rating , where would you place yourself ? Four and a half star ( laughter ). Seriously , we are above the four-star standard . Interestingly , some international group came here the other day and said , you are a five star hotel . We are proud of you guys ; you know what you are doing . You are fivestar !
Nigeria is currently experiencing a recession but you are waxing stronger , how ’ s that ? Hospitality will always grow . No matter how tough things are , people will make effort to grow . And in that process , companies will still holding conferences . People will still need to travel . People will always eat . So the hospitality industry is a conduit to transfer wealth because you need it to be able to move around , when you find you need a hotel to stay , to do your business . So it helps to make business work . There ’ s no way you can ever take it out . If you have foreign investors coming to Nigeria , they can ’ t stay in people ’ s homes ; they will stay in hotels . You have serious business meeting and they will hold it in a hotel because they need a conducive atmosphere , a place that has been set up for that purpose so that they
can have their businesses done . Then , there are other social activities where you need the hotel to come and play . So as long as people keep travelling , hotel is the platform to help people and business .
The hotel is a store of value The hotel is a virtual office
How are you dealing with technology ? We have an ICT department – our technology department – they handle all issues of technological advancement . We incorporate this into our marketing , into everything we do . We are seriously investing in cutting edge technology . Our reservation system is world best-practice standard . We are on web , we are on virtually all social media platforms . We are a smart hotel .
What is your advice for the prospective hotelier ? They should do it for the passion , they should create value . Not do it for the money . If they are looking for quick money , they should do buying and selling FMCGS ( fast moving consumer goods ). If you want to make a success of it , there must be a hunger
to create value and prove that Nigeria can do it . This is the passion that will keep you . If you don ’ t have that passion , you won ’ t survive . There are lot of threats , for instance , government policy , monetary policy , interest rates , economies of scale , providing your own security , power , water treatment . These things can be frustrating . But then , the industry is still quite young in Nigeria . We don ’ t have many schools offering hotelling and tourism . But we have a wealth of personnel . We have had to train from scratch . There are so many things that discourage you . So for you to succeed , you have to have the passion . Passion overrides disappointment . You will overcome with time .
Initial capital ? It is capital – intensive but you can start small . You can start with 10-rooms and take if from there .
Orchid Hotels at Lekki and Asaba are worth billions of Naira . If I were to rank you , you should be easily be ranked as one of Nigeria ’ s top – moving entrepreneurs . Maybe ( Laughter ).
The Sounds of the Masters
Classical Journey with Nkanu Egbe
Sundays 01:05pm
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20 invests . ng - MARCH / APRIL 2017