A MOMENT WITH JAMES SORIE SAMURA

• The hotel industry
• Hotel security and its importance
• In hotel operations
• Definition of hotel security
• Importance of hotel security
• Safe deposit
• Emergency in hotel management
• Hotel organisation and organogram
• Hotel revenue generating and expenditure departments

The Hotel Industry:

The hotel industry is a subsector of the accommodation industry and it is concerned with the provision of lodging and food and beverages. It is more specified than the accommodation industry. It also provide some other services such as entertainment, recreation, conference and meeting services.

Hotel Security and its Importance in Hotel Operation:

Definition of Hotel Security: Hotel security is the security of the hotel guests, visitors, staff, guests’ properties and management properties. It involves installing security cameras, patrolling and monitoring.

Importance of Hotel Security

• Prevent theft
• Prevent accident
• Protect guest properties
• Protect facility
• Protect staff and guest

Safe Deposit

This is use to keep guest valuables. In small hotels, it is found in the reception section while in large hotels it is found in each guest room.

Emergency in Hotel Management

These are situations encountered by hotel management and therefore management should always be alert to handle and manage such occurrences. They include fire outbreaks, illness or death, thefts, bomb etc. To manage such, precautions should be taken that ensures that their occurrence is militated. Check all fire appliances and naked cables, report any strange sound, do not allow sick people to work especially in food production areas. Ensure that health status of suspicious guests is recorded before being lodged. Check vehicles at the gate and ensure all guest and staff bags are checked while entering or leaving the hotel premises. There should be a record for lost and found at the reception centre.

Hotel Organisation: Hotel organisation is the way or structure in which the various departments or units are hierarchically structured to give an inform system of command and instructional information flow. This may vary from one hotel to another based on the nomenclature of their departments or units but a typical hotel organisation structure is presented below.

Hotel Revenue Generating and Expenditure Departments

The hotel is divided into departments or units. These departments are categorised into front of the house and back of the house. Front of the house is made up of departments which have direct contact with guests while back of the house have departments with less or no contact with guests.

The hotel is further divided into revenue generating departments and expenditure departments. The revenue generating departments are mainly the accommodation department/unit, the laundry unit, food and beverages units, entertainment unit, which comprises the swimming pool, gym and nightclub, conference halls, event halls and the business centre. The expenditure departments include the maintenance, security, human resources, account, and administration as the case may be.