Insurgency: Hoteliers lament relocation of NGOs to IDP camps

HOTEL and hospitality business owners in Kwara State have lamented over the relocation of some Local and International Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and donor agencies from the North-Central states to the North-East states due to increasing need to assist people affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

Speaking with journalists at a programme marking one year anniversary of GPinnacle hotels in Ilorin on Tuesday, a consultant in the hospitality business, Mr Edward Akerele, said that NGOs had always thronged the state to organise various human interest programmes with accompanying high turn out of customers prior to insurgency outbreak.

Akerele, however, said that relative peace and low crime rate in the State had brought about an influx of settlers from the insurgency-prone areas to the State, adding that despite the challenges of the relocation of the NGOs, the hotel has been able to improve on its services to attract more customers.

“At Gpinacle hotels and suite we have adopted the theory of change despite the challenges facing the business but we are moving ahead with patronage from corporate organisations and individuals because most of the NGOs and international donor agencies that usually patronise hotels have moved to the North East, to help the victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

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“We are also planning to move away from usual customer care services to deep customer interactions whereby we will be part of their special day celebrations like birthday, wedding anniversaries, promotion etc,” he said.

Speaking on the perceived saturated situation in the hospitality business in the State, the consultant said that the development was brought about by low entry point in the hospitality business, adding that customers usually know the difference between the standard and low standard ones at a certain point.

Also speaking, General Manager of the hotel, Mr Funsho Aliyu, charged hoteliers in the State to take their business to next level by being proactive in term of security architecture, saying that they should consider physically challenged in the provision of infrastructure.