Evaluation Of Tourism And Eco-Tourism In Nigeria

This study was carried out on the employability of home economics graduate in hospitality industry using selected hospitality management companies in Surulere Lagos State as a case study. To achieve this, four significant research objectives were formulated. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprise of all the staff of selected hospitality management companies in Surulere Lagos State. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 60 respondents while 55 were received and 50 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency, and mean score tables. While the hypotheses were tested using T-test statistical tool, SPSS v23. The result of the findings reveals that there is no significance difference between the mean response of determine related area of hospitality in home economics study programme and hospitality industry area. Also, the study discovered that there is no significance difference between the mean response of preparedness of home economics graduate for employment in hospitality industry and preparedness of student of hospitality industry. In regard to the findings, the study recommends that there should be periodic reviews of the home economics curricula and programmes of tertiary institutions to make them relevant to existing gaps and responsive to changes in hospitality industry, societal needs, labour market requirements, economic trends, rapid changes in information technology and globalization. And employability skills should be taught as one of the topics in human economics programsor as a general course because when the curricula incorporates courses that would enhance graduate productivity at work, graduates of our tertiary institutions will be well-equipped to meet the challenges of the workplace environment trend To mention but a few.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

From the global and historical perspectives, hospitality industry is as old as humanity and it cuts across all facets of human endeavor; be it at home, office, while travelling or on leisure (Roberson, Kleynhans, & Coetzee, 2014). In the study carried out by Negi, Tiwari and Singh (2014) the practice of hospitality was reckoned as a relationship between a guest and a host in diverse and specialized forms with liberality and goodwill. In short, it is the act or practice of being hospitable to visitors, strangers or guests. The industry, according to Rahman (2014); Kuslavan (2003), is closely interwoven with the tourism industry to the point that the use of umbrella term „hospitality and tourism industry‟ in most cases is imperative. However, Negi et al. (2014) identified hospitality as an industry in its own since it meets the needs of customers other than tourists.

Hospitality industry has in many ways significantly depicted a country"s growth and prosperity through the standard of food and accommodation available in a destination following the impression and image of that place in the mind of the traveler (Negi, et al., 2014). No wonder the most outstanding and charming structures in most cities are mostly linked to hospitality industry.

Realizing the relevance of hospitality industry to the economic transformation of nations, the establishment of its training institutions at lower and graduate levels (national and international) became imperative (Harkison, Poulston & Kim, 2011; Chi & Gursoy, 2009). Historically, Kenya Utali College was one of earlier established school with the aim to train personnel that could meet with the manpower need of the hospitality and tourism industry just as some public and private universities and polytechnics followed afterward with hospitality programmes at degree and diploma levels (Kyule, 2013; Rotich, Sawe, & Akgili, 2012). According to Donina and Luka (2014), hospitality management education started well towards the end of 19th century. However, Sisson and Adams (2013), note that the number of hospitality training institutions and programmes world-over increased dramatically soon after the establishment of Cornell University in the 1920s. Ashutosh (2014) pointed out that the coming in of the hospitality management tertiary education was found to be timely and appropriate at addressing the challenge posed by the extremely dynamic business world and the rapidly developing knowledge based service economy over an increased demand for professionals to managethe business effectively. In the hospitality industry, properly trained personnel are required to satisfy the teeming needs of customers in the face of fiercely competitive global village but surprisingly the industry, according to Kuslavan (2003), go for more of the unskilled labourforce than the certificated hospitality management graduates in addition to cases of gender inequality that pervade the hospitality.

In Nigeria, as in other African countries (like Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania), technical education and vocational training programmes aimed at turning out skilled labour relevant to the needs of the industry were established while some are in the pipeline. There is therefore every need to keep proper tract of the hospitality training programmes to ensure that the right labour forces the industry needs are provided. It is essential that challenges negating the primary desires of the stakeholders for industrial and economic development are decisively identified and dealt with.

The Federal Government of Nigeria promulgated Decree 9 in January, 1977 that established the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Section 5 of the decree provides among others that the Board shall determine the general programmes to be pursued by polytechnics/tertiary institutions. The board was also empowered to lay down standards of skill to be attained and to continually review such standards as necessitated by technological and national needs. Furthermore, Section 8(1) of Federal Government of Nigeria Education Decree 16 of 1985 provides that the responsibility for the establishment of minimum standards in tertiary institutions shall be vested on the Minister of Education after consultation with NBTE and thereafter the Board shall have responsibility for the maintenance of such standards.

The hospitality industry has a vast array of entrepreneurial opportunities as it could be started with a minimum capital. Stories of successful entrepreneurs like Ini Akpabio of Nigeria, Colonel Harlan Sanders, Cesar Ritz or Thomas Cook abound in the industry (Chon& Maier, 2010). It would be uncalled for if in spite of numerous job opportunities within the fields of the hospitality industry, some trained personnel for this profession are found on the unemployment queue. Ungui et al. (2014) attribute such ugly situation to poor remuneration and the resultant high graduate labour turnover. Pani, Das and Sharma (2014) in their study believe that most countries may not have problem of unemployment but that of unemployability. This implies that job opportunities may exist but the skill or knowhow for the job may be lacking, This also informed the understanding of Ntuli (2013) regarding the oscillation between labour market shortage on one hand and the number of certificated graduates that are without work on the other hand thereby justifying importation of professionals to a country with high graduate unemployment.

Whitelaw, Barron, Buultjens, Caincross and Davidson (2009) assert that hospitality industry has certain characteristics that influence the qualities needed by managers at all levels and thus the need for its unique curriculum. Hospitality management graduates may be certificated to go into labour market but not all may qualify for employment. This is why (Marija (2013); Chi and Gursoy (2009) assert that employability is more than job certification but it is about building capacity for working and promoting self-efficacy. To Kamari (2003), employability is the ability of an individual to possess the qualities and competences needed to cope with changing and challenging expectations of employers and customers and thereby realize his or her aspirations and potential work.

Home economics as an academic discipline is continually evolving and adopting to a world where speed of change is constantly increasing. Presently, the practitioners are working at re-orientating home economics to better embrace the present day challenges and ensure its relevance in the new millennium. Home economics is a unique subject because it drew upon all other courses in the school curriculum and apply them to the family.

According to Osifeso, Chigbu and Aladewolu (2010), home economics is an art because it involves skills that are based on certain tradition and qualities which are intangible and indefinable e.g. beauty, taste and values. It is also a science because it involves the application of knowledge and truth which have been arrived at through scientific process. Home economics does not try to teach philosophy, mathematics, physics, art, music, religion, among other subject but it attempt to integrate them all and apply them in the daily process of home making. Therefore, it aims to contribute to the student"s harmonious and balanced physical, cognitive and effective development, so that regardless of their sex and origin to be able to become well-rounded creative responsible individual and contributive members of the society. It major subjects include meal management, food and beverages, dietetics food research and development, food hygiene, food and nutrition, home management, clothing and textile, laundry and interior and exterior decoration among others.

Home economics as a course boards in management of home and family members, in a way that thy will be well feed with adequate balance and hygienically prepared food, as well as making sure that the individual in the home are well dressed home hygienically kept. While almost the activities goes on in the hospitality industry, such as hotels. In hospitality industry there major purpose is to keep people in a home outside their home and make sure that they are well feed with adequate prepared food, sleep in a well made bed with clean linen and make sure that their interior and exterior are well beautified. Therefore, hospitality industry be defined as broad category of field with the service industry that include lodging, food and drink service, event planning, travel and tourism, hotel, restaurants and bars.

Hospitality industry focus on the satisfaction of customers, and level of service provide as well economics of the industry. Considering the information above, it seems that a home economic graduate can be sufficiently employed in the hospitality industry with little training because the competences acquired by home economics graduate.
Lagos State is a mega city full tourists and different types of hospitality industry such as victory hotel, Eko hotel, Airways, Sheraton hotel among others where home economics graduate can be employed. Therefore, this study is undertaking to investigate employability of home economics graduate in hospitality industry in Lagos State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Home Economics graduate education is designed to produce graduates that are relevant to the needs of our industry but the industry, according to Kusluvan (2003), prefers unskilled labour force to employing the graduates. Kuslavan (2003) justified his position on labour force preference to inadequate industry-academia collaboration to produce graduates that are relevant to the needs of the industry. Negi, Tiwari and Singh (2014) note that the industry largely provides flexible employment to secondary labour markets, such as students and tourists seeking transitory or part-time employment instead of engaging more of the permanent and skilled workforce. They reported further that low status jobs in the society are done by low status people who do not require prior skill training but on-the-job training. Tews and Van Hoof (2012) blamed the preference of unskilled labourforce over qualified home economics graduates on what they termed misconception concerning the industry such as:

Hospitality business is just a matter of common sense which does not really need education (degree) to learn how to serve people and check them in. •

Hospitality programmes lack intellectual rigor hence they are considered menial.

Everyone is exposed to catering for basic human needs and as such food and accommodation could be provided by the individual at home.

Hospitality industry has a quite number of entrepreneurial opportunities as it could be started with a minimum capital (Chon & Maier, 2010; Wardle, 2014; Wakelin-Theron, 2014). One therefore wonders if home economics graduates should be part of the Nigeria unemployed graduates and so called for investigation and appropriate recommendations.

Lagos state with her abundant tourism and hospitality advantages stands tall in the march towards job creation and sustainability for Nigeria economic development (Ayodele, et al., 2013). It thus became imperative to examine the ongoing activities of the hospitality industry in Lagos state in the specified areas of this study so as to decisively deal with any challenge to the home economics graduate employability aspiration of the stakeholders.

1.3 Purpose of Study

To determine related area of hospitality in home economics programme.

To preparedness of home economics graduate working in the hospitality industry.

To find out problem face by home economics graduate in the hospitality industry.

To find way of solving the problems encountered by home economics graduate in the hospitality industry.

1.4 Research Questions

What are the related area of hospitality in home economics study programme?
food and nutrition,

To what extent are preparedness of home economics graduate for employment in hospitality industry?

What are the problem face by home economics graduate working hospitality industry?

How can the problems face by home economics graduate be solved?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The study will test the following null hypotheses at 0.05 level significance.

H01: There is no significance difference between the mean response of determine related area of hospitality in home economics study programme and hospitality industry area.

H02: There is no significance difference between the mean response of preparedness of home economics graduate for employment in hospitality industry and preparedness of student of hospitality industry.

1.6 Significant of the Study

The study will be of great benefit to home economics graduate on the area to focus on home economics programme for hospitality industry work.

It will also highlight the problems face by home economics graduate in hospitality industry.
The study will proffer solution for the problem face by home economics graduate in the hospitality industry.

Finding of the Study

It serves as an eye opener to home economics lecturers in Colleges and Universities to focus on the related area of home economics programme to hospitality industry area. The lecturers will take it serious with the practical aspect of home economics that related to hospitality services. It will go a long way of curbing out the problem face by home economics graduate in hospitality industry.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of the study will focus on the employability of home economics graduate in the hospital industry in Lagos State.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The research is limited to employability of home economics graduate in hospitality industry in Lagos State.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Employability:

This is a set of achievement such as skill, which enable a graduate to be successful throughout working life. Employability is also a personal attributes that make graduate to gain employment and successful in their chosen occupation, which benefit themselves, the workforce, the community and economy.

Home Economics:

According to Osifeso, Chigbu and Aladewolu (2010) home economics is an art because it involves skill that are based on certain tradition and qualities which are intangible and indefinable, e.g. beauty, taste and values. It is also a science because it involves the application of knowledge and truth which have been arrived at through scientific process.

Hospitality:

Hospitality is the business of providing food accommodation, drink and entertainment for visitors and guest. It can also be said that hospitality is the act of being kind in welcoming strangers and guests.

Industry:

Industry is economics activities concerned the processing of raw materials.

Lagos State

Lagos State is a state in South Western Nigeria of 36 states. It is a mega city full of different types of hospitality industry.

Graduate:

Is a person who has successfully completed a course of study or training or complete of an academic degree.

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