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TITLE PAGE

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENT: A

CASE STUDY OF HOTELS IN NSUKKA URBAN

A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF MASTERS

OF ARTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NIGERIA

BY

ONYEABOR, JAMES ONYEKACHI.

REG. NO: PG/MA/09/50791

SUPERVISOR: DR. A.M. IBEANU

FEBRUARY, 2011

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APPROVAL PAG

THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF

ARCHAEOLOGY AND TOURISM, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA.

DR. A.M. IBENU DR. P.I. EZE-UZOMAKA

PROJECT SUPERVISOR HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

……………………….. ………………................

DATE DATE

EXTERNAL EXAMINER

…………………………….

DATE

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CERTIFICATION

Onyeabor, James Onyekachi a post graduate student, in the department of

Archaeology and Tourism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with registration

number PG/MA/09/50791, has satisfactorily completed the requirement for the

course and research work for the masters of Arts Degree in Archaeology and

Tourism

……………………………. ……………………….

DR. P.I. EZE-UZOMAKA DR. A.M IBEANU

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT PROJECT SUPERVISOR

………………………………

EXTERNAL EXAMINER

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DEDICATION

This research report (project) is dedicated to the almighty God for his faithfulness

towards me, may his name be praised forever more Amen.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This work will not be complete without acknowledging the effort of the

following people. My parents Mr. and Mrs. Michael Esther Onyeabor, whose love

for education brought me to this enviable height. My profound appreciation goes to

Odum, Chigozie Jude a friend in indeed. For your love and encouragement are not

in doubt.

My ineffable thanks goes to both non-academic and academic staff of my

department especially my supervisor, your time and resources you committed in

reading this work will not be in vain, a daddy trying always to bring out the best in

me, thank you sir. To our professor A.I. Okpoko and E.E. Okafor, P.U Okpoko.

Our doctors: Dr. A.M. Ibeanu, Dr. L.C Ekechukwu, Dr. P.I. Eze-Uzomaka, Mr.

E.I. Itanyi. Mr. Okonkwo E.E,

Mr. Agu, C.S, Mrs. Madubunyi and Nze. C.A Mrs. My Neighbours who are like

sisters: Onugha Ngozie and Emeh Asogwa

I will like to thank all the Hotels visited in Nsukka urban for your invaluable

attention given to me, your effort and contributions is highly appreciated.

Authors whose books and articles where consulted in the course of writing

this project are highly appreciated.

Lastly, I want to thank Ifeoma Raphael, Onyeke Nkechinyere, Eke Stephen

and Odum Chigozie Jude they are wonderful companions.

Onyeabor, James Onyekachi

Department of Archaeology and Tourism.

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PREFACE

The primary purpose of research work is to document the history of hotels in

Nsukka and the state of information technology find out the benefit s that can be

attributed to the utilization of information technology to equally examine the

dangers of not employing it in hotels in Nsukka urban.

Information technology is a conscious initiative by the hotel management

that helps in the day to day running of the hotel business.

Chapter one is all about the introduction of the concept of pottery tradition

and what the work is all about. Chapter two contains literature review of related

theories, concepts and the relevance of the theories to the work, while chapter three

comprises the map of Nkanu and Ishiagu showing the location of pottery centres,

with background information about the state in terms of socio-economic and

cultural activities.

Chapter four is the data presentation with relevant pictures of the areas

visited, how pottery making is done, functions and socio-cultural demand of the

waves as well as discussion of findings, summary and conclusion.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ……………………………………………..

Approval page ……………………………………………..

Certification page …………………………………………….

Dedication ……………………………………………..

Acknowledgment …………………………………………….

Preface …………………………………………….

Table of content …………………………………………….

List of figures …………………………………………….

List of plates ……………………………………………

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Statement of problem …………………………………………

1.2 Research objectives …………………………………………

1.3 Research Method …………………………………………

1.4 Scope of study …………………………………………

1.5 Significance of study …………………………………………

1.6 Limitation of study …………………………………………

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Empirical literature …………………………………………

2.2 Theoretical literature …………………………………………

2.3 Theoretical orientation …………………………………………

CHAPTER THREE: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 Geographical location of Nsukka urban………………………..

3.2 Climate and vegetation…………………………………………..

3.3 Hotel development in Nsukka urban ………………………….

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CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF

SELECTED HOTELS IN NSUKKA

4.1 Gracemanor Hotel, CEC Guest House, Connis Hotel, Hotel Carolina,

Ikenga Hotel, Fenpark Hotel, Erina Hotel.

4.2 Information technology and hotel development

4.3 Factors militating against information technology in hotel Nsukka.

4.4 Prospects of information technology in hotels in Nsukka urban

4.8 Summary and conclusion

List of informant

References

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Map showing the location of pottery centers in Nkanu and Ishiagu

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LIST OF PLATES

Plates: 1

Plates: 2

Plates: 3

Plates: 4

Plates: 5

Plates: 6

Plates: 7

Plates: 8

Plates: 9

Plates: 10

Plates: 11

Plates: 12

Plates: 13

Plates: 14

Plates: 15

Plates: 16

Plates: 17

Plates: 18

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Information technology is the name given to the technical development of

the means of processing and transmitting information (Paul, 2003). It also includes

the way a computer system communicates with each other, the sender and receiver

at any given point in time.

However, hotelier in Abuja an Enugu Nigeria can point out potential surges

or long droughts of tourist arrival as a result of advance of computer information

technology – “infotech”. Tourist who intend to travel to those places

aforementioned and may be in need of hotel accommodation can make reservation

via the internet of the types and size of accommodation facility available at that

destination through the help of the internet, but unfortunately, tourist who visit

Nsukka Urban do not have access to this new technology, this has caused tourist

that visit Nsukka Urban a lot of frustration and inconveniences on arrival.

This old-fashioned method of cards and paper work are no longer en-vogue

and this is what the researcher wishes to address. To study the present information

technology facilities available at these hotels and secondly evaluate their present

state whether they are under used or over utilize as well as area of improvement.

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Presently, it is evident that the usefulness of information technology has

made possible the speed and efficiency with which information of the tourism

industry is developed, stored, recovered, distributed and generally manoeuvered

(Eze-uzomaka, 2006).

Modern information technology like the computer has helped in record

keeping, it allows for a hotel owner to keep track of what they have and hand, how

much of it they have, and how much it cost. Haven packaged these in the internet

enable customer to make smart decision on services and products that are available

for their consumption.

Hence, it would be appropriate if hotels in Nsukka Urban with

accommodation facilities offer their menus on-line, allowing for quick update,

high-quality photos, to allow guests to see and order services before they even

arrive will make tourist to be at peace, thereby creating tourism development

through information technology in the area.

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Tourists newly admitted postgraduate students visited Nsukka Urban and

lamented without reservation that the hotels prescribed for them by the Okada men

and taxi driver could not meet their taste, standard and class leading to bad

experience and high level of frustration in their touristic intention.

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Hotel workers are forced to move around the hotel endlessly to pass across

information to co-workers at various locations on daily basis even at this era of

information technology age.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the research are as follows: To study the state of

information technology in hotels in Nsukka Urban.

To document the history of hotels in Nsukka urban and their state of

information technology.

To state the benefits that can be attributed to the utilization of information

technology in these hotels.

To examine the dangers of not employing information technology in these

hotels in Nsukka Urban.

To evaluate the present state of information technology in these hotels.

1.3 RESEARCH METHOD

My research method is ethnographic studies. It involves primary and

secondary data while direct observation and photographic documentation were also

used. The method is considered effective in achieving results especially in the area

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of tourism and other social and cultural issues (Goodson and Phillimore, 2004;

Milona and Rayman-Bacchus, 2001).

The researcher used in-depth interview because it allows for interviewer-

interviewee verbal interaction. Through this process free discussion where

developed with the hotel owner on issues as accommodation, security gargets, and

various information technologies facilities available in the hotels and their uses.

Moreover, direct observation where also done to generate unexpected

information which was not communicated to me such as the low level of

information application usage and their inability to install intercom in all the hotel

rooms. While photographic documentation was also employed in the cause of the

field work. Through this process the researcher was able to drive massive

information on hotels in Nsukka urban such as hotel location, security networks,

and the necessary areas of hotels that needed improvement.

Secondly, the study will be undertaken through the gathering of the

information that is made available through prior work of contemporary authors.

The research will be conducted through the integration of different published

references and other available source .This is because no scholarly research report

is possible without some form of documentary research (Okpoko and Ezeh, 2005).

The secondary sources of information were written literatures from libraries,

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institutes, personal documentaries, journals and articles that relates to the

collection of data in the study conducted in the organization of gathered

information. The data are pooled and the concepts that are gathered are classified,

grouped and organized. This phase will enable the achievement of a logical

analysis the data gathered.

1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY

The research will cover relevant information technology facilities in use in

Nsukka hotels; such as IT reservation / internet services, telecommunication

system and security networks respectively. The research will cover the following

Hotels; Gracemanor hotel, Connis hotel, Ikenga hotel, Fenpark hotel Erina hotel,

Carolina hotel and CEC Guest house all in Nsukka Urban area of Enugu state.

However, interest is on the information technology availability at the hotel.

And to what extent has it promoted / hindered tourism development in the area of

hotels in Nsukka Urban.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This research work will update and enrich our knowledge on various

information technological facilities available at the hotels in Nsukka Urban;

To enhance safety and comfort of tourists.

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It will create awareness of information technology that is beneficial to hotels

Nsukka urban.

It will help tourist to know the location of various hotels in Nsukka urban.

This work will serve as a reference material for future researchers and

tourist coming unto Nsukka.

1.6 LIMITATION OF STUDY

A number of limitations were encountered in an attempt to gather the relevant data

for this research. The first problem I encountered during this research was how to

acquire the materials for the study which was gotten from library and through

internet.

The limitation of this work centers basically on time and finance. Most of the

hoteliers in Nsukka did not keep appointment with me as at time schedule for me

.this made me to book and rebook appointment which resulted into excessive

expenditure on transportation and unnecessary delay this made to go to hotel on

daily basis. I spent a lot of money and time to carry out the research. Constructing

of interview guide did not come easily. It was also very difficult for me to afford

money for transportation and procuring a good camera for my research since the

one I was using got spoilt so I have to get another one to achieve my research goal.

A lot of money was spent browsing on the internet and printing out materials.

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Booking appointment with Grace manor suit hotel manager was difficult, I called

him on several occasion since he always out of Nsukka. Slimily, the manager of

CEC guest house s a very busy person. On most occasions he could not keep

already scheduled appointment with me I always call him on phone to know his

readiness to attend to me.

At the old and knew Carolina hotel the manager depended extensively on the

general manager who is the chairman of Nsukka local Government area for

information. But with help of the new Carolina manager I meet him and he

attended to me.

Most of the hoteliers refuse me to take photography with me the being that they do

not want to have their photography documented but I pleaded with them

More so a lot of sections in the hotels were out of bound for me may be for

security reasons, so I could not have access to such places for photographic

documentation but places I have access to photography was taken.

Finally, most manager do not have good knowledge of their hotel history and

equally lack the use of information technology in hotel, but the little they know

were communicated it to me.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.1 EMPIRICAL LITERATURE

It is pertinent to note that the conceptualization information technology as a

measure of development is an agent of breakthrough in the hotel industries in

Nsukka since it determine the guest confidence and patronage in any given hotel.

Information is important, the amount of information that people have about your

tangible and intangible product point out your hotel in terms of choice and rate

when it come to people who buy your product on daily basis for various tourism

purposes. Eze-uzomaka (2006) point out that today tourism is among the most

important application domain in the World Wide Web. Because of this growing

trend tourist equip themselves with all available information on their proposed

destination before embarking on such trip with such information technological

means as colour broadcasting, telecommunication, microwave, satellites,

computers and other new communication technologies (Boafo, 1991). This indeed

has increase the socio-economic development of an area. Besides, the need for

development has triggered hoteliers to provide consistent information that could

aid in meeting the guest demand.

However, in as much as the term IT is well-known and well-used, and we

assumed it to be understood somewhat similarly by different people, the definition

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of IT and ICT still differ and I felt that it could cause confusion. Hence, it is

important to separate the two concepts and provide a clear definition of these to

justify the use of chosen expressions. Therefore, information technology refers to

the creation, storage and processing of data, including hardware (computer

networks, serves, storage devices, and desktop computers), system software

(operating system, middle wave, programming languages) and software

applications (World Bank, 2002). From this definition, one can strongly say that

information technology is a tangible devised system which takes various forms

such as computer, cell phone or satellite that support information processing.

On the other hand, information and communication technology ICT consists

of hardware, software, networks and media for collection, storage, processing,

transmission and presentation of information (voice, data, text, images” (World

Bank, 2002). This means that the information is sent through a means called the

computer, and then it is read by the individual, if it is understood and there is

reaction to the said information, it simply means that communication has taken

place immediately. According to Hamelink (1997) opined that information and

communication technologies encompass all those technologies that enable the

handling of information that facilitate different forms of communication among

human actors, between human beings and electronic systems and among electronic

system. This definition will be better appreciated if it is broken down with its

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functionality considered itemized; capturing technologies with input devices that

collect and convert information into digital form such devices include keyboards,

mouse, trackballs, touch screens, voice recognition system, bar reader, image

scanners and palm size camcorders, storage technologies, producing a variety of

devices to store and retrieve information in digital form. Among these are magnetic

tapes, floppy disks, hard disks, RAM disks, optical disks (such as CD-ROMS),

erasable disks and smart cards (credit-card sized cards with memory and

processing capacity for financial transactions or medical data).

Processing technologies, creating the systems and applications software that

is required for the performance of digits ICTs. Communication technologies

producing the devices, methods and networks to transmit information in digital

form. They include digital broadcasting, integrated services digital networks,

digital cellular networks, local area networks (LANS) wide area networks (WANs,

such as the internet), electronic bulletin boards, modems, transmission media such

as fibre optics, cellular phones and fax machines, and digital transmission

technologies for mobile space communications (the new low Earth orbit Satellite

voice and data services).

Display technologies, which create a variety of output devices for the

display of digitized information. Such devices include displaying screens for

computer, digital television sets with automatic picture adjustment, set-up boxes

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for video-on-demand, printers, digital video discs (which might replace CD-ROM

drivers and audio CD players), voice synthesizers and virtual reality helmets

(Hamelink, 1997).

Naivety of these modern information technologies may jeopardize

transaction done through networks. A networks is an electronic transaction that aid

the sale or purchase of goods and services, whether between businesses, house-

holds, individuals, Governments, and other public or private organizations,

conducted over computer-mediated networks; the goods and services are ordered

over those networks, but the payment and the ultimate delivery of the goods or

service may be conducted on-or offline (Trepper, 2000).

This has definitely boosted hotel sector, unlike before where guest and

hotelier communication network are done at a snail speed. Sophisticated

information technologies initiatives: Communicative news, directives, instructions,

social networking and hotel events are carried live to the tourist at the click of

computers. Now the world is one where every single details of our hotels business

is a reflection of what transpires across continents, since people has access to

information technological tools such as mobile phones, the social networks like

facebook, twitter, myspace, yahoo message and text messaging have also been

used to create powerful and dynamic networks (Rheingold 2002 in Darlynton

2010). These tools has aided tourist at all works of live to take advantage of the

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hotel product and service which exist but formally are unaware to them. However,

in doing this they have to be careful with the webs information before embarking

on tourism.

The term tourism and tourism development is what advanced to the

establishment of hotels. Tourism according to the World Tourism Organization‟s

definition “comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places

outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure,

business, and other purposes (www.world-tourism.org/omt/wtich.htm). Other

scholars have it that tourism simply means any temporary movement of people,

either individually or in groups, from one place to another for specific tourism

purpose such as leisure (recreation, holiday, health study, religion and sport,

secondary business, family, mission, meeting (Okpoko and Okpoko, 2002).

If we say that movement of people has lead to tourism development, we are

not far from the truth. Tourism development means a better state of affairs, with

respect to who get what and where (Smith 1977 in Okpoko and Okpoko, 2002). It

simple means that where there is no movement hardly will there be tourism

development, since movement create the longing for home away from home which

we refer to as hotel. According to Oxford Advanced Learner‟s dictionary fifth

edition, a hotel is a building where rooms and usually meals are provided for

people in return for payment. The hospitality sector which hotel is one of them

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provides services to travelers and has the responsibility of representing their

communities and creating experience that when delivered successfully, is

pleasurable and memorable. The memories of being welcome, being informed,

comforted and taken care of the tourists are collectively a part of a process that can

positively affect human lives and wellbeing for a repeat visit. Hotels are at the

business of giving services that does not mean that hoteliers are servant, only that

there are ladies and gentle men whose job is to serve ladies and gentlemen.

From the foregoing one can define hotel as a building containing rooms in

which are found bed and foam with any other facilities that are provided by the

hotelier, including services that are positive that can affect the lives and wellbeing

of the visitor with the intention of meeting the needs and wants of the visitor who

is away from home who in turn pay for the services. Services rendered by various

hotels are not the same; this is why hotels are rated on classification. The United

States has no formal government classification of hotels likewise Nigeria.

However, the American Automobile Association (AAA) classifies hotels by

diamond award, and the mobile Travel Guide offers a five star award.

The term AAA which means award of excellence uses descriptive criteria to

evaluate the hotels that they rate annually in the United States, Canada, Mexico,

and the Caribbean.

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a. One-diamond properties have simple roadside appeal and the basic lodging

needs.

b. Two-diamond properties have average roadside appeal with some

landscaping and a noticeable enhancement in interior décor.

c. Three-diamond have excellent roadside appeal and service levels that gives

guests what they need before they even ask for it.

d. Four-diamond have excellent roadside appeal and service levels that gives

guest what they need before they even ask for it.

e. Five-diamond properties have the highest service levels, sophisticated and

offering (Walker, 2006).

In Nigeria official government classification for hotels is yet to be published. In

order not to prejudice official government classification when it finally comes

out anytime, which can be expected to based along the internationally accepted

“star” system, various precious metals are used in the following classification

which is divided into the five internationally accepted categories, viz:

Platinum class – equivalent to 5 Star

Gold class – equivalent to 4 Star

Silver class – equivalent to 3 Star

Bronze class – equivalent 2 Star

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Lead class – equivalent 1 Star (Munzah, 1993)

According to (Agu, 1998) he maintained that accommodation facilities in a hotel

determine the classification of the hotel after ethnographic study of Ikenga hotel

limited, Nsukka and Hotel presidential in Enugu state. It goes beyond that to

remained us that a class means something of elegant and superior style, hence for

us to tag a hotel with a class one should take into account the number of hotel

rooms, the quality of its building. ie marble walls and floors, the quality of its

furnishing, and the prices charged. Other parameters could include services

rendered from room service, to TV entertainment, to Valet etc; and the facilities

offered such as swimming pool, sports and recreation.

According to Munzah (1993) he categorized the star hotels as follows:

Platinum class hotel are top class hotels that compare to 5 star hotel worldwide in

terms of number of rooms offered, furnishing and services. On average they have

600 rooms each. Tourist pay in dollars as well in Naira. Such hotels include

NICON Hilton Hotel, Abuja Sheraton and Towers and the Abuja Le Meridien

Hotel.

Gold class hotel are top class hotels that compare to four (4) star hotels worldwide

in terms of number of rooms offered, furnishing and services. Their capacity

averages below 200 rooms. Payments are made in dollar and naira. Hotels in this

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category are ideal for frequent business visitor with tight budgets, who frequent fly

the “business class” of airlines offering almost “5” star service for less in their

selling point. Such hotels include Protea hotel, Agura hotel and Golden Tulip in

Abuja.

Silver class hotel compare to the international “3” star category. Their

capacity averages below 100 rooms. Their rooms are fairly small, but reasonably

furnished, with all the facilities the bigger hotels offer such as air conditions, room

service, and telephone service, TV offering local and international Satellite

stations, a small restaurant and bar.

Bronze class hotel compare to the international “2” category. Their capacity

average below 50 rooms. Rooms are very small through reasonably furnished with

(some without) air conditions, telephone service, TV offering local and

international satellite stations.

Generally, standard of hotels very drastically from hotel to hotel, and visitors

are advised to make personal inspection of room before checking in.

Lead class hotel are hotels with as few as 10 rooms or less that can best be

described as boarding houses or lodges located mostly in the outskirts of the city.

The hotels have few Nigerians in mind and not recommended for foreign visitors.

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Empirically, it is not an overstatement to say that information technology is

a hallmark for tourism development, since tourist become aware of where to lodge

and not to, create consciousness of safety about the said destination and what is

obtainable there with ease.

2.2 THEORETICAL ORIENTATION

There is a high demand of information technology for hotel development

since information rules the world. Hotels information technology has progressed,

and today several efficient systems are fast becoming in use to meet the 21st

century hotel expectations to understand this sudden shift, some theories that

support this fact includes diffusion of innovation theory, functionalism and

modernization theories respectively.

Diffusion of ideas has improved from flat office files, a manager moving

round the hotel all the time for careful examination to a more refined pattern of

automated guest room management system called Property Management System

(PMS). This is the centre of information processing in a hotel. A property

management system is a computer based lodging information system that relates to

both the front-and back-office activities. Property management systems are used to

help complete many tasks within a short period of time. Hotels with a large number

of guests and employees to serve and inform predominantly use these systems. A

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PMS will aid a property to become more efficient with time, which is an important

factor for guests who demand personal attention and fast service. The relative

advantage of the property management system is that it can interfere with many

other modules or applications. One application of the PMS in the Front office is the

room management module, which keeps the Front office and housekeeping

informed about the status of rooms. The hotel room master in the PMS contains

data on each room such as room number, room type, room features, room rates,

locations and the status of each room. Knowing the status of each room definitely

helps the housekeeping department know what work has to be done, what work is

in progress, and what work has been completed.

Another Front office module is a guest accounting module. A guest

accounting module increases the hotel‟s control over guest accounts, makes them

easily available at any time and significantly shortens the might audit procedure.

Presently, observerability of innovation reveals that some hotels use an

express check-in process that allows guests to conveniently check in and out via a

touch screen that interfaces with the hotel‟s property management system without

associate assistance. A booth in the Lobby allows guests to input their reservation

details or provide data from an inserted card or touch-screen selections. Based on

the information given after obtaining an electronic signature, an electronic room

key is then encoded and dispensed. A print out of guest stay information, including

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room type, rate, and departure date is printed. The observerability innovation

reveals that guests may also use the booth to check out. Guest preference is noted

for future use and even airline boarding passes can now be issued. The complexity

of this innovation does not allow illiterate maximum usage at the first trail until

they develop new skills and understanding.

Modernization theory equally reveals the ultimate in guest convenience

which is the wireless curbside guest check-in made possible by the Vingcard

system. The empathy for this recent technological advance allows guests to go

right to their rooms from clubside. The system is capable of interfacing with

existing PMS system to fully integrate property management, reservations, and

guest service functions. With a portable keycard encoder and MICROS‟s OPERA

palm, a wireless handheld device with real-time database access, the system works

seamlessly to provide the ultimate guest convenience.

Additionally, some property management systems use Microsoft windows to

move data between application and to share information, a process called

information sharing. This modern nexus of information sharing permits menu-

driven interface with other systems, such as advanced reservations, room

inventory, self-check-in/out, might audit, guest accounting, city ledger, group

handling, all these systems are designed to improve guest services, since guest

moves across the street where their technological needs were met.

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This has resulted to another innovation known as Energy management

system. This is a process whereby technology is used to extend guest in-room

comfort by means of an energy management system. Passive infrared motion

sensors and doors switches can reduce energy consumption by 30 percent or more

by automatically switching off lights and air conditioning, thus saving energy

when the guest is out of the room (Walker, 2006).

The additional functional features include;

a. Room occupancy status reporting

b. Automatic lighting reporting

c. Minibar access reporting

d. Smoke detector alarm reporting

e. Central electronic lock control

f. Guest control amenities

The rapid advancement in information technology is a scientific break-through in

semi-conductors, transistors and micro-electronics has revolutionalised the hotel

sector with the modern Call Account system, Guest reservation system and

securities networks to ensure guest satisfaction and comfort.

The Call Accounting System (CAS) track guest room phase charges.

Software packages can be used to monitor where calls are being made and from

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what phones on the property. To track this information, the CAS must work in

conjunction with the PBX (Telephone) and the PMS. Call accounting system can

be used to offer different rates for local guest calls and long distance guest calls.

The CAS can even be used to offer discounted calling during off-peak hours at the

hotel.

Consequently, the Guest Reservation system is using the Internet to book

reservation, before hotels received reservations by letters, telegrams, faxes and

phone calls. A central reservation system (CRS) houses the electronic database in

the central reservation office (CRO). Hotels provide rates and availability

information to the CRS so those guests get the best available rate when they book

through the central reservation office. It is observed that guest receive confirmation

or cancellation in Sheraton hotel Abuja. The hotel benefits from using a central

reservation system with such a system, hotel can avoid overselling rooms by too

large a margin. The CRS database can also be used as a chain or individual

property-marketing tool because guest information can easily be stored. A CRS

can also provide yield management information for a hotel as along as it is flexible.

For example, when demand is weak for a hotel, rate will need to drop to increase

reservations and profitability. When demand is higher, the hotel can sell room rate

that are closer to the rack rate.

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The functional aspect of CRS is that it can be used in several areas of a

hotel. In a hotel a reservation department, the terminals or personal computers in

that department can be connected to the central reservation system. It would also

be important for front-desk employers to have access to the CRS. The reason for

this is because they will need to book rooms for walk-ins who do not have

reservations. Constant communication back and forth is needed between the central

reservations department. Managers who are the decision makers in the hotel will

also use the system to forecast and set pricing for rooms and different amenities as

long as there is pressure for social demands.

It was as a result of human in searchable demand that brought about the use

of computers in billing Guest in a hotel. Hotel businesses today seek to obtain the

highest speed and reliable computer system which can afford hoteliers to bill their

guest without delay. Fast access to guests‟ accounts is required by large hotels due

to their high priority for guest satisfaction, meaning that there are no lineups at

checkout. Billing guest has become much easier with the aid of computers. Billing

guest can be a long process if information technology is not used to compute

transactions. Property management systems aid large hotels to make faster

transaction and provide a more efficient service to their guests. There systems help

the hotelier to bill their guests within seconds. Presently, hotels like Sheraton

utilize software that enables guests to check and approve their bills by using the

34

TV and remote, thus avoiding the need to lineup at the cashier‟s desk to check out.

A copy of their bill is then mailed to their home address to reveal their functional

activities with the use of hotel.

However the functionalists approach to the use of hotel dictates that

everything in the hotel performs a useful function for the maintenance of the whole

system of the whole system. The employment of sophisticated information security

system in hotels is a modern concept. Hotel offers some sort of security for their

guest and employee peace of mind that the hotel is secure is a key factor in

increasing guest satisfaction. Security is one of the highest concerns of guest who

visit hotels. Information technology system include surveillance systems in which

cameras are linked directly to computers, televisions and digital records, which

helps security teams keep an eye on the whole property.

Currently, recent technological advance have produced electronic door

locking system, some of which even offer custom configurations of security and

safety. Guest room locks are now capable of managing information from both

magstripe and smart cards simultaneously. From the hotel‟s point of view, a main

advantage of this kind of key is that the hotel knows who has entered the room and

at what time because the system can trace anyone entering the room.

35

In-room safes can now be operated by key cards. Both systems are an

improvement on the old metal keys. Even smarter safes use biometric technology

that includes the use of thumbprints or retina scans to verify a user‟s identity.

36

2.3 THEORETICAL LITERATURE

Theories occupy a significant position in information technology since the

world has witnessed an information revolution, a combination of massive increases

in the world‟s inventory of information and the technical development of the

means to cope with it (Ekemezie, 2003). Science has two functions; (i) to enable

humans to know things and (ii) to enable human to do things. According to Egbeke

(2002:166) our ability to do things is what we herein refer to as technology.

Computers are at the centre of information technology. Knowledge about

information technology will lead to a better judgment about findings that will

generate useful facts and figures that will speed up problem solving and increase

tourism development.

Theories about information technology are thoroughly subjective. It forms

important issues on how we go about testing out ideas, debate over why we should

employ the use of information technology in hotels in Nsukka Urban. This means

that ideas about information facilities in this area can be argued to explain the

present state of these facilities whether they are over used or under utilize

considering the extent in which information technology has gone globally.

Information technology is a synthesis of electronics, computing and

telecommunications technologies which enables effective data processing and

37

communication (Eze-Uzomaka, 2006:206). It has become obvious that hoteliers

employs the use of computers system to create, manipulate, and manage

information faster and more easily than with any system previously devised like

cards. Tourists in the information age are no longer satisfied with requesting for

information through the postal system. They now go online and receive instant

information for their holidays, hotels, travel arrangement and bookings (Eze-

Uzomaka, 2006:207). Before this can take place their must be a channel. A channel

is the logical connection between the sender and the receiver. Information that is

available and is not accessible has no impact on tourism development. A channel is

the path over which data and information travel, it may use telephone wires,

satellite or microwave towers, and all the whole system is aimed at providing

communication between the sender and destination. Information technology has

high-speed shared-medium especially MANs-Metropolitan area network covering

a city provide the required capacity at lower cost and greater efficiency than would

be possible with an equivalent service from the local telephone company, this is

because a hotel product that is packaged via internet automatically sales itself to

the people that browse the web. This brings us to a position where we can examine

theories that have affected information technology positively and such theories

include: Diffusion of innovation theory, functionalism theory and modernization

theory.

38

Diffusion of innovation theory

Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through

certain channels over time among the members of social system. Diffusion is a

special type of communication concerned with the spread of messages that are

perceived as new ideas (Rogers, 1995). Information technology has helped hotels

reach one of the main goals of a hotel: to deliver exceptional guest satisfaction.

Some hotels have utilized technology for many years. The first hotel to use a

computer was the New York Hilton in 1963. This was the first computer-

automated guest room management system, but it was very inefficient because

front-desk clerk is hard to use pinch cards to record information and then process

these cards in a batch at a later time (Rollie Teves, 2005 in R.K. Walker, 2006).

Fortunately, hospitality information has progressed and today several efficient

systems are fast becoming industry standard as a result of diffusion of innovation.

Hence, an innovation is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new

by individual or other units of adoption. An innovation in the use of computer

system may have a positive or negative impact in case of information technology

but venturesomeness is almost an obsession with innovators. The interest in new

ideas leads them out of a social circle of peer networks and into more cosmopolite

social relationships. Besides the characteristics of an innovation, as perceived by

the members of a social system determine its rate of adoption. This includes

39

relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observationability to

these people within the social system.

This new technological innovation available for hotels consumption need to

be questioned to prove its reliability in meeting guest needs and administrative

expectation in doing this we have to look at each one of their feature to know if

their innovation is relevant and why it should be adopted in hotels in Nsukka

urban.

a. Relative advantage is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as

better than the idea it supersedes. The degree of relative advantage may be

measured in economic terms, but social prestige, convenience, and

satisfaction are also important factors. It does not matter so much if an

innovation has a great deal of objective advantage, what does matter is

whether an individual perceives the innovation as advantageous. The greater

the perceived relative advantage of an innovation, the more rapid its rate of

adoption will be.

b. Compatibility is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as being

consistent with the existing values, past experience, and needs of potential

adopters. An idea that is incompatible with the values and norms of a social

system will not be adopted as rapidly as an innovation that is compatible.

40

The adoption of an incompatible innovation often requires the prior adoption

of a new value system which is a relatively slow process.

c. Complexity is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as difficult to

understand and use. Some innovations are readily understood by most

members of a social system; others are more complicated and will be

adopted more slowly. New ideas that are simpler to understand are adopted

more rapidly than innovations that require the adopter to develop new skills

and understandings.

d. Triaiability is the degree to which an innovation may be experimented with

on a limited basis. New ideas that can be tried on the installment plan will

generally be adopted more quickly than innovations that are not divisible.

An innovation that is trialable represents less uncertainty to the individual

who is considering it for adoption who can learn by doing.

e. Observerability is the degree to which the results of an innovation are visible

to others. The easier it is for individuals to see the results of an innovation,

the more likely they are to adopt it. Such visibility stimulates peer discussion

of a new idea, as friends and neighbours of an adopter often request

innovation. In the same view, the researcher encourages the adoption of

information technology especially in hotels in Nsukka urban.

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Functionalism

The term functionalism was developed in the nineteenth century with the

rise of the human sciences as a whole. Different version were expounded by

August Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkhiem, Radcliffe-Brown and

Malinowski. According to Emile Durkhiem (1895) stated that the action of an

individual should be explained from the influence or pulls or pressures of social

factors or structure on him. It was as a result of this demand for information that

computers were invented. The computer as an electronic device contains many

components that contribute to its functions. These components can be classified as

hardware or software. The hardware is the part of the computer that we can touch,

feel and move from one place to another. It is the physical part of the computer. On

the other hand, the software is the part of the computer that we cannot touch, feel

or move, but it controls and dictates the actions of the hardware. It existence can be

seen as it controls the hardware, rather than its physical presence. The advance in

information technology with the aid of computer high speed, reliability, accuracy,

ease of use, efficiency, versatility and compatibility has lead to quick assessment

of information by tourist at all destination.

Functionalism sees society as a system of interrelated and interdependent

parts, which functions for the maintenance of the whole. It refers to the

contribution that an institution or item or any partial activity makes to the

42

maintenance of the whole system. To the functionalist, everything in our society

performs very useful function (Igbo and Okpoko, 2006).

In the same vein hoteliers‟ uses information technology such as security

cameras to dictate irregular movement, door locks to alert them whenever

suspicious activity occurs. All these services are obtainable provided that a

wireless router is networked into the various computer systems in use.

Modernization Theory

Modernization theory presumed that the transfer of capital goods,

technologies, industries and western norms to the developing countries would

bring rapid economic productivity and social development in the developing

countries, which were considered to be ancient and primitive (Tokunbo, 2004).

Through exposure to western values, traditional societies would become civilized

and active participants like people in modern western society. They would also

develop a psychological pattern, which according to (Lerner, 1958) he called

empathy.

Empathy, as Fjes (9176) defines it “allow the individual to internalize the

process of modernization by not only being able to cope with change, but

expecting and demanding it. It is the psychic nexus of all the attitudes and

behaviour necessary in a modern society (Melkote and Steevs, 2001). With higher

43

empathy, people would be able to move out their traditional setting and expand

their horizon. They would be able to adapt to western ways of life and culture

faster, especially with the continuous spread of ideas of social mobility and

changes such as urbanization, literacy, and other western belief system in this

information age.

According to Lerner (1958) he rightly said that once this happened that those

institutional developments which had already occurred in western nations would

lead to a take-off towards modernization. A nation is developed and modernized

when it perfectly resembles industrialized, cultural behaviour and socio-cultural

attitudes to science and technology. The essential point was that growth in one of

these spheres stimulates growth in others, and all spheres of society moved forward

together towards modernization (Scharamm, 1976 as cited in Melkote and Steeves,

2001).

Hence, if the third world countries desire technological development, they

must consult the west, which are already familiar with it and proceed according to

their advice and direction in order for them to develop (Igbo and Okpoko, 2006).

Besides, in as much as modernization theory betrays an ethnocentric bias by

presenting the west as the standard for development and “blaming the victim”. The

Third World for being responsible for their poverty and underdevelopment

(offiong, 2001 cited in Igbo and Okpoko, 2006). It is pertinent to emulate good

44

things such as information technology and incorporate it since it enhances our

global strength of broking accommodation and making reservation especially in

the hotel sector via the internet.

45

CHAPTER THREE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Nsukka local government consists of about eighteen local communities

namely: Alor-Uno, Anuka, Ede-Oballa, Ibagwa-Ani, Edem, Lejja, Nsukka town,

Obimo, Eha-Alumona, Ehandiagu, Ikwoka, Obukpa, Okpa ligbo, Okpuje, Okwutu,

Opi Agu and Opi Uno.

Nuskka local government area is located in the Anambra River basin of the

defunct Eastern Nigeria and covers a space of about 3, 961 square kilometers. It

lies between latitude 6018 and 7

054 East (Ofomata, 1978).

The town is placed on a high zone which lies at about 1,200 feet above sea

level. There are isolated peaks that range from 1,200 to 1,800 feet (Eze-Uzomaka,

1996). So many hill surround Nsukka area but most of Nsukka itself is lowland.

The land slopes to the east and west from the central zone, but the slopes of the

ground is more gently even to the West. It first steep and then gently sloping to the

East. The lowland is less than 400 feet (122m) above sea level while another 25%

consist of land lying between 400 and 800 feet above sea level. Only about 15% of

the land is over 1,200 above sea level (Ofomata, 1978).

46

Nsukka shares a common boundary to the North with Adoru in Kogi state

and Orokam in Benue state, Umurungbe and Nkalagu to the east and the river

Niger to the West. In the south west is Umuoka and Egede in the south is Udi,

Ezeagu, and Enugu East local Government Area respectively. There is generally a

mild climate with substantial rainfall during the wet season. The topography of the

area presents many interesting natural sceneries such as streams, depressions, and

valleys. The town also has a lot of hill surrounding it.

3.2 CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND RAINFALL

Climate

Nsukka is in the tropics and characteristically has two major seasons in the

year, the dry season and the rainy season. The wet or rainy season spans the period

between April and October and slows to double in maxima separated in August by

a dry spell usually called “August Break” (Eze-uzomaka, 1996:3). The rainy

season is characterized by cloudiness and violent thunderstorm. During the middle

of the wet season, it is usually characterized by cloudiness as a result of the wind

blowing from the Atlantic Ocean.

While the dry season begins around October and ends in March which is the

planting season, the predominant weather between November and February is the

harmattan during which mist and fog mark the morning and haze occur in the

47

afternoon. This is a result of the North Eastern wind coming from the Sahara

bringing the Sahara effects closer to the shores of Atlantic. There are recorded

cases of conventional and erratic rainfall between February and March.

In other words solar energy is an element of climate, which directly affects

the growth and character of plants, soils, animals and men (Iyang, 1972). Rainfall

is very significant in the area but the pattern of rainfall, controlled by the

movement to the sun has been consistent through the year. Nsukka area can

be located between latitudes 5050 and 7

000N. Nsukka town is latitude 6

051N

(Iyang, 1972:86). Due to the town latitudinal location the sun normally controls the

weather and climate so that there is constancy of isolations. This constancy ensures

that there is maximum temperature. Due to the outlay of the town the sun‟s heat

greatly affects the activities going on in the area.

Vegetation

Looking at Nsukka from the area moisture and temperature distribution,

Nsukka division is on the wettest part of a savannah environment. Okigbo (1980)

says that this feature shows that it can support and has supported a tropical rain

forest which is non-extant.

According to Igbozurike (1978) he recorded that Nsukka is dominated by

two main physiognomic and structural forms:

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(i) Broad leaved tree types

(ii) Herbaceous graminoids.

There are also brynoids which consist of mosses lynches and forbes (Eze-uzomaka,

1996) of most ecological interest in this area of study are trees that are suitable for

iron working (Okafor, 1992:34). Wood works and firing of clay in furnaces and

kilns. These are fire resistant when wet and very slow in regeneration for example

“ukpaka” (pentecletra mycrophita) and “Okpoye” (Picimus commnis).

Characteristics species in this area are dry land fire resistant tree like “parkia

clappernian”, “Danilla illveri” and Lophira Laccolata”. There are trees forms and

shrubs which are either exotic, recent arrivals, or cultivated trees. For example

mango, “magnifera indica”, Tamarind indica “tamarindus indica”, and oil palm,

“elaesis guineensis” (Embola, 1989:37).

Consequently, bush burning is an annual event in Nsukka area and Igbo land

as a whole. Fire resistant trees like those mentioned above abound and there are

some others which are noted as having survived so long because of their fire

resistant nature. These include “Oji” (Chlorapgora Excelsa), “Ofo” (Detarium

macrocarpa).

Additionally, the areas has other trees like “Piptodenia strum Africanum,

(Agrimye) “Chrysophyillum Africanum (Udara), Treculia Africana (Ukwa),

Euphorbia kamerunica (Abanaya), Afromonia specie (Inyi), Borrasus aethiopicum

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(Udara) Anitaris Africana (Aji) Afzenia Africana (Akparata) Diacum Guineensis

(Icheku), Afromionium Meleguta (Ose Oji), Xylopa Aethiopicum (Uda or African

Guinea pepper) Irvingia Gabonesis (Ujuru), and Albizia Terruginea (Ngwu)

among others. All these plants are popularly known through out Nsukka division

and they have also great ethnographic evidence rooted in the people‟s antiquity

(Ezike, 2001). He further noted that the above named or trees are heavily

embedded in culture and rituals showing their outhochthonomy in Nsukka and its

environs.

Nsukka people also engage in livestock farming and elephant grass

(Pennisetum pumpurum) and other grasses serve as fodder. In other words the

resistant secondary vegetation consist of all tough grasses for example “Ata”

(imperata cylindrical) and “ikpo” (Loudetia arundincla) others are “owa”

(Andropogon Lectorum) and “Uma” (maranthacloa cuspiodata). „A Teetorum’ and

“P, polystachion seem to be commonest grass in the area (Igboruike, 1978:103).

Villagers construct thatched roots and towns men also buy fencing materials made

from these graminoids. Other significant grass species include (Dactylotenuim

aegytum) and chrosis gayana which are very common in regions which have been

disturbed by man greatly, such as long roadside on bush paths as well as around

cultivated lands (Eze-uzomaka, 1996:25).

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Rainfall

In Nigeria as in other parts of the tropics, rainfall is the most important

element of climate in so far as Agriculture, the main occupation of the people is

concerned (Ikeme 1980:10). Rainfalls in torrential down pour and water retention

is much. This makes the heavy vegetation in the area possible. Rainfall determines

the beginning of the farming season. At its onset, fields and farms are cleared for

farming to begin from September the temperature rises steadily from month to

month to its maximum in February. In March it starts falling to a minimum in July

and August (Inyang, 1972:122).

Moreover, Awachie and Onwuka (1989) claim that the hottest month is

April with 29.20c maximum and minimum of 27.3

0c. One thing is certain the

weather can be very uncomfortable when the temperature is high as 210c and

humidity 60% or above (Inyang, 1972).

According to Thornwate (1984) he classified Nsukka as a humid mega

thermal climate. Okafor (1992) concludes that wet and hot tropical climate is

antiarchaeology. Most materials remains (artifacts) particularly organic materials

disappear at a fast rate in this climate zone. He went further to explain that the only

weather resistant objects like stones, well fired clay or slags can survive the

humidity in this area (Okafor, 1980:36).

51

In other words, rainfall is the climatic element of far reaching importance in

Nsukka. It assumes significance in every phase of agricultural pursuit. It

determines the turning of cultivation, planting and harvesting of crops of various

types, application of fertilizers, selection of crop varieties and transplanting. It

controls the operations of number of occupation. For instance some people are

migrant farmers in one season and traders in another, traders of perishable food

stuffs during the farming season and casual labourers latter.

3.3 HOTEL DEVELOPMENT IN NSUKKA

Premier Hotel Nsukka was the first hotel that was established in Nsukka in 1958

by Barrister Charles Abangwu OOC. He hails from Iheluona in Nsukka local

government area of Enugu State. The hotel name was initiated within the period

when premier beer was the desire of every young man so the hotel was name after

this beer.

Plate : The Researcher and Mr. Sec Ezeugwu the P.A to Barrister Charles Abangwu

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The informant being a widely travelled man thought of how he can create comfort

for himself and the people around him initiated the establishment of the hotel. The

hotel is made up three rooms, small beer section and a dancing hall were guest are

allowed to dance and enjoy themselves. The creation of hotel rooms became

necessary when guest who were not familiar with Nsukka started coming from

Ontisha to purchase Car shoe nut honey and guest that usually come for

consultation on legal issue. The increase in movement towards this destination

made some form of overnight accommodation an absolute necessity. According to

him this was what prompted the creation of more rooms for accommodation as at

that period. As a learned person he understood the need for a place of rest for

visitors. The Premier hotel is located at Enugu road Obegette market Nsukka

opposite peace mass transport, the present place where late (Dr.) Ifesinachi Mamah

bought for the sum of twenty-five million naira for this bus garage. As a matter of

fact the hotel is no longer in existence as a result of change of ownership of the

land premises. It was as result of the human need that has brought wide spread of

various types of hotels with accommodation into place which according him is a

continuous process.

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CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF SELECTED HOTELS

NSUKKA.

Plate 1: University Of Nigeria Guest House Nsukka (CEC)

Plate 2: Manager of CEC Guest House Nsukka and the Researcher

The guest house was initiated in line with the university of Nigeria establishment

in 1962. It is located at the heart of the University of Nigeria Nsukka at the left

you found the university of Nigeria library between faculty of Arts building and

senior staff club. According to the informant there is documented history guiding

the development rather, there has been continuous expansion, modernization and

upgrading of various facilities to meet up to guest demand and satisfaction. The

guest house has 76 rooms as accommodation. It has information technology

54

facilities such as computer system, telecom, telephone, internet, and electronic

door card key lock and security gadgets.

Plate 3: Computer Information Facilities

The computer system is used for the documentation of information,

dissemination of information and storage of information. Presently internet

services are not currently in use in these hotel the reason is because of the cost

involve not that they are not the establishment area ware of the benefit accruable

from it usage, but effort are being made to management on this to able to reach out

to customers. The hotel has an E-mail address ungelunnnsukka@yahoo.com.

The telecom is an electronic device in use to communicate information from

hotel staff to either guest to follow hotel staff. The telecom exists in all the hotel

rooms and is used for internal communication purpose

55

Plate 4: Telecom Information Technology in Use

Telephone is an interconnectivity device in use to reach out to customers who need

accommodation reservation, or remark to make to the hotelier on what is presently

obtainable for consumption. The telephone number through which the hotel can be

reached includes the following 042-771460, 08021377336, 07058673572, and

07036394126

Plate5: The Guest Enquires Desk at CEC

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Plate 6: Security Door Lock System

Electronic door card key lock is a device employed in the hotel because of the

present technology innovation. The device is installed at the door and the

electronic card with number is assigned to each door usage. When a guest cheek-in

into the guest house all she / he need to do is to place the electronic card on the

blue surface of the door area and the door automatically opens with ease. With this

device no one else has access to the door except the guest who has paid for the

accommodation. This has reduced the high rate of insecurity and increase comfort

Of the guest.

Plate 7: Removable Flash Storage Device

57

Plate 8: Security Gadget Device

Plate 9: CD Removable Disc Storage Device

Plate 10: Laptop Information System in Use CEC Guest House

58

Plate 11: Formal Files and Paper Document of Information Technology

Plate 29: local Area Connection for Internet

Plate 12: Structural Building of Grace Manor Hotel and suites

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Plate 13: Sign Post Showing Direction to the Hotel

Plate 14: The Manager Grace Manor Hotels and Researcher

The hotel was initiated as one of such preparation for making of a state

capital with a name “Adada State”. The hotel was built by the son of His Royal

Majesty Late (Dr) Ifesinachi Mamah prince Emeka Mamah,Ide of Umuozzi. The

hotel is built in a serene environment located at the adjacent to winner‟s chapel

church Nsukka a stone throw to Nsukka local government headquarters Nsukka

and Nsukka Police station. The inside is sophisticated with the state of the art

house which holds electronic gadgets. The hotel has a swimming pool, hall for

club, bar, conference room single and executive suits all luxuriously furnished. The

hotel has100 rooms as accommodation. It has operational website:

www.gracemanorhotels.com with a telephone number: 08033222595,

08079292082.

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Plate 15: Computer System not yet in Use

Plate 15: Security Camera Detective Device

Plate 16: Satellite Device for Receiving of Information Signal

61

Plate 17: Securiy Camera for Club Dectative Device

Plate 18: Hand Dectative Device for Security

Plate 19: Mobile Phone in Use for Communication

62

Plate 20: Televsion in use for News Communication

Plate 21: Scanning Device in Use in the Hotel

Plate 22: Showing Sign Post to Conis Hotel

63

Plate 23: Structural Building of Conis Hotel Buildin

Conis hotel is situated along New Anglican road nsukka off Aku road junction.

The hotel has massive natural environment and quite screen what admiring.The

name was initiated from the acronym of sibling. The hotel becomes functional in

November 2002. It has 26 rooms currently.

Plate 24: The Researcher and the Hotel Manager

Plate 25: Telecom Technology Device

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Telecom is one of the present information communication gadgets in use in this

hotel. It is reliable and more easy way to obtain and pass on information on which

task shall do by the receiver.

Plate 26: Televsion Technolgy Intertainment Device

Plate: 27 Structural Building of New Hotel Carolina

The hotel located is at no 1 obollo road off beach junction in a place usually known

as Obukpa village in Nsukka Local Government Area. New hotel Carolina was

established in 1980 by then Minister of Health during the leadership of President

Shehu Shagari and Vice President Alex Ekwueme. He hotel was named after the

wife chief Mrs C.O Ugwu Lolo 1 of Obupka (nnemurora). The hotel has 28 rooms

as accommodation

65

Plate 28: Telecom Technology in use at the reception area

Plate 30: Security Detective device in New Hotel Carolina Garden

66

Plate 31: Satellite Receiver Device

Plate 32: Old Bell formal Used for Information Device

67

Plate 33: Structuring Building of Old Carolina Hotel Nsukka

Plate 34: Bar Section of Old Carolina hotel Nsukka

Plate 35: Reception Section of Old Carolina hotel Nsukka

68

Plate 36: The Researcher and Hotel Manager of Old Carolina Hotel Nsukka

Plate 37: Furnished Room without Information Technology

Plate 38: Sign Post Showing Direction to Ikenga Hotel Ltd Nsukka

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Plate 39: Front View of Ikenga Hotel Ltd Nsukka

Ikenga Hotel Nsukka was commissioned by the military Governor of Anambra

state group Captain Sampson Emeka Omeruah on the Eight of May, Nineteen

Hundred and Eighty Seven.

Plate 39: Reception Section of the Ikega Hotel Nsukka.

Plate 40: Dilapidated State of the Information Technology Section

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Plate 41: Dilapidated state of the information technology section

Plate 42: Sign Post showing Fen Park Hotel Nsukka

Plate 43: Structural building of Fen Park Hotel Nsukka

Fen park hotel is located at no 3 Nru Nsukka Umudimkwo village. The royal home

of attah, Umuoyo Nru Nsukka.

71

Plate 44: Bar Section of Fen Park Hotel Nsukka

Plate 45: Sign Post Showing direction to El-Rina Guest House Ltd

72

Plate 46: Structural Building of El-Rina Guest House Ltd

El- Rina Guest house is located at Oloto road Ajie hill Odenigbo Nsukka .

Plate 47: Reception and Enquiries Section of El-Rina Guest House

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Plate 48: Telecom Technology in Use in Hotel

4.2 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENT

The information technology employed in the hotels as perceived by the researcher

are sets of instruments or tools ,technical know-how initaiated the employed by

the management of the hotel to meeting the security , accommodation , food safety

and augment any other activities that are carried out within the hotel to enhance the

smooth running and control of the hotel environment and administeation for

maxiumum hotel development. Why and how the information technology is

applied greatly determine the level of awareness and patronage why the type of

information technology programme installed in the computer system determine its

level of meeting the operational needs of the hotel vis a vise the toruristic needs

and want. Such programme includes security satellite, computer software

application, Microsoft word, execl sheet , internet and electronic gargets like

scanner,telecommunication and dectative hand devices for checking guest –into-

the hotel. As a result of this these development infotech is receiving optimum

attention in these hotel in terms of inter hotel bookings through internet sevices and

telephone communication networks. Internal communication takes place through a

process called the intercom, while external telephone communication takes place

through such network sevice like mtn, glo, estalate mobile phones while internets

services such as yahoomail for sending e-mail and google for browsing through to

find out suitable hotel, its location and features with the intention of making

reservation for accommodation. All the application act as a calatayst in meeting the

basic organizational and tourist needs for protection.

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Providing guest protection and loss prevention is essential feature for hotels in

nsukka urban regardless of size. Volient crime is growing problem and protection

guest from bodily harm has been defined by the ourts as unreasonable expectation

frm hotels. Therefore the security / loss department of these hotels is responsible

for maintain alarm systems and implementing procedures aimed at protecting the

personal property of tourists and employees and the hotel itself . in the cause of my

research I discovere that these have been achieved in Grace Manor hotel. There are

installation of twoway radios in out –of –the way corridors and doorways, as well

as in food , liquor and stroge area, smoke dectators and fire alarms which increase

the safety of the guests. It is pertinent to note too that most key systems record

every entry in and out of the room on the compute without the knowledge of the

guest. Additionally the researcher observe , the closed-circuit television cameras

inform of satellite installed to monitor every activities that happens in the hotel via

a television system which is contiously viwed by the hotel manager on daily basis.

Through this medium he correct , notify and brought to book anyone that goes

contrary againt the stated rules and regulations of the hoel establishment without

moving an inch in his sitting postion. This has aided both staff and customer to be

conscious of their daily activites so as to avoid the attention of policemen. In the

same vien, recommendation has equllay been made by the management to ward

staff through the help of the camera on yearly basis. The camera has helped the

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Eze-Uzomaka, P.I, (1996) Archaeological Communication in Nsukka Area.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Information technology is the name given to the technical development of

the means of processing and transmitting information (Paul, 2003). It also includes

the way a computer system communicates with each other, the sender and receiver

at any given point in time.

However, hotelier in Abuja an Enugu Nigeria can point out potential surges

or long droughts of tourist arrival as a result of advance of computer information

technology – “infotech”. Tourist who intend to travel to those places

aforementioned and may be in need of hotel accommodation can make reservation

via the internet of the types and size of accommodation facility available at that

destination through the help of the internet, but unfortunately, tourist who visit

Nsukka Urban do not have access to this new technology, this has caused tourist

that visit Nsukka Urban a lot of frustration and inconveniences on arrival.

This old-fashioned method of cards and paper work are no longer en-vogue

and this is what the researcher wishes to address. To study the present information

technology facilities available at these hotels and secondly evaluate their present

state whether they are under used or over utilize as well as area of improvement.

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Presently, it is evident that the usefulness of information technology has

made possible the speed and efficiency with which information of the tourism

industry is developed, stored, recovered, distributed and generally manoeuvered

(Eze-uzomaka, 2006).

Modern information technology like the computer has helped in record

keeping, it allows for a hotel owner to keep track of what they have and hand, how

much of it they have, and how much it cost. Haven packaged these in the internet

enable customer to make smart decision on services and products that are available

for their consumption.

Hence, it would be appropriate if hotels in Nsukka Urban with

accommodation facilities offer their menus on-line, allowing for quick update,

high-quality photos, to allow guests to see and order services before they even

arrive will make tourist to be at peace, thereby creating tourism development

through information technology in the area.

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Tourists and students alike hardly make reservations for accommodation

visited Nsukka Urban and lamented without reservation that the hotels prescribed

for them by the Okada men and taxi driver could not meet their taste, standard and

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class leading to bad experience and high level of frustration in their touristic

intention.

Hotel workers are forced to move around the hotel endlessly to pass across

information to co-workers at various locations on daily basis even at this era of

information technology age.

1.2 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the research are as follows:

To study the state of information technology in Hotels in Nsukka Urban.

To document the development of hotels in Nsukka urban.

To examine the implications of not employing information technology in

these Hotels in Nsukka Urban.

To evaluate the present state of information technology in these hotels.

1.3 RESEARCH METHOD

My research method is ethnographic approach. The method is considered

effective in achieving results especially in the area of tourism and other social and

cultural issues (Goodson and Phillimore, 2004; Milona and Rayman-Bacchus,

2001). It involves primary and secondary data while direct observation and

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photographic documentation were also used. The researcher used in-depth

interview because it allows for interviewer-interviewee verbal interaction. Through

this process free discussion were developed with the hotel owner on issues as

accommodation, security gargets, and various information technology facilities

available in the hotels.

Moreover, direct observation were also used to generate unexpected

information which was not communicated to me such as the low level of

information application usage and their inability to install intercom in all the hotel

rooms. While photographic documentation was also employed in the cause of the

field work. Through this process the researcher was able to get massive

information on hotels in Nsukka urban such as hotel location, security networks,

and the necessary areas of hotels that needed improvement.

Secondly, the study undertaken through the gathering of the information that

is made available through prior work of contemporary authors. The research

conducted through the integration of different published references and other

available source .This is because no scholarly research report is possible without

some form of documentary research (Okpoko and Ezeh, 2005). The secondary

sources of information were written literatures from libraries, institutes, personal

documentaries, journals and articles that relates to the collection of data in the

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study conducted in the organization of gathered information. The data are pooled

and the concepts that are gathered are classified, grouped and organized. This

phase will enable the achievement of a logical analysis the data gathered.

1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY

The research will cover relevant information technology facilities being used

in hotels in Nsukka; such as Internet reservation/internet services,

telecommunication system and security networks respectively. The research will

cover the following Hotels; CEC Guest house, Grace Manor hotel, Conis Hotel,

Ikenga Hotel, Fenpark Hotel, Erina hotel, and Carolina hotel all in Nsukka Urban

area of Enugu state.

However, interest is on the information technology availability in these

hotels and to what extent it has promoted / hindered tourism development in the

area of hotels in Nsukka Urban.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This research work will update and enrich our knowledge on various

information technology facilities available in the hotels in Nsukka Urban;

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It will create awareness of information technology that is beneficial to hotels in

Nsukka urban.

It will help tourist to know the location of various hotels in Nsukka urban.

This work will serve as a reference material for future researchers and tourist

coming into Nsukka.

1.6 LIMITATION OF STUDY

A number of limitations were encountered in an attempt to gather the

relevant data for this research. The first problem I encountered during this research

was how to acquire the materials for the study which was gotten from library and

through internet.

The limitation of this work centers basically on time and finance. Most of

the hoteliers in Nsukka did not keep appointment with me as at time schedule for

me this made me to book and rebook appointment which resulted into excessive

expenditure on transportation and unnecessary delay which made me to go to the

hotel on daily basis. Which resulted into spending a lot of money and time in

carrying out the research. Constructing of interview guide did not come easily. It

was also very difficult for me to afford money for transportation and procuring a

good camera for my research since the one I was using got spoilt so I have to get

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another one to achieve my research goal. A lot of money was spent browsing on

the internet and printing out materials.

Booking appointment with Grace Manor suit hotel manager was difficult, I

called him on several occasion since he always out of Nsukka. Similarly, the

manager of CEC guest house is a very busy person. On most occasions he could

not keep already scheduled appointment with me, I always call him on phone to

know his readiness to attend to me.

At the old and knew Carolina hotel the manager depended extensively on the

general manager who is the chairman of Nsukka local Government area for

information. But with help of the new Carolina manager I meet him and he

attended to me.

Most of the hoteliers refuse to take photography with me the reason being

that they do not want to have their photography documented but I pleaded with

them

More so a lot of sections in the hotels were out of bound for me may be for

security reasons, so I could not have access to such places for photographic

documentation, but places I have access to photography was taken.

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Finally, most manager do not have good knowledge of their hotel history and

equally lack the use of information technology in hotel, but the little they know

were communicated to me.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.1 EMPIRICAL LITERATURE

It is pertinent to note that the conceptualization information technology as a

measure of development is an agent of breakthrough in the hotel industries in

Nsukka since it determine the guest confidence and patronage in any given hotel.

Information is important, the amount of information that people have about your

tangible and intangible product point out your hotel in terms of choice and rate

when it come to people who buy your product on daily basis for various tourism

purposes. Eze-uzomaka (2006) point out that today tourism is among the most

important application domain in the World Wide Web. Because of this growing

trend tourist equip themselves with all available information on their proposed

destination before embarking on such trip with such information technological

means as colour broadcasting, telecommunication, microwave, satellites,

computers and other new communication technologies (Boafo, 1991). This indeed

has increase the socio-economic development of an area. Besides, the need for

development has triggered hoteliers to provide consistent information that could

aid in meeting the guest demand.

However, in as much as the term IT is well-known and well-used, and we

assumed it to be understood somewhat similarly by different people, the definition

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of IT and ICT still differ and I felt that it could cause confusion. Hence, it is

important to separate the two concepts and provide a clear definition of these to

justify the use of chosen expressions. Therefore, information technology refers to

the creation, storage and processing of data, including hardware (computer

networks, serves, storage devices, and desktop computers), system software

(operating system, middle wave, programming languages) and software

applications (World Bank, 2002). From this definition, one can strongly say that

information technology is a tangible devised system which takes various forms

such as computer, cell phone or satellite that support information processing.

On the other hand, information and communication technology ICT consists

of hardware, software, networks and media for collection, storage, processing,

transmission and presentation of information (voice, data, text, images” (World

Bank, 2002). This means that the information is sent through a means called the

computer, and then it is read by the individual, if it is understood and there is

reaction to the said information, it simply means that communication has taken

place immediately. According to Hamelink (1997) opined that information and

communication technologies encompass all those technologies that enable the

handling of information that facilitate different forms of communication among

human actors, between human beings and electronic systems and among electronic

system. This definition will be better appreciated if it is broken down with its

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functionality considered itemized; capturing technologies with input devices that

collect and convert information into digital form such devices include keyboards,

mouse, trackballs, touch screens, voice recognition system, bar reader, image

scanners and palm size camcorders, storage technologies, producing a variety of

devices to store and retrieve information in digital form. Among these are magnetic

tapes, floppy disks, hard disks, RAM disks, optical disks (such as CD-ROMS),

erasable disks and smart cards (credit-card sized cards with memory and

processing capacity for financial transactions or medical data).

Processing technologies, creating the systems and applications software that

is required for the performance of digits ICTs. Communication technologies

producing the devices, methods and networks to transmit information in digital

form. They include digital broadcasting, integrated services digital networks,

digital cellular networks, local area networks (LANS) wide area networks (WANs,

such as the internet), electronic bulletin boards, modems, transmission media such

as fibre optics, cellular phones and fax machines, and digital transmission

technologies for mobile space communications (the new low Earth orbit Satellite

voice and data services).

Display technologies, which create a variety of output devices for the

display of digitized information. Such devices include displaying screens for

computer, digital television sets with automatic picture adjustment, set-up boxes

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for video-on-demand, printers, digital video discs (which might replace CD-ROM

drivers and audio CD players), voice synthesizers and virtual reality helmets

(Hamelink, 1997).

Naivety of these modern information technologies may jeopardize

transaction done through networks. A networks is an electronic transaction that aid

the sale or purchase of goods and services, whether between businesses, house-

holds, individuals, Governments, and other public or private organizations,

conducted over computer-mediated networks; the goods and services are ordered

over those networks, but the payment and the ultimate delivery of the goods or

service may be conducted on-or offline (Trepper, 2000).

This has definitely boosted hotel sector, unlike before where guest and

hotelier communication network are done at a snail speed. Sophisticated

information technologies initiatives: Communicative news, directives, instructions,

social networking and hotel events are carried live to the tourist at the click of

computers. Now the world is one where every single details of our hotels business

is a reflection of what transpires across continents, since people has access to

information technological tools such as mobile phones, the social networks like

facebook, twitter, myspace, yahoo message and text messaging have also been

used to create powerful and dynamic networks (Rheingold 2002 in Darlynton

2010). These tools has aided tourist at all works of live to take advantage of the

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hotel product and service which exist but formally are unaware to them. However,

in doing this they have to be careful with the webs information before embarking

on tourism.

The term tourism and tourism development is what advanced to the

establishment of hotels. Tourism according to the World Tourism Organization‟s

definition “comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places

outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure,

business, and other purposes (www.world-tourism.org/omt/wtich.htm). Other

scholars have it that tourism simply means any temporary movement of people,

either individually or in groups, from one place to another for specific tourism

purpose such as leisure (recreation, holiday, health study, religion and sport,

secondary business, family, mission, meeting (Okpoko and Okpoko, 2002).

If we say that movement of people has lead to tourism development, we are

not far from the truth. Tourism development means a better state of affairs, with

respect to who get what and where (Smith 1977 in Okpoko and Okpoko, 2002). It

simple means that where there is no movement hardly will there be tourism

development, since movement create the longing for home away from home which

we refer to as hotel. According to Oxford Advanced Learner‟s dictionary fifth

edition, a hotel is a building where rooms and usually meals are provided for

people in return for payment. The hospitality sector which hotel is one of them

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provides services to travelers and has the responsibility of representing their

communities and creating experience that when delivered successfully, is

pleasurable and memorable. The memories of being welcome, being informed,

comforted and taken care of the tourists are collectively a part of a process that can

positively affect human lives and wellbeing for a repeat visit. Hotels are at the

business of giving services that does not mean that hoteliers are servant, only that

there are ladies and gentle men whose job is to serve ladies and gentlemen.

From the foregoing one can define hotel as a building containing rooms in

which are found bed and foam with any other facilities that are provided by the

hotelier, including services that are positive that can affect the lives and wellbeing

of the visitor with the intention of meeting the needs and wants of the visitor who

is away from home who in turn pay for the services. Services rendered by various

hotels are not the same; this is why hotels are rated on classification. The United

States has no formal government classification of hotels likewise Nigeria.

However, the American Automobile Association (AAA) classifies hotels by

diamond award, and the mobile Travel Guide offers a five star award.

The term AAA which means award of excellence uses descriptive criteria to

evaluate the hotels that they rate annually in the United States, Canada, Mexico,

and the Caribbean.

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1. One-diamond properties have simple roadside appeal and the basic lodging

needs.

2. Two-diamond properties have average roadside appeal with some

landscaping and a noticeable enhancement in interior décor.

3. Three-diamond have excellent roadside appeal and service levels that gives

guests what they need before they even ask for it.

4. Four-diamond have excellent roadside appeal and service levels that gives

guest what they need before they even ask for it.

5. Five-diamond properties have the highest service levels, sophisticated and

offering (Walker, 2006).

In Nigeria official government classification for hotels is yet to be published.

In order not to prejudice official government classification when it finally

comes out anytime, which can be expected to based along the internationally

accepted “star” system, various precious metals are used in the following

classification which is divided into the five internationally accepted categories,

viz:

Platinum class – equivalent to 5 Star

Gold class – equivalent to 4 Star

Silver class – equivalent to 3 Star

Bronze class – equivalent 2 Star

Lead class – equivalent 1 Star (Munzah, 1993).

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According to (Agu, 1998) he maintained that accommodation facilities in a

hotel determine the classification of the hotel after ethnographic study of Ikenga

hotel limited, Nsukka and Hotel presidential in Enugu state. It goes beyond that to

remained us that a class means something of elegant and superior style, hence for

us to tag a hotel with a class one should take into account the number of hotel

rooms, the quality of its building i.e. marble walls and floors, the quality of its

furnishing, and the prices charged. Other parameters could include services

rendered from room service, to TV entertainment, to Valet etc; and the facilities

offered such as swimming pool, sports and recreation.

According to Munzah (1993) he categorized the star hotels as follows:

Platinum class hotel are top class hotels that compare to 5 star hotel worldwide in

terms of number of rooms offered, furnishing and services. On average they have

600 rooms each. Tourist pay in dollars as well in Naira. Such hotels include

NICON Hilton Hotel, Abuja Sheraton and Towers and the Abuja Le Meridien

Hotel.

Gold class hotel are top class hotels that compare to four (4) star hotels

worldwide in terms of number of rooms offered, furnishing and services. Their

capacity averages below 200 rooms. Payments are made in dollar and naira. Hotels

in this category are ideal for frequent business visitor with tight budgets, who

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frequent fly the “business class” of airlines offering almost “5” star service for less

in their selling point. Such hotels include Protea hotel, Agura hotel and Golden

Tulip in Abuja.

Silver class hotel compare to the international “3” star category. Their

capacity averages below 100 rooms. Their rooms are fairly small, but reasonably

furnished, with all the facilities the bigger hotels offer such as air conditions, room

service, and telephone service, TV offering local and international Satellite

stations, a small restaurant and bar.

Bronze class hotel compare to the international “2” category. Their capacity

average below 50 rooms. Rooms are very small through reasonably furnished with

(some without) air conditions, telephone service, TV offering local and

international satellite stations.

Generally, standard of hotels very drastically from hotel to hotel, and visitors

are advised to make personal inspection of room before checking in.

Lead class hotel are hotels with as few as 10 rooms or less that can best be

described as boarding houses or lodges located mostly in the outskirts of the city.

The hotels have few Nigerians in mind and not recommended for foreign visitors.

Empirically, it is not an overstatement to say that information technology is

a hallmark for tourism development, since tourist become aware of where to lodge

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and not to, create consciousness of safety about the said destination and what is

obtainable there with ease.

2.2 THEORETICAL ORIENTATION

There is a high demand of information technology for hotel development

since information rules the world. Hotels information technology has progressed,

and today several efficient systems are fast becoming in use to meet the 21st

century hotel expectations to understand this sudden shift, some theories that

support this fact includes diffusion of innovation theory, functionalism and

modernization theories respectively.

Diffusion of ideas has improved from flat office files, a manager moving

round the hotel all the time for careful examination to a more refined pattern of

automated guest room management system called Property Management System

(PMS). This is the centre of information processing in a hotel. A property

management system is a computer based lodging information system that relates to

both the front-and back-office activities. Property management systems are used to

help complete many tasks within a short period of time. Hotels with a large number

of guests and employees to serve and inform predominantly use these systems. A

PMS will aid a property to become more efficient with time, which is an important

factor for guests who demand personal attention and fast service. The relative

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advantage of the property management system is that it can interfere with many

other modules or applications. One application of the PMS in the Front office is the

room management module, which keeps the Front office and housekeeping

informed about the status of rooms. The hotel room master in the PMS contains

data on each room such as room number, room type, room features, room rates,

locations and the status of each room. Knowing the status of each room definitely

helps the housekeeping department know what work has to be done, what work is

in progress, and what work has been completed.

Another Front office module is a guest accounting module. A guest

accounting module increases the hotel‟s control over guest accounts, makes them

easily available at any time and significantly shortens the might audit procedure.

Presently, observerability of innovation reveals that some hotels use an

express check-in process that allows guests to conveniently check in and out via a

touch screen that interfaces with the hotel‟s property management system without

associate assistance. A booth in the Lobby allows guests to input their reservation

details or provide data from an inserted card or touch-screen selections. Based on

the information given after obtaining an electronic signature, an electronic room

key is then encoded and dispensed. A print out of guest stay information, including

room type, rate, and departure date is printed. The observerability innovation

reveals that guests may also use the booth to check out. Guest preference is noted

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for future use and even airline boarding passes can now be issued. The complexity

of this innovation does not allow illiterate maximum usage at the first trail until

they develop new skills and understanding.

Modernization theory equally reveals the ultimate in guest convenience

which is the wireless curbside guest check-in made possible by the Vingcard

system. The empathy for this recent technological advance allows guests to go

right to their rooms from club side. The system is capable of interfacing with

existing PMS system to fully integrate property management, reservations, and

guest service functions. With a portable keycard encoder and MICROS‟s OPERA

palm, a wireless handheld device with real-time database access, the system works

seamlessly to provide the ultimate guest convenience.

Additionally, some property management systems use Microsoft windows to

move data between application and to share information, a process called

information sharing. This modern nexus of information sharing permits menu-

driven interface with other systems, such as advanced reservations, room

inventory, self-check-in/out, might audit, guest accounting, city ledger, group

handling, all these systems are designed to improve guest services, since guest

moves across the street where their technological needs were met.

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This has resulted to another innovation known as Energy management

system. This is a process whereby technology is used to extend guest in-room

comfort by means of an energy management system. Passive infrared motion

sensors and doors switches can reduce energy consumption by 30 percent or more

by automatically switching off lights and air conditioning, thus saving energy

when the guest is out of the room (Walker, 2006).

The additional functional features include;

1. Room occupancy status reporting

2. Automatic lighting reporting

3. Minibar access reporting

4. Smoke detector alarm reporting

5. Central electronic lock control

6. Guest control amenities

The rapid advancement in information technology is a scientific break-

through in semi-conductors, transistors and micro-electronics has revolutionalised

the hotel sector with the modern Call Account system, Guest reservation system

and securities networks to ensure guest satisfaction and comfort.

The Call Accounting System (CAS) track guest room phase charges.

Software packages can be used to monitor where calls are being made and from

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what phones on the property. To track this information, the CAS must work in

conjunction with the PBX (Telephone) and the PMS. Call accounting system can

be used to offer different rates for local guest calls and long distance guest calls.

The CAS can even be used to offer discounted calling during off-peak hours at the

hotel.

Consequently, the Guest Reservation system is using the Internet to book

reservation, before hotels received reservations by letters, telegrams, faxes and

phone calls. A central reservation system (CRS) houses the electronic database in

the central reservation office (CRO). Hotels provide rates and availability

information to the CRS so those guests get the best available rate when they book

through the central reservation office. It is observed that guest receive confirmation

or cancellation in Sheraton hotel Abuja. The hotel benefits from using a central

reservation system with such a system, hotel can avoid overselling rooms by too

large a margin. The CRS database can also be used as a chain or individual

property-marketing tool because guest information can easily be stored. A CRS

can also provide yield management information for a hotel as along as it is flexible.

For example, when demand is weak for a hotel, rate will need to drop to increase

reservations and profitability. When demand is higher, the hotel can sell room rate

that are closer to the rack rate.

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The functional aspect of CRS is that it can be used in several areas of a

hotel. In a hotel a reservation department, the terminals or personal computers in

that department can be connected to the central reservation system. It would also

be important for front-desk employers to have access to the CRS. The reason for

this is because they will need to book rooms for walk-ins who do not have

reservations. Constant communication back and forth is needed between the central

reservations department. Managers who are the decision makers in the hotel will

also use the system to forecast and set pricing for rooms and different amenities as

long as there is pressure for social demands.

It was as a result of human in searchable demand that brought about the use

of computers in billing Guest in a hotel. Hotel businesses today seek to obtain the

highest speed and reliable computer system which can afford hoteliers to bill their

guest without delay. Fast access to guests‟ accounts is required by large hotels due

to their high priority for guest satisfaction, meaning that there are no lineups at

checkout. Billing guest has become much easier with the aid of computers. Billing

guest can be a long process if information technology is not used to compute

transactions. Property management systems aid large hotels to make faster

transaction and provide a more efficient service to their guests. There systems help

the hotelier to bill their guests within seconds. Presently, hotels like Sheraton

utilize software that enables guests to check and approve their bills by using the

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TV and remote, thus avoiding the need to lineup at the cashier‟s desk to check out.

A copy of their bill is then mailed to their home address to reveal their functional

activities with the use of hotel.

However the functionalists approach to the use of hotel dictates that

everything in the hotel performs a useful function for the maintenance of the whole

system of the hotel. The employment of sophisticated information security system

in hotels is a modern concept. Hotel offers some sort of security for their guest and

employee peace of mind that the hotel is secure is a key factor in increasing guest

satisfaction. Security is one of the highest concerns of guest who visit hotels.

Information technology system include surveillance systems in which cameras are

linked directly to computers, televisions and digital records, which helps security

teams keep an eye on the whole property.

Currently, recent technological advance have produced electronic door

locking system, some of which even offer custom configurations of security and

safety. Guest room locks are now capable of managing information from both

magstripe and smart cards simultaneously. From the hotel‟s point of view, a main

advantage of this kind of key is that the hotel knows who has entered the room and

at what time because the system can trace anyone entering the room.

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In-room safes can now be operated by key cards. Both systems are an

improvement on the old metal keys. Even smarter safes use biometric technology

that includes the use of thumbprints or retina scans to verify a user‟s identity.

2.3 THEORETICAL LITERATURE

Theories occupy a significant position in information technology since the

world has witnessed an information revolution, a combination of massive increases

in the world‟s inventory of information and the technical development of the

means to cope with it (Ekemezie, 2003). Science has two functions; (i) to enable

humans to know things and (ii) to enable human to do things. According to Egbeke

(2002:166) our ability to do things is what we herein refer to as technology.

Computers are at the centre of information technology. Knowledge about

information technology will lead to a better judgment about findings that will

generate useful facts and figures that will speed up problem solving and increase

tourism development.

Theories about information technology are thoroughly subjective. It forms

important issues on how we go about testing out ideas, debate over why we should

employ the use of information technology in hotels in Nsukka Urban. This means

that ideas about information facilities in this area can be argued to explain the

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present state of these facilities whether they are over used or under utilize

considering the extent in which information technology has gone globally.

Information technology is a synthesis of electronics, computing and

telecommunications technologies which enables effective data processing and

communication (Eze-Uzomaka, 2006:206). It has become obvious that hoteliers

employs the use of computers system to create, manipulate, and manage

information faster and more easily than with any system previously devised like

cards. Tourists in the information age are no longer satisfied with requesting for

information through the postal system. They now go online and receive instant

information for their holidays, hotels, travel arrangement and bookings (Eze-

Uzomaka, 2006:207). Before this can take place their must be a channel. A channel

is the logical connection between the sender and the receiver. Information that is

available and is not accessible has no impact on tourism development. A channel is

the path over which data and information travel, it may use telephone wires,

satellite or microwave towers, and all the whole system is aimed at providing

communication between the sender and destination. Information technology has

high-speed shared-medium especially MANs-Metropolitan area network covering

a city provide the required capacity at lower cost and greater efficiency than would

be possible with an equivalent service from the local telephone company, this is

because a hotel product that is packaged via internet automatically sales itself to

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the people that browse the web. This brings us to a position where we can examine

theories that have affected information technology positively and such theories

include: Diffusion of innovation theory, functionalism theory and modernization

theory.

Diffusion of innovation theory

Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through

certain channels over time among the members of social system. Diffusion is a

special type of communication concerned with the spread of messages that are

perceived as new ideas (Rogers, 1995). Information technology has helped hotels

reach one of the main goals of a hotel: to deliver exceptional guest satisfaction.

Some hotels have utilized technology for many years. The first hotel to use a

computer was the New York Hilton in 1963. This was the first computer-

automated guest room management system, but it was very inefficient because

front-desk clerk is hard to use pinch cards to record information and then process

these cards in a batch at a later time (Rollie Teves, 2005 in R.K. Walker, 2006).

Fortunately, hospitality information has progressed and today several efficient

systems are fast becoming industry standard as a result of diffusion of innovation.

Hence, an innovation is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new

by individual or other units of adoption. An innovation in the use of computer

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system may have a positive or negative impact in case of information technology

but venturesomeness is almost an obsession with innovators. The interest in new

ideas leads them out of a social circle of peer networks and into more cosmopolite

social relationships. Besides the characteristics of an innovation, as perceived by

the members of a social system determine its rate of adoption. This includes

relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observationability to

these people within the social system.

This new technological innovation available for hotels consumption need to

be questioned to prove its reliability in meeting guest needs and administrative

expectation in doing this we have to look at each one of their feature to know if

their innovation is relevant and why it should be adopted in hotels in Nsukka

urban.

1. Relative advantage is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as

better than the idea it supersedes. The degree of relative advantage may be

measured in economic terms, but social prestige, convenience, and

satisfaction are also important factors. It does not matter so much if an

innovation has a great deal of objective advantage, what does matter is

whether an individual perceives the innovation as advantageous. The greater

the perceived relative advantage of an innovation, the more rapid its rate of

adoption will be.

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2. Compatibility is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as being

consistent with the existing values, past experience, and needs of potential

adopters. An idea that is incompatible with the values and norms of a social

system will not be adopted as rapidly as an innovation that is compatible.

The adoption of an incompatible innovation often requires the prior adoption

of a new value system which is a relatively slow process.

3. Complexity is the degree to which an innovation is perceived as difficult to

understand and use. Some innovations are readily understood by most

members of a social system; others are more complicated and will be

adopted more slowly. New ideas that are simpler to understand are adopted

more rapidly than innovations that require the adopter to develop new skills

and understandings.

4. Triaiability is the degree to which an innovation may be experimented with

on a limited basis. New ideas that can be tried on the installment plan will

generally be adopted more quickly than innovations that are not divisible.

An innovation that is trialable represents less uncertainty to the individual

who is considering it for adoption who can learn by doing.

5. Observerability is the degree to which the results of an innovation are visible

to others. The easier it is for individuals to see the results of an innovation,

the more likely they are to adopt it. Such visibility stimulates peer discussion

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of a new idea, as friends and neighbours of an adopter often request

innovation. In the same view, the researcher encourages the adoption of

information technology especially in hotels in Nsukka urban.

Functionalism

The term functionalism was developed in the nineteenth century with the

rise of the human sciences as a whole. Different version were expounded by

August Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkhiem, Radcliffe-Brown and

Malinowski. According to Emile Durkhiem (1895) stated that the action of an

individual should be explained from the influence or pulls or pressures of social

factors or structure on him. It was as a result of this demand for information that

computers were invented. The computer as an electronic device contains many

components that contribute to its functions. These components can be classified as

hardware or software. The hardware is the part of the computer that we can touch,

feel and move from one place to another. It is the physical part of the computer. On

the other hand, the software is the part of the computer that we cannot touch, feel

or move, but it controls and dictates the actions of the hardware. It existence can be

seen as it controls the hardware, rather than its physical presence. The advance in

information technology with the aid of computer high speed, reliability, accuracy,

ease of use, efficiency, versatility and compatibility has lead to quick assessment

of information by tourist at all destination.

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Functionalism sees society as a system of interrelated and interdependent

parts, which functions for the maintenance of the whole. It refers to the

contribution that an institution or item or any partial activity makes to the

maintenance of the whole system. To the functionalist, everything in our society

performs very useful function (Igbo and Okpoko, 2006).

In the same vein hoteliers‟ uses information technology such as security

cameras to dictate irregular movement, door locks to alert them whenever

suspicious activity occurs. All these services are obtainable provided that a

wireless router is networked into the various computer systems in use.

Modernization Theory

Modernization theory presumed that the transfer of capital goods,

technologies, industries and western norms to the developing countries would

bring rapid economic productivity and social development in the developing

countries, which were considered to be ancient and primitive (Tokunbo, 2004).

Through exposure to western values, traditional societies would become civilized

and active participants like people in modern western society. They would also

develop a psychological pattern, which according to (Lerner, 1958) he called

empathy.

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Empathy, as Fjes (9176) defines it “allow the individual to internalize the

process of modernization by not only being able to cope with change, but

expecting and demanding it. It is the psychic nexus of all the attitudes and

behaviour necessary in a modern society (Melkote and Steevs, 2001). With higher

empathy, people would be able to move out their traditional setting and expand

their horizon. They would be able to adapt to western ways of life and culture

faster, especially with the continuous spread of ideas of social mobility and

changes such as urbanization, literacy, and other western belief system in this

information age.

According to Lerner (1958) he rightly said that once this happened that those

institutional developments which had already occurred in western nations would

lead to a take-off towards modernization. A nation is developed and modernized

when it perfectly resembles industrialized, cultural behaviour and socio-cultural

attitudes to science and technology. The essential point was that growth in one of

these spheres stimulates growth in others, and all spheres of society moved forward

together towards modernization (Scharamm, 1976 as cited in Melkote and Steeves,

2001).

Hence, if the third world countries desire technological development, they

must consult the west, which are already familiar with it and proceed according to

their advice and direction in order for them to develop (Igbo and Okpoko, 2006).

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Besides, in as much as modernization theory betrays an ethnocentric bias by

presenting the west as the standard for development and “blaming the victim”. The

Third World for being responsible for their poverty and underdevelopment

(offiong, 2001 cited in Igbo and Okpoko, 2006). It is pertinent to emulate good

things such as information technology and incorporate it since it enhances our

global strength of booking accommodation and making reservation especially in

the hotel sector via the internet.

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CHAPTER THREE

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Nsukka local government consists of about eighteen local communities

namely: Alor-Uno, Anuka, Ede-Oballa, Ibagwa-Ani, Edem, Lejja, Nsukka town,

Obimo, Eha-Alumona, Ehandiagu, Ikwoka, Obukpa, Okpa ligbo, Okpuje, Okwutu,

Opi Agu and Opi Uno.

Nuskka local government area is located in the Anambra River basin of the

defunct Eastern Nigeria and covers a space of about 3, 961 square kilometers. It

lies between latitude 6018 and 7

054 East (Ofomata, 1978).

The town is placed on a high zone which lies at about 1,200 feet above sea

level. There are isolated peaks that range from 1,200 to 1,800 feet (Eze-Uzomaka,

1996). So many hill surround Nsukka area but most of Nsukka itself is lowland.

The land slopes to the east and west from the central zone, but the slopes of the

ground is more gently even to the West. It first steep and then gently sloping to the

East. The lowland is less than 400 feet (122m) above sea level while another 25%

consist of land lying between 400 and 800 feet above sea level. Only about 15% of

the land is over 1,200 above sea level (Ofomata, 1978).

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Nsukka shares a common boundary to the North with Adoru in Kogi state

and Orokam in Benue state, Umurungbe and Nkalagu to the east and the river

Niger to the West. In the south west is Umuoka and Egede in the south is Udi,

Ezeagu, and Enugu East local Government Area respectively. There is generally a

mild climate with substantial rainfall during the wet season. The topography of the

area presents many interesting natural sceneries such as streams, depressions, and

valleys. The town also has a lot of hill surrounding it.

3.2 CLIMATE, VEGETATION AND RAINFALL

Climate

Nsukka is in the tropics and characteristically has two major seasons in the

year, the dry season and the rainy season. The wet or rainy season spans the period

between April and October and slows to double in maxima separated in August by

a dry spell usually called “August Break” (Eze-uzomaka, 1996:3). The rainy

season is characterized by cloudiness and violent thunderstorm. During the middle

of the wet season, it is usually characterized by cloudiness as a result of the wind

blowing from the Atlantic Ocean.

While the dry season begins around October and ends in March which is the

planting season, the predominant weather between November and February is the

harmattan during which mist and fog mark the morning and haze occur in the

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SKETCH MAP OF NSUKKA URBAN SHOWING TOWNS IN NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA.

Fig.1: Sourced on January 2012 from Nsukka Local Government Area,

Department of Geography and Urban Planning.

KEY

NSUKKA URBAN

AREA OF CONCENTRATION

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afternoon. This is a result of the North Eastern wind coming from the Sahara

bringing the Sahara effects closer to the shores of Atlantic. There are recorded

cases of conventional and erratic rainfall between February and March.

In other words solar energy is an element of climate, which directly affects

the growth and character of plants, soils, animals and men (Inyang, 1972). Rainfall

is very significant in the area but the pattern of rainfall, controlled by the

movement to the sun has been consistent through the year. Nsukka area can

be located between latitudes 5050 and 7

000

N. Nsukka town is latitude 6

051N

(Iyang, 1972:86). Due to the town latitudinal location the sun normally controls the

weather and climate so that there is constancy of insulations. This constancy

ensures that there is maximum temperature. Due to the outlay of the town the sun‟s

heat greatly affects the activities going on in the area.

Vegetation

Looking at Nsukka from the area moisture and temperature distribution,

Nsukka division is on the wettest part of a savannah environment. Okigbo (1980)

says that this feature shows that it can support and has supported a tropical rain

forest which is non-extant.

According to Igbozurike (1978) he recorded that Nsukka is dominated by

two main physio-organic and structural forms:

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1. Broad leaved tree types

2. Herbaceous graminoids.

Most ecological interest in this area of study is trees that are suitable for iron

working and are usually fire resistant when wet and very slow in regeneration for

example (Pentecletra mycrophita) ukpaka and (Picimus commnis) okpoye

(Okafor, 1992). Characteristics species in this area are dry land fire resistant tree

like (Loudetia spp) ata. There are trees ferns and shrubs which are either exotic,

recent arrivals, or cultivated trees. For example (Magnifera indica) mango

(Tamarindus indica), and (Elaeis guineense) oil palm (Embola, 1989:37).

Consequently, bush burning is an annual event in Nsukka area and Igbo land

as a whole. Fire resistant trees like those mentioned above abound and there are

some others which are noted as having survived so long because of their fire

resistant nature. These include (Chlorophora excesa) oji and (Detarium

senegalense) Ofo.

Additionally, the areas has other trees like “Piptodenia strum africanum,

(Agrimye), (Chrysophyillum africanum) Udara, (Treculia africana) Ukwa,

(Euphorbia kamerunica) Abananya, (Afromonia specie) Inyi, (Borrasus

aethiopicum) Udara, (Anitaris africana) Aji (Afzenia africana) Akparata (Diacum

guineensis) Icheku, (Afromionium meleguta) Ose Oji, (Xylopa aethiopicum) Uda

(Irvingia gabonesis) Ujuru, and (Albizia terruginea) Ngwu among others. All these

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plants are popularly known through out Nsukka division and they have also great

ethnographic evidence rooted in the people‟s antiquity (Ezike, 2001). He further

noted that the above named trees are heavily embedded in culture and rituals

showing their relevance in Nsukka and its environs.

Nsukka people also engage in livestock farming and elephant grass

(Pennisetum purpureum) Achara and other grasses serve as fodder. In other words

the resistant secondary vegetation consist of all tough grasses for example

(imperata cylinderical) Ata and (Loudetia arundincla) ikpo others are

(Andropogon lectorum) owa and (maranthacloa cuspiodata) Uma. Villagers

construct thatched roofs and towns men also buy fencing materials made from

these grasses.

Rainfall

In Nigeria as in other parts of the tropics, rainfall is the most important

element of climate in so far as Agriculture, the main occupation of the people is

concerned (Ikeme 1980:10). Rainfalls in torrential down pour and water retention

is much. This makes the heavy vegetation in the area possible. Rainfall determines

the beginning of the farming season. At its onset, fields and farms are cleared for

farming to begin from September the temperature rises steadily from month to

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month to its maximum in February. In March it starts falling to a minimum in July

and August (Inyang, 1972:122).

Moreover, Awachie and Onwuka (1989) claim that the hottest month is

April with 29.20c maximum and minimum of 27.3

0c. One thing is certain the

weather can be very uncomfortable when the temperature is high as 210c and

humidity 60% or above (Inyang, 1972).

According to Thornwate (1984) he classified Nsukka as a humid mega

thermal climate. Okafor (1992) concludes that wet and hot tropical climate is

antiarchaeology. Most materials remains (artifacts) particularly organic materials

disappear at a fast rate in this climatic zone. He went further to explain that the

only weather resistant objects like stones, well fired clay or slags can survive the

humidity in this area (Okafor, 1980:36).

In other words, rainfall is the climatic element of far reaching importance in

Nsukka. It assumes significance in every phase of agricultural pursuit. It

determines the turning of cultivation, planting and harvesting of crops of various

types, application of fertilizers, selection of crop varieties and transplanting. It

controls the operations of number of occupation. For instance some people are

migrant farmers in one season and traders in another, traders of perishable food

stuffs during the farming season and casual labourers latter.

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3.3 HOTEL DEVELOPMENT IN NSUKKA

Premier Hotel Nsukka was the first hotel that was established in Nsukka in

1958 by Barrister Charles Abangwu. According to my informant Mr. Sec

Ezeugwu he said that Barrister Charles Abangwu hails from Eha-Alumona in

Nsukka local government area of Enugu State. The hotel got its name from

Premium beer. Premium beer called Grain Belt Premium, entered production in

1947 in American Midwest USA (Jeff, 2006). The hotel name was initiated within

the period when premium beer entered into Nigeria and was the desire of every

young man, so the hotel was name after this beer. The informant being a widely

travelled man thought of how he can create comfort for himself and the people

around him initiated the establishment of the hotel. The hotel is made up three

rooms, small beer section and a dancing hall were guest are allowed to dance and

enjoy themselves. The creation of hotel rooms became necessary when guest who

were not familiar with Nsukka started coming from Onitsha to purchase Cashew

nut, honey and guest that come for consultation on legal matters.

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Plate 1: The Researcher and Mr. Sec, Ezeugwu

The increase in movement towards this destination made some form of

overnight accommodation an absolute necessity. According to my informant he

said that this further prompted the creation of more rooms for accommodation as at

that period. As a learned person he understood the need for a place of rest for

visitors. The Premier hotel is located at Enugu road market Nsukka opposite peace

mass transport, the present place where late (Dr.) Ifesinachi Mamah bought for the

sum of twenty-five million naira for this bus garage. As a matter of fact the hotel is

no longer in existence as a result of change of ownership of the land premises. It

was as result of the human need that has brought wide spread of various types of

hotels with accommodation into place which according Mr. Sec Ezeugwu is a

continuous process.

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FIG. 2: SKETCH MAP SHOWING SELECTED HOTELS IN

NSUKKA URBAN AND THEIR LOCATIONS.

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CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

The Hotels in Nsukka fall basically under the bronze class rating of

international “2 star” category. These hotels include old Carolina hotel, New

Carolina hotels, Fen park hotel, Conis hotel, Ikenga hotel and El-Rina Guest

house. Except for CEC and Grace Manor Hotel which exceed the room capacity

average 50 rooms to 76 rooms for CEC Guest house and 62 rooms for Grace

Manor Hotel and suits after a reasonable consideration of the facilities available in

the Hotel could be tag “3 Star” as result of the number of rooms available in those

hotel and the price attached to each accommodation. For other hotel their rooms

rating starting from N1, 500.00 to N 5,000.00 while in CEC the rate is from N5,

000.00 and above, Grace Manor Suits collect N 8,000.00 per night respectively.

The rooms are small though reasonable furnished some with air conditions,

telephone service, TV offering local and international satellite stations. However

standard vary drastically from hotels and tourists are advised to make personal

inspection of rooms before checking in to the hotel. The reason is to avoid high

pay in less furnished room.

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Plate 2: University Of Nigeria Guest House Nsukka (CEC)

Plate 3: Manager of CEC Guest House Nsukka and the Researcher

The hotel is about 10 minutes drive from Nsukka main market. The Guest house

was initiated in line with the university of Nigeria establishment in 1962. It is

located at the heart of the University of Nigeria Nsukka between university of

Nigeria library and faculty of Arts building by senior staff club. According to the

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informant there is no documented history guiding the hotel development rather,

there has been continuous expansion, modernization and upgrading of various

facilities to meet up to guest demand and satisfaction. The guest house has 76

rooms as accommodation. It has information technology facilities such as

computer system, telecom, telephone, internet, and electronic door card key lock

and security gadgets.

Plate 4: Computer Information Facilities in use

The computer system is used for the documentation of hotel transaction details,

dissemination of such information to tourist and storage of such information in

backup device such as flash drive and removable CD disc. Presently internet

services are not currently in use in these hotel because of the cost charged by

internet providers not that they are not aware of the benefit accruable from it, but

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effort are being made by the management on this issue in order to reach out to

customers. The hotel has an E-mail address ungelunnnsukka@yahoo.com.

The telecom is an electronic device in use to communicate information from

hotel staff to staffs as well as to guest. The telecom exists in all the hotel rooms

and is used for internal communication purpose.

Plate 5: Telecom Information Technology in Use

Telephone is an interconnectivity device in use to reach out to customers who need

accommodation reservation, or remark to make to the hotelier on what is presently

obtainable for consumption. The telephone number through which the hotel can be

reached includes the following 042-771460, 08021377336, 07058673572, and

07036394126

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Plate 6: The Guest Enquires Desk at CEC Guest House

Here is the first point of core of the hotel were guest make inquiries about the

mode of payment for accommodation, checking out time and types of meal sold as

well prices attached to each meal.

Plate 7: Security Door Lock System

Electronic door card key lock is a device employed in the hotel because of the

present technology innovation. The device is installed at the door and the

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electronic card with number is assigned to each door user. When a guest cheek-in

into the guest house all she / he need to do is to place the electronic card on the

blue surface of the door area and the door automatically opens with ease. With this

device no one else has access to the door except the guest who has paid for the

accommodation. This has reduced the high rate of insecurity and increase comfort

of the guest.

Plate 8: Removable Flash Storage Device for information transfer.

Plate 9: CD Removable Disc Storage Device for information backup.

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Most often programs and data disappear from the system‟s RAM when the

computer is turned off. In addition, IC RAM devices tend to be too expensive to

contain large memories that can hold multiple programs and large amount of data.

For these reason hotel owners has employed the use storage device called

removable flash storage device and CD removable disc storage device respectively

to safeguard the day transaction of the hotel information. Therefore, storage

systems that can be used for long-term data storage are desirable as a second level

of memory.

With this in mind, a number of secondary memory technologies have been

developed to extend the computer‟s memory capabilities and store data on a more

permanent basis of CD-ROM and flash drive. Through this medium information

about office transaction with guest and staff details and information are stored and

can be retrieved anytime any day in any system even if the said computer got

damaged another computer can be useful in this regard provided they are in the

same network connection. Observed use of paper files and books in CEC guest

house a formal way of storing information, now overtaken by computer

technology.

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Plate 10: Files and paper documentation

According to the manager‟s comment “I believe that a computer system is less

convenient than paper files” he further said that outlook address-book as database

to store the customer‟s contact information.

Plate 11: Structural Building of Grace Manor Hotels and suites

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The hotel was officially established in the month of November 2011. The

hotel was built by the son of His Royal Majesty Late (Dr) Ifesinachi Mamah prince

Emeka Mamah, Ide of Umuozzi. The hotel can be viewed from the University of

Nigeria Nsukka gate (UNN). The hotel was initiated as one of such preparation for

making of a state capital with a name “Adada State”. It has 62 rooms as

accommodation. The software used is easy- hotelling. The hotel is built in a serene

environment located at the adjacent to winner‟s chapel church Nsukka a stone

throw to Nsukka local government headquarters Nsukka and Nsukka Police station

respectively. The inside is sophisticated with the state of the art house which holds

electronic gadgets. The hotel has a swimming pool, hall for club, bar, conference

room single and executive suits all luxuriously furnished. The hotel has only

continental dishes. Information technology is a common feature in the hotel

because it makes job easier and the burden of paper work is reduced, such

information technology include computer system with program such as data

processing, Microsoft word, excel sheet. Telephone communication includes both

internal and external trunks which helped in the circulation of information which

broaden the communication network. It has operational website:

www.gracemanorhotels.com with a telephone number: 08033222595,

08079292082.

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Plate 12: A network Computer System

The hotel manager expressed the extreme importance that internet and ICT had in

their business. With their functional website www.gracemanorhotels.com tourist

can access all the necessary information about accommodation booking location

and price of rooms. Hence tourist now makes necessary inquiries and book

accommodation after considering the price of rooms available for lodging. This has

kept tourist updated and has ease the tension of guest querying at the reception of

the hotel. He compared the importance of internet with the importance of

electricity

“I think ICT is important. It is difficult to do business without it; we are totally

dependent on it.”

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Even though people in Nsukka were not very comfortable with using internet and

e-mail year ago. The phone was at that time more frequently used in the hotel but

he thought that the use of ICT was growing bigger in Nsukka and that;

“People are one by one slowly learning how to use it”.

One of the hotel staff agreed with him and said “you can’t survive without e-mail”.

When asked whether there are still hotel that did not use ICT, the comment was

“We are not living in the stone age” we do not know but we learned using

information technology slowly.

At grace manor hotel the manager said that using e-mail when sending a greater

amount of information to customers is more convenient than phone.

“We put thing in writing rather than explaining when they (customers) do not

understand, we are functioning in written communication”

He further comments however that the choice of communication channel

depended on those with whom the communication was made. Communication

within the hotel was mainly done in intercom. Cell phone turns out to be an

important tool for the communication with customers, since all the managers were

available 24 hours a day in order to provide service to their guest. Also personal

visits were made when needed. Considering the on-line bookings for customers it

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does not exist in the hotel. He explained that on-line booking require more

manpower and is more expensive for the hotel. He rather consider good service

such as fast reaction when guest is in trouble or need help in case of shortage of

cash. Presently payment in the hotels in Nsukka urban is done by cheque or cash.

Other means such as bank drafts, credit cards and western union transfer are not

cherished by the hotel. The credit card were however rarely use since customers

were unwilling to leave their credit card number even if the systems is employed,

equally on-line payment system were considered too costly or insecure, especially

for the starts-ups like Nsukka, even though they had plans for internet banking in

the future.

Plate 13: local Area network Connection for Internet

Local area network is a common feature of the hotel. When a computer is

connected in a network to another computer in the hotel building; the hotel

personnel can still use it to do their work as usual, unlike when there is no network

connection. When there is network connection several new possibilities open up;

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File sharing: on a stand- alone network computer you may by able to work with

files stored on other people‟s computer too. Rather have network users rummaging

through each other‟s hard disks; information that is needed by everyone in a

particular department (in accounts, for example, or in a reception desk) is usually

stored on a single, powerful, permanently switched-on computer called a file

server.

Security of information: before networks became common place, an individual

employee might be the only one with a particular piece of information, which was

stored in his or her desktop computer. If the employee was dismissed, or if a fire

or flood demolished the office- the hotel would lose that information. Today such

data would be backed up or duplicated on a networked storage device shared by

others.

Sharing hard ware: in a stand –alone world, people can print only if a printer is

attached directly to their computer. By connecting one or more printer to a

computer network, everyone whose computer is also attached to the same network

can print their documents. Printers sharing means that everyone can print (although

not at same time) without everyone having an individual printer. The same is true

of other hardware resources, such as scanner. Peripheral device such as laser

printer and scanners are often quite expensive.

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Consequently, to justify their purchase, management wants to maximize their use.

Usually the best way to do this is to connect the peripheral to a network serving

several computer uses.

E-mail: meetings, telephone conversations, letters and memos- typically, these are

the ways in which people in a hotel communicate with another. Computer

networks makes possible another form of communication called electronic mail, e-

mail for short. With e-mail, everyone on a network can easily keep other posted

about important information. This is the exchange of (usually plain-text) message

between users of computers that are connected to a common network.

Sharing of programs and data: In Grace Manor hotel they use the same software

and need access to the same information. It is less expensive for a hotel to buy a

separate word processing program that will serve many employees. Moreover, if

all employees have access to the same data on a shared storage device, the hotel

can save money has a separate machine; some employee may update customer

addresses, while others remain ignorant of the change. Updating information on a

shared sever is much easier than updating every user‟s individual system.

Finally, network –linked employees can more easily work together on line on

shared projects. Users connected to a computer network can exchange files: one

person can write information about a budget, another can edit it, a third can lay it

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out, while a fort can contribute a drawing or a scanned photograph. This kind of

co-operative work over a network is known as workgroup computing. The hotel

presently uses local area network. A local area network (LAN) connects connect

computer and devices in a limited hotel, or such one office, one building, or a

group of hotel building close together. A small LAN is a modest office might link

a file server with a few terminals or pc and a printer or two. Communication

message to other computer become possible through router when several networks

especially the internet are connected together. High-speed routers can serve as part

of the internet backbone, or transaction path handling the major data traffic of the

hotel transaction.

Plate 14: Mobile Phone in Use for Communication

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Plate 15: Satellite Device for Receiving of Information Signal

Plate 16: Televsion in use for News Communication

The conceptualization of digitization of new information technologies ( T V

Satellite / transitters) in the hotel is mainly for sociological entertainment with the

intention of psychological reconditioning of the guest through a daily live planned

program in the communication media before his request is attended to. Though

there is no economic advantage derived, rather it boost the social outstanding of

the hotel when compared to hotels who do not have such gadgets. The idea is to

connect the guest to the global communication agenda through televsion viewing

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for him to know the present situation in terms of current news ( CNN feature

mainly) for movies in terms enterainment( African magic feature mainly)

Plate 17: Scanning Device in Use in the Hotel

scanner is an input device that can read text or illustration printed on paper and

translate the information into a form the computer can use.this device can display

image on the video display or print it out on a graphics printer.

Plate 18: Structural Building of Conis Hotel Building.

Conis hotel is situated along New Anglican road Nsukka off Aku road junction.

140

The hotel was established in November 2002.The hotel is located at the city

center. The hotel has massive natural environment and quite screen worth

admiring. The name was initiated from the acronym of sibling. It has 26 rooms

currently.

.

Plate19:Television Technolgy Intertainment Device.

The device is stationed at the reception arena to keep guest informed about the

current news and other happemings in the country.It mainly for sociological

entertainment with the intention of psychological reconditioning of the guest

through a daily live planned program in the communication media before his

request is attended to. Though there is no economic advantage derived, rather it

boost the social outstanding of the hotel when compared to hotels who do not have

such gadgets.

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Plate 20: Structural Building of New Hotel Carolina

The hotel is located at no 1 Obollo Road off beach junction in a place

usually known as Obukpa village in Nsukka Local Government Area. New hotel

Carolina was established in 1980 by then Minister of Health during the leadership

of President Shehu Shagari and Vice President Alex Ekwueme. The hotel was

named after the wife chief Mrs C.O. Ugwu Lolo 1 of Obupka (nnemurora). The

hotel has 28 rooms as accommodation.

Plate 21: Telecom Technology in use at the reception area

142

This is the telecom switch that connects every other intercom in the hotel.

Plate 22: Telecom Technology in Use in Hotel

Plate 23: Satellite Receiver Device

143

Telecom is one of the present information communication gadgets in use in

this hotel. It is reliable and easier way to obtain and pass on information on which

task that shall be carryout by the receiver.

Plate 24: Old Bells formally used for Information Device.

The use of bells was formal way of communicating to guest before the

installation of telecom. Guest are requested to ring the hotelier through this

medium and when any of the bell rang the number that rang is noted and attention

is paid to the room in question.

Plate 25: Structural Building of Old Carolina Hotel Nsukka

144

Old hotel Carolina was established earlier in 1998 by then Minister of Health

during the leadership of President Shehu Shagari and Vice President Alex

Ekwueme. The old hotel Carolina is located at no 19 Obollo Road after beach

junction in a place usually known as Obukpa village in Nsukka Local Government

Area. Old hotel Carolina was named after the wife chief Mrs C.O Ugwu Lolo 1 of

Obupka (Nnemurora). The hotel has 30 rooms as accommodation. The use of

intercom was a common feature in the hotel but none was found in hotel room at

the time of the research.

Plate 26: Bar Section of Old Carolina hotel Nsukka.

Here is the section were guest makes demand for drinks such as star, Gulder

and soft drinks. More so other brands of drinks are sold depending on the choice of

the guest in question.

145

Plate 27: Reception Section of Old Carolina hotel Nsukka.

Here is the reception section of the hotel were accommodation are booked by the

guest on arrival. Other necessary information is given to the guest such as time of

checking out of the hotel as well the security state of the hotel.

Plate 28: Furnished Room without Information Technology

Most hotel rooms available in the hotel lack intercom at the moment as a

means of meeting the communication need of the guest. This has posed a serious

challenge for the guest whenever the need arises in terms of making demands or

giving a compliant based on observation.

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Plate 29: Front View of Ikenga Hotel Ltd Nsukka

The hotel can be reach in about 20 minutes drive from Nsukka main market.

Ikenga Hotel Nsukka was commissioned by the military Governor of Anambra

state group Captain Sampson Emeka Omeruah on the Eight of May, Nineteen

Hundred and Eighty Seven. The hotel has 38 rooms as accommodation for tourist.

Food are not presently cooked in the hotel so tourist are advised to be informed

about the state of the hotel except for sudden attention by the government who runs

the affairs of the hotel.

Plate 30: Reception Section of the Ikenga Hotel Nsukka.

147

Here is the reception section of the hotel were accommodation are booked

by the guest on arrival. Other necessary information is given to the guest such as

time of checking out of the hotel as well the security state of the hotel.

Plate 31: Dilapidated State of the Information Technology Section

The state of information technology in the hotel used to be admirable but,

since the government has lost interest in the hotel, everything about the hotel has

changed drastically. Guest rarely visits the hotel because it is no longer conducive

for human habitation.

Plate 32: Dilapidated state of the information technology section.

148

Plate 33: Structural building of Fen Park Hotel Nsukka

The hotel was established in the 1980. Fen park hotel is located at no 3 Nru

Nsukka Umudimkwo villages. The hotel is along Enugu road, so tourist can get to

the hotel directly without reaching Nsukka market. The royal home of Attah,

Umuoyo Nru Nsukka. Fen park hotel has 8 rooms as accommodation for guest

satisfaction. The fame of the hotel was very high in those days that everyone

desires to patronize them. But change is a constant phenomenon and when other

new hotels emerge attention was diverted to other current hotel as a result of better

quality service, high level of information technology facilities and new

architectural building.

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Plate 34: Bar Section of Fen Park Hotel Nsukka.

Plate 35: Structural Building of El-Rina Guest House Ltd.

El- Rina Guest house is located at Oloto Road Ajie hill Odenigbo Nsukka. A

guest can reach the hotel in 3 minutes drive from Odenigbo roundabout.The hotel

has 30 rooms as accommodation for guest. The name of the hotel was initiated

when the owner was working with the Chinese company. This is the name that he

was usually called by these Chinese men and thereafter he fall in love with the

name so after his own hotel was built 1981 he decided to call the name of the hotel

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El-Rina Hotel although the name sound like an Igbo name, but it not an Igbo name

as it sound in ears of the Igbo speaking people.

Plate 36: Reception and Enquiries Section of El-Rina Guest House

Here is the first point of core of the hotel were guest make inquiries about

the mode of payment for accommodation, checking out time and types of meal

sold as well prices attached to each meal.

Plate 37: Telecom Technology in Use in Hotel.

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Intercom is a common device in the hotel, one is found in the reception arena.

Through this medium the receptionist commiuncate with guest in their various

rooms and guest equally tender reuest to the receptionist when due.

4.2 THE STATE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SELECTED

HOTELS NSUKKA URBAN.

The information technology employed in the hotels as perceived by the

researcher are sets of instruments or tools, technical know-how initiated then

employed by the management of the hotel to meeting the security, accommodation,

food safety and augment any other activities that are carried out within the hotel to

enhance the smooth running and control of the hotel environment and

administration for maximum hotel development. Why and how the information

technology is applied greatly determine the level of awareness and patronage, why

the type of information technology programme installed in the computer system

and other facilities determine its level of meeting the operational needs of the hotel

via a vise the touristic needs and want. A standard information technology

oriented hotel usually possessed the following information facilities for the smooth

and efficient running of the hotel business such includes telecom, website,

computers, mobile telephone, internet, electronic door key lock, property

management system (PMS) and central reservation system (CRS). However, these

form the yardstick for measuring the state of information technology in the

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selected hotels in Nsukka Urban. Hence, the researcher consider the state of

information technology in Nsukka Urban by looking at the table and histogram

chart below.

INFORMATION

TECHNOLGY

FACILITIES

IN STANDARD

HOTEL.

SELECTED HOTELS IN NSUKKA URBAN.

CEC

Guest

House

Grace

Manor

Hotel

Conis

Hotel

Hotel

Carolina

Ikenga

Hotel

Fen

Park

Hotel

El-

Rina

Intercom

Website X X X X X X

Computers X X X X X

Mobile Telephone

Internet X X X X X

Property

Management System

(PMS)

X X X X X X X

Central Reservation

System (CRS).

X X X X X X

FIG. 3: SELECTED HOTELS IN NSUKKA URBAN

KEY: X – Not available

√ - Available

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FIG. 4: Information Technology Facilities in Hotels in Nsukka.

The chart shows that the 7 hotels have intercom information technology in

their hotel. This is use for internal hotel communication between co-workers and

guest. 1 hotel had a website (Grace Manor Hotel). The browser used was Explore

and the software used is easy-hotelling. 6 hotels that did not have one were

planning to develop a website sometimes in the future. 2 hotels had computer

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Telecom Website Computers Mobile

Telephone

Internet Electronic

Door Keylock

Property Mgt.

System

(PMS)

Central

Reservation

System (CRS)

Information Technology Facilities

Number of hotels

154

system (Grace Manor hotel and CEC Guest House) their database was found to be

excel sheet and Microsoft word files where data was stored. Grace manor hotel

also used the outlook address as a database to store the customers‟ contact

information. 7 hotels have mobile phone. It use for both internal and external

communication purpose to meet customers needs and delegate responsibilities to

co-workers. 2 hotels (Grace Manor Hotel and CEC Guest House) have internet

connection and e-mail address through which their intending and old customers

can contact the hotel owners.1 hotel (CEC Guest House) has electronic door key

lock out of the seven hotels. None of the seven hotels in Nsukka has property

management system (PMS). 1 hotel (Grace Manor Hotel) has central reservation

system out of the seven hotels.

As a result of this development InfoTech is receiving optimum attention in

these hotel in terms of inter hotel bookings through internet services and telephone

communication networks. Internal communication takes place through a process

called the intercom, while external telephone communication takes place through

such network service like Mtn, Glo, Etisalat mobile phones while internets services

such as yahoo mail for sending e-mail and goggle for browsing through net to find

out suitable hotel, its location and features with the intention of making reservation

for accommodation. The entire application act as a catalyst in meeting the basic

organizational and tourist needs for protection.

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Providing guest protection and loss prevention is essential feature for hotels

in Nsukka urban regardless of size. Violent crime is a growing problem and

protection of guest from bodily harm has been defined by the courts as

unreasonable expectation from hotels. Therefore the security / loss department of

these hotels is responsible for monitoring alarm systems and implementing

procedures aimed at protecting the personal property of tourists and employees and

the hotel itself. In the cause of my research I discovered that these have been

achieved in Grace Manor hotel. There are installations of two-way radios in out –

of –the way corridors and doorways, as well as in food, liquor and storage area,

smoke dictators and fire alarms which increase the safety of the guests. It is

pertinent to note too that most key systems record every entry in and out of the

room on the compute without the knowledge of the guest. Additionally the

researcher observed the closed-circuit television cameras inform of satellite

installed to monitor every activity that happens in the hotel via a television system

which is continuously viewed by the hotel manager on daily basis. Through this

medium he correct , notify and brought to book anyone that goes contrary against

the stated rules and regulations of the hotel establishment without moving an

inch in his sitting position. This has aided both staff and customer to be conscious

of their daily activities so as to avoid the attention of policemen. In the same vein,

recommendation has equally been made by the management toward staff through

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the help of the camera on yearly basis. The camera has helped the management to

know staffs who is working hard for the betterment of the organization without

their personal knowledge. This computerized network system has increase the level

of efficiency in hotel transaction through the machine called the computer.

However, communications with hotels are carried out with the aid of

computer and telephone. some hotels such as CEC guest house, Grace manor hotel

said that e-mail communication was slow, while Conis Hotel, Hotel Carolina,

Ikenga Hotel El-Rina has no computer in use presently in the hotel as observed by

the researcher. Those who have do not often use it; it would either be because the

customer care does not reply mail quickly enough or because they lack the

technical knowledge of how to use computer system. The response from hotel

managers shows that telephone communication is mostly in use. According to my

informant, telephone is used for personal contact between hoteliers and tourist after

first contact has been established. This is because ICT infrastructure has not been

fully employed in the hotel. Marketing and advertising were mainly done by the

word-of-mouth, magazines and newspaper, yellow pages and just-dial service.

Further communication with tourist could turn out to be personal visits since the

tourist wanted to be convinced in person about what the hotel has to offer before

payment are made. Payments for service rendered to tourist in Nsukka are done

mainly by cash and bank draft, since hotels in Nsukka urban consider online

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payment system too costly or insecure for transaction. In new Hotel Carolina the

manager said that payment can be made in the bank current account for

accommodation reservation usually for very close customer who are already

familiar with hotel and must come with duplicate teller as proof for payment. Plans

for the use of internet banking, cheque, bank transfer, bank drafts, credit cards and

western union money transfer are yet to be considered as a result of low level

security in monetary transaction as stated by the informant. Information technology

is a boon for development and if hotels in Nsukka should understand it then

incorporate and utilize it strategically in order to serve their target markets,

improve on their efficiency; they invariable maximize profitability at the long-

term.

4.3 FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

IN NSUKKA URBAN.

Most of the hotels were not aware of the factors militating against information

technology in Nsukka. They regarded InfoTech as something good and useful,

something that they would not be able to operate their business without in this

present information age. The problems recognized were generally the technical

and security issues. The main risks seen were viruses, “fake” messages and

various spans despite the use of programs such as Norton Antivirus. One hotel

manger complained on the pornography that their staff was receiving. Other

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problems with InfoTech were hacking and copying of websites. This issue was

serious in some of these hotels, making them reformat or reprogram their

computers. The internet connectivity was seen as a problem by some hotel.

Slow internet connection and insufficient band breadth were other obstacles for

not adopting information technology in the hotel. The manager of Grace

Manor hotel stated that the estimated costs for the hosting of their website is at

the high side awaiting proper consideration.

Nsukka urban currently lack the basic social infrastructure such as constant

electricity supply which are the most rudimentary requirements for the take-off

information technology. Blackouts were generally seen as a major factor since

the high price of fuel purchase in on the increase, (this has seriously affected

hotels in Nsukka Urban) and once there is a power failure you stand the chance

of losing contact immediately if alternative power supply is not created.

Poor management of hotel in Nsukka has resulted in information technological

backwardness which has lead hotels to total reliant on word of mouth and radio

station in reaching out to tourist.

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4.4 PROSPECTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN HOTELS IN

NSUKKA.

The world has eventually become a small global village due to the

emergence of the age of information technology. As communication technology

accelerates us into the „information super way‟ a big issue is to use it most

effectively. Not more than two of the hotels had an annual budget for information

technology (Grace Manor hotel and CEC guest house). The first one put their

budget only on the prospective website creation and maintenance and the other one

had no plans for bigger investment since they were trying to be cost effective. CEC

guest had plans for introducing an ICT budget in the future. The reason for absence

of the ICT budget in remaining hotels was either because the current investment on

ICT was not appreciated or because of lack of financial resources. The Grace

Manor hotel which plans for investing more in information technology in the

future felt that their present investment were not enough . They consider their

business being dependent on information technology. The manager of Grace

Manor hotel expresses it as;

“The more you invest, the more you get”.

Comparing various hotels in Nsukka, it is pertinent to note that bigger hotels like

Grace Manor hotel and CEC guest House gained more by using InfoTech than

160

smaller ones, the major reason being the financial resources advantage of bigger

hotels. It was observed by the researcher that bigger hotels benefit more as they

had more employees that could make use of the existing resources. The manager

who has not employed InfoTech in their hotel had different thoughts and stated that

the benefit gained from using InfoTech depended on how it was used. He indicated

that small hotel could do more business than the bigger ones, meaning that smaller

hotel has more chance to conquer the market depending on their product packaging

in the internet.

However, the present improvements which were communicated to me

include purchasing more computers, updating the internet connection and getting

more e-mail Ids. One of the hotel are making plans to sign a contract with a web

hosting company so that their product should be made known to all guest who are

intending coming into Nsukka urban.

It will be interesting to note that if hotels in Nsukka should be able to

employ the maximum use of information technology they will cut cost on the use

of telephone and fax since internet is cheaper, faster, easier and more convenient

way of doing business. Further on, the use of information technology has improved

the query process and information flow and it was regarded as a time saving factor.

Buying of flat office files and doing paper work as well as cost of man power will

be reduced since the word and excel files will be use instead. One advantage that a

161

hotel in Nsukka should have is a website. The advantage of having a website will

make tourist to know about the hotel background, product and services offered.

One interesting benefit, recognized was the aspect of the agreements which

weighed more and are more legally bound than the agreement over the phone.

Another advantage of e-mail use was the possibility of sending a large amount of

information to a customer, by which it was possible to give better explanation of

some things in written form than face –to –face usual conversation.

However, there is big hope since the present selection and recruitment of human

resources are basically those with computer skill and knowledge.

The chairman of Nsukka local government is working seriously had to make sure

that constant electricity supply is enhanced.

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CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Information technology is a conscious innovation which is an icon for

modern development in the hotel industry. It is regarded as the nervous system that

holds together the hotelier and the guest regardless of the class of hotel and its

geographical location, transaction must be carried at every stage in the sales cycle

of the tourism product provided communication flows quickly and accurately

between the hotelier and the tourist in servicing the tourist needs.

However, Nsukka urban it located in the Anambra river basin of the defunct

Eastern Nigeria and covers a space of about 3,961 square kilometer. It lies between

latitude 60 18 and 7

0 54 east. They experience dry and rainy seasons- April to

October and dry season November to February usually called the hamattan period.

Fruits features predominantly in Nsukka, sales of cashew nut and honey are

common practices and with the establishment of university of Nigeria Nsukka

brought massive educational tourism in this geographical location which in turn

has enhance the establishment of hotel in 1958 by a widely travelled man called

Barrister Charles Abangwu who established the first hotel with the name premier

hotel with three rooms apartment. Since then hotel establishment has continue to

grow under the bronze class rating of international standard of “2 Star” category,

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except for CEC and Grace manor hotel which exceeded the room capacity average

of 50 rooms to 76 rooms for CEC guest house and 62 rooms for Grace Manor

Hotel could be tag “3 Star” as a result of the present accommodations and

information technology facilities in those hotels and cost of accommodation rating.

Information technology facilities such as security satellite, computer

software application, internet and electronic gadgets like scanner,

telecommunication and detective hand device for checking guest-into-the hotel has

reduced the of dangerous weapon that could have gain entry into the hotel. Hotel

bookings are mainly done through the aid of communication network with the aid

of mobile phone for external communication and intercom for internal

communication. These acts as a catalyst in meeting the basic hotel mission in the

sales of their product, since tourism products are volatile in that if they are not sold

represent lost revenue. Therefore, the use of information technology facilities has

to flow in the opposite direction between the hotel manager and the tourist for

effective and efficient means of meeting the tourist need. Although most often this

intention is being obstructed by computer viruses, instability of phone network and

hacking and copying of website, slow internet connection and incontinent supply

of electricity has really affected information technology. Despite all these hotels

usually make plans in form of installation of generator sets, increase in bandwidth,

164

use of anti-viruses and hosting standard web site with copy restriction from

imitators.

Summarily, it is pertinent to note that hotels owner in Nsukka urban should

reason together with their manager and provide a stable finance for InfoTech this

will create improvement in reaching out to customers need. Paraventure they could

not take advantage of the information revolution and surf this great wave of

technological change anyone of those hotels who refuses may be crushed out of the

market, and even more are likely to be more marginalized and economically

stagnant in the future than they are today.

Conclusively, information technology is a pointer to hotel development

because it will lessen the bad experience and reduce higher level of frustration

usually experience by tourist and secondly, it will lessen the endless movement of

managers moving from one area of hotel to another in carrying out inspection and

in communicating to co-workers.

165

LIST OF INFORMAT

S/n Name Hotel Position Date of

interview

Age

1 Mr. Sec Ezeugwu Hotel History informant Retired

Civilian

19/2/12 69

2 Mr. Ibekwe Ferdinard New Carolina Hotel

Nsukka

Manager 20/2/12 40

3 Mr. Uche Ogbu Grace Manor Hotel &

Suites

Manager 21/2/12 37

4 Mr. Ikenna Ephraim Old Hotel Carolina

Nsukka

Manager 22/2/12 45

5 Mr Omeje Onyebuchi Conis Hotel Nsukka Manager 23/2/12 36

6 Mr. Gabriel Egesimha CEC Guest House Nsukka Manager 24/2/12 49

7 Mr. Kingsley Ugwu El-Rina Guest House

Nsukka

Manager 25/2/12 27

8 Mr. Theophlius Ogonna Fen Park Hotel Nsukka Manager 26/2/12 50

9 Mr. Okechukwu

Onuigbo

Ikenga Hotel Ltd Nsukka Manager 27/212 51

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Questionnaire Guide

1. What is your name? ---------------------

2. What is your age range: 20-40, 40-60? ------------

3. When was your hotel established? ----------------

4. Is there any history guiding your hotel development? --------

5. How can a tourist locate your hotel? ---------

6. What is the name of your hotel? --------------

7. What are the numbers of hotel rooms available in your hotel? ----------

8. What information technology facilities do your hotel have presently e.g.? ------

(a) Computers

(b) Telecom

(c) Telephone

(d) Internet

(e) Accommodation reservation through internet

(f) Do you have website where information about your hotel can be viewed? ---

(g) Apart from the above is there any other information technology in use in hotel? ------------

10. What software did your hotel install in your computer that helps in the day to day running of your hotel business? ----------------

11. Is information technology important for use in hotel development? ----------

12. What factors are affecting your hotel from not using information technology to perform your function? ---------------

13. Is there any hope that information technology will be used in your hotel in the near future? -------------------

167

14. Why do you think that telephone, telecom, computers should be used in your hotel operation? ----------------------

15. What facilities/ services do your hotels have that will make tourist prefer your hotel to others in hotel in Nsukka urban? ------------------

168

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