the time, it has been identified that the followings are the problems
embattling hotel industry in Nigeria with a particular references to Ilorin, Kwara
State.
However,
in the quest of the researcher to provide solution to all these problem. The
researcher develops special interest in the following aspects.
i.
What are the reason for
the decline in the profitability level of most hotels.
ii.
Are there better
promotional strategies to be adopted by hotels managers.
iii.
Can hotel capacity be
better utilized
iv.
What are the process of
recruiting marketing manager for hotels
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The
aim of this study is to examine the application of marketing concept in the
hotel industry. To achieve this aim therefore, the following objectives shall
be persuade
1. To
examine the rational behind the decline in the profitability of level of most
hotels.
2. To
identify the suitable promotional strategies to be adopted by hotels
3. To
support the optimum utilization of the hotel capacity
4. To
determine the best recruitment process of marketing managers in hotels.
5. Is
marketing concepts relevant to hostel industry
6. Can
marketing strategy be used to achieve corporate goals and objectives in the
hospitality industry.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
project will be of significance to the research, the customer, the industry and
the society as a whole. The project is of significance to the research because
it is required in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Higher
National Diploma (HND) and also widen the knowledge of the researcher on how
marketing can be applied in the hotelling industry.
The
project is also significant to the customers because it enables the customers
to know that their interest must be adequately satisfied by the hotelling
industry and failure to do that might lead to low volume of sales and the
consequence low level of productivity.
The
project is of significance to the hoteling industry because it will help to
discover the need for marketing hotelling industry which lead to increase in
market share of the industry in terms of competition and controllable factors
facing the hotel.
The need of the
customer will be adequately catered for and their satisfaction enhanced.
The
project is also significant to the economy because marketing will lead to an
improvement in the hoteling of the nation which will eventually attract
tourists from different countries of the would and this will help to generate
currencies which will be of benefit to the country. It will also redeemed and
promote the image of the country intentionally.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
research is concerned with the application of marketing concepts in the hotel
industry in Nigeria and the scope will entail the theoretical scope
geographical and industrial scope.
The
theoretical scope will cover the relevance of marketing in the hotelling
industry in Nigeria the adoption of marketing mix by the hotelling industry as
well as the problem facing the hotelling industry.
The
geographical scope of the study in the Ilorin township in which the case study
of the project work is located and its environs.
The
industrial scope will be hotelling industry since case study is the hotelling
industry’s them it was chosen because it has similar characteristic with other
type of hotelling under its industry.
1.6
LIMITATION AND CONSTRAINTS TO THE STUDY
Gathering
of all needed data in most marketing concepts in the hotel industry in Nigeria
studies is usually met with a number of obstacles.
The
data collection exercise for this research in the hotel will be limiting
factor. A lot of money is required administer the questionnaire and time
devoted to conduct interview based upon booked appointment.
Substantial
response to questionnaires was envisaged but complete success was not attained.
Recruitment of enumerator was very difficult and the right calibers were not
available.