BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
Tourism has numerous characteristics that make it instrumental for development. It is a driving engine for socio-economic progress and has considerable impact on local development trends. The sector generates multiplier effects across many other economic activities in the tourism-supply chain.
Culturally, Ethiopians show cordiality towards local and foreign guests. When they come across guests, Ethiopian hosts warmly welcome them or politely let their homes to the visitors to stay at. Ethiopians even go to the extent of leaving their beds to guests. On such occasions hosts may sleep on floors for want of extra beds. Such cultural practice has continued for centuries.
According to the renowned athlete and hotel owner Haile Gebresilassie, Ethiopians show considerateness to guests without expecting return materially or emotionally. Even if they are financial constrained to host guests, Ethiopians resort to getting loans from the neighbors to accommodate guests. Sometimes, they spend what they salt away for rainy days assuming entertaining visitors as a good opportunity in their life time.
But as to him, there is a limitation in injecting such hosting culture in the hotel business. Had it been utilized as input in the hotel business, Ethiopia would have been a sought-after tourists’ destination.
Hence, it is vital to expand the tourism and hotel business literacy all over the country.
Aster Dawit is the manager of the Hotel and Tourism Training Institute. An interviewee in a local media said that to bolster the sector expanding training centers is essential. She further said that, in the modern era of the nation, training on hospitality industry (hotel service provision) was began in 1950s by two foreigners in Ras Hotel here in Addis Ababa.
At that time, African leaders were coming to Ethiopia for working visits and meetings. They often stayed in the hotel for days. In addition, European and American visitors, touring the country, did loge in the hotel.
Almost all the hotel accommodation tasks were handled by foreigner professionals. Gradually, training Ethiopians in hotel management was begun to gradually replace foreign hotel workers. And for the first time two Ethiopians were trained honing skills in hospitality industry. Certified, they kick started the job in Ras Hotel.
Currently, students in the field are recruited based on their high school results. Then, they will be provided theoretical and practical trainings.
Bantihun Woldemichael is the General Manager of Capital Hotel here in the capital. As to him, when visitors come here, they could obtain two things. First, they will be accorded internationally-standardized hotel services. The other one is the Ethiopian hospitality, which is attached to the host country culture.
The training of hospitality industry, began by two men, is stepped up by hotels, resorts and various colleges.
As to Bantihun, courses on reception of guests, hotel management, housekeeping, catering service, food and beverage super vision, among others, are given both to the hotel staffers and to none staffer students.
The hotel service profession is dynamic; it is changing and adopting new ways of management and technology.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a challenge on the hotels. But by formulating new mechanism most hotels have tried their level best to overcome the problem. Workers also update themselves to cope up with the new situation.
As to Haile Gebresilassie, the hotel business is the most sensitive one. It has a high chance either for making profit or facing bankruptcy.
Most hotel owners think that employing kith and kin in their hotels as a feasible move. They think such a decision helps to promote their business. But such mentality is a wrongheaded one. The unskilled relatives might protect the hotel items such as valuables, utensils and bedroom items from theft. But they could never provide the hotel services properly. As a result, the business will be mismanaged. Hence, the hotel owners should understand that, they can run the business simply by establishing merit system in the hotel business.
He further said that, capitalism will not be developed by nepotism and favoritism; it rather relies on free competition. To that end, the sector begs for qualified personnel. Though capital accumulation is flourishing here and there, psychologically the society seems it via the pre-capitalist mentality. Instead of saving money, spending huge amount of money for personal consumption is a common phenomenon particularly in the upper segment of the society. Therefore, it should be understood that any business venture must go in line with attitudinal change.
Eskedar Solomon is the general manager of the Arba Minch Haile Resort. As to him, motivating hotel workers is taken as an incentive for boosting the business. We tell employees to set the renowned athlete and the owner of the hotel their standard-bearer of perseverance.
Haile became a world class athletics champion thanks to his patience and dedication to the sport. His prominence in the field of sport has enabled him to make money and to create wealth. Indeed, similar to athletics, he succeeded in business. That is why the employees look up to him as a model of integrity. Currently, they devote their time to the motto “I am Haile.”
As to Eskedar, staffers and he fully devote their energy to provide services to customers meeting international standards. And to that end, capacity building trainings are frequently given to employees in an integrated way through course modules. The hotel recognizes the workers as ambassadors to the enterprise.
According to studies, the contribution of tourism as a key sector for development can be seen in terms of the opportunities it provides for small and medium enterprises’ development.
Studies conducted to look the contribution of tourism to the mentioned enterprises indicated that, tourists’ expenditures and activities in a country are proved to have a significant positive impact in stimulating the economy.
The Ethiopian Herald October 27/2021
