The Chairperson, Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Mrs Olufunnke Olugboji, in this interview with WALE OLAPADE, speaks on how the hotel’s personalised services have been able to build and sustain loyal customers with new stream of patronage.
Looking back 80 years down memory lane in the hospitality industry, what will you say has kept or sustained the hotel to date?
The Lagos Airport Hotel, a subsidiary of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, was incorporated in 1961. It started business as an owner-managed hotel with five rooms in 1942 under the name Grand Hotel Lagos. It was renamed Ikeja Arms Inn in 1956 under the ownership and management of Mr Joseph Harold, a Briton. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Odu’a Investment Company Limited through the indigenisation Decree of 1976.
To the Glory of God, the Lagos Airport Hotel Limited, Hotelier of Distinction since 1942, has weathered the storm and remains standing despite all odds, even when all its contemporaries have gone into extinction. It has remained the Hotel of choice serving generations through professionalish, personalized services, accessible location, security as well as courteous and friendly staff which make the hotel a perfect home away from home.
Eight decades of hospitality services, what new things should we be expecting in the next year and beyond?
The Lagos Airport Hotel is continually making guests’ satisfaction its priority and knowing fully well that the hotel business is very competitive, management is ever willing to upgrade the hotel facilities, improve service delivery and make sure that repeat patronage from our valued guests is guaranteed while we work assiduously to increase the hotel’s market share. More importantly, the vision of the owner states is to elevate the status of the hotel to international standard.
What are your areas of strengths in attracting patronage?
The hotel is centrally located in the heart of Ikeja. It has 277 sellable rooms, comprising the Monarchical, Presidential, and Executive suites, Deluxe, Luxury, and Classic rooms equipped with modern-day hotel facilities which make guests’ stay memorable. The hotel has several halls with capacities ranging from 10 – 1500 for conferences, banqueting, meetings, workshops/seminars, parties, syndicate meetings, a Marquée, and so on. Considering that the security of life and properties is very paramount, the hotel is regarded as one of the best in terms of security apparatus; with close-circuit monitor (CCTV), guards on patrol, and uniformed police on the ground for the safety of our guests. The hotel cuisine is another area of strength, the chefs are ever ready to provide sumptuous continental and indigenous meals to the delight of our guests. The hotel’s gym and Olympic standard swimming pool are perfect places for wellness and leisure. Other services rendered by the hotel include 24 hours room service, bar services, laundry services, Casino and games, Chinese restaurants, bureau de change, and banking, among others.
With the trend of things after the COVID-19 pandemic, what new ways of doing business has the management of Lagos Airport Hotel put in place to keep its customers and attract new ones?
The hospitality business was one of the sectors that were mostly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most hotels are just recovering from the devastating effects. However, the Lagos Airport Hotel was able to recover quickly by complying with regulations and guidelines put in place to guard against the spread of the virus.
Post-COVID-19, the hotel is still very much in tandem with the guidelines put in place to ensure the safety of life. Thorough cleanliness of surfaces and surroundings is still ongoing, hand-wash hubs are still in place. The importance of hygiene cannot be overemphasised, hence, management is usually in compliance with the regulations on health matters.
Business-wise, COVID-19 has necessitated the use of webinars for some meetings. To this end, the hotel has improved its Internet facilities, thus incorporating the use of both physical and virtual means of conferencing.
Aside from full compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures and adapting to the post-COVID-19 new normal, the training of staff is given priority while the hotel continues offering personalised services to our valued guests.
What is your COVID-19 experience and how has it shaped the ways things are done in hotel?
Unarguably, the worst hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic were the hospitality and tourism industries. However, the hotel was able to partner with Lagos State Government, firstly on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) level and then as one of the hotels used for immigrants into the state. The hotel also leverages the patronage of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The hotel sustained all its pre-COVID-19 employees and this encouraged their dedication to service delivery.
Following the trend of things in the global hotel business, do you have any plan to leverage any world class chain to boost the services and patronage level?
The owner of the hotel, the Odua Investment Company Limited is working assiduously to put the hotel on an international footpath. The vision of the owners is to partner with investors with the international brands to drive the hotels within the group.
Do you have plan on engaging management strength of any global brand, if you have which will that be and why?
The owner states, Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Lagos States have appointed a crop of technocrats with vast experience in business management to the Board of Odu’a Investment Company Limited and they are doing everything possible to ensure the turn-around of the fortune of the conglomerate by delivering sustainable returns to stakeholders, enhancing the legacy for future generations through qualitative and strategic management of its investments. Currently, the board is engaging some global brands that can match talk with funding.
What is the occupancy rate during on and off peak -seasons?
The occupancy rate during on and off peak seasons is 40 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.
Capacity building plays a big role in the hotel business. How has it been in the last 80 years and do you have any plans to re-energise your staff service trend beyond customer expectations?
Human capital development is very important in every business. Therefore, effective human capital management would yield efficient management of financial and material resources. This has been the ideology of the management from inception. Staff capacity development and their welfare are very paramount to the board and management of the hotel. Training on hospitality and development is offered from time to time both on-site and online and the results are evident in their outputs.
What is your strength in terms of services?
The strength of the hotel has been the hosting of conferences and banquets. This boosts accommodation as well as food and beverages, which account for about 60 per cent of the hotel’s revenue on a regular basis.
With the number of years the Hotel has been in existence, it is expected that such wealth of experience would have helped the Hotel create a training centre or department for other hospitality businesses in Nigeria. Was there anything of such or are you planning for any?
Many of the staff working in other hotels, especially the new ones are ex-staff of Lagos Airport Hotel. Presently the hotel has a training Institute named; “Lagos Airport Hotel Hospitality Institute” approved by the government to provide Diploma Certificates to interested candidates. The hotel has produced crops of manpower for the hospitality Industry since 2014.
What is the pride one can attach to the Lagos Airport Hotel in the last eight decades?
Being one of the oldest pre-independence indigenous hotels that is still existing today is a pride to behold at all times. It is on record that the Lagos Airport Hotel has served the generations.
Going by the proximity of the hotel to the International Airport and with the competition all around it, will you say the hotel had lived up to its name? If yes, how?
As the name implies, the Lagos Airport Hotel started as the only hotel within the proximity to both the International and Local Airports. Although we now have many hotels in and around the airport axis, there is only one Lagos Airport Hotel in Lagos that is highly recognised.
What new thing should we be expecting after the 80th Anniversary, in terms of global upscale and service trends?
Guests should expect a new Lagos Airport Hotel that will match International standards with local flavour to ensure personalised service.
What is your take on rebranding?
Plans are ongoing to turn around the fortune of the hotel to become an international brand.
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