ABSTRACT

The study examined the hotel facilities and customer patronage among selected hotels in Umuhia, Abia State. The objectives of the study are; To examine the identify the various hotel facilities that enhances customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia, examine the influence of quality facility on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia, determine the influence physical settings on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia, examine the influence of servicescape on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia and to determine the influence of interior design on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia. To achieve the objective of the study, survey research design was adopted. The researcher adopted primary data in getting the required information through the use of structured questionnaire. The population of the study is infinite owing the fact that the total number of hotel customer cannot be ascertained. The sample size of the study is 234 after adopting infinite formula. In analyzing the data, simple descriptive statistics was used. The findings revealed that Quality facility has a significant influence on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia. The findings also revealed settings has a significant influence on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia.. Also Servicescape has a significant influence on customer patronage in hotels in Umuahia. The study recommends that hospitality industry should integrate maintenance budgets into organizational objectives and have functional maintenance centres; hospitality industry should be committed to high maintenance management to minimize production losses and wastes. Also, Preventive maintenance education and training should be given to every machine operator on regular basis and implementation of preventive maintenance actions be monitored by the head of maintenance department to reduce the chances of machine breakdown.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION                                                                                       1

1.1 Background to the study                                                                                                  1

1.2 Statement of the problem                                                                                                 4

1.3 Objective of the study                                                                                                      6

1.4 Research questions                                                                                                            6

1.5 Research hypotheses                                                                                                         7

1.6 Significance of the study                                                                                                  7

1.7  Scope of the study                                                                                                            8

1.8 Operational Framework                                                                                                    8

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE                                            9

2.1 Conceptual framework                                                                                                   9

2.1.1 Facilities quality                                                                                                            9

2.1.2 Customer patronage                                                                                                       11       

2.1.3 Servicescape and customer patronage in hotels                                                             13

2.1.4 Physical settings and customer patronage                                                                     24

2.1.4.1 Dimensions of physical settings                                                                                  29

2.1.5 Interior design and customer patronage                                                                        33

2.2 Theoretical, framework                                                                                                     36

2.2.1 Theory of reasoned action (tra)                                                                                      36

2.2.2 Theory of planned behavior                                                                                           37

2.3 Empirical review                                                                                                               38

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY                                                                                      45

3.1 Research design                                                                                                                45

3.2 Area of the study                                                                                                              45

3.3 Population for the study                                                                                                   45

3.4 Sampling and sampling technique                                                                                    46

3.4.1 Sample size determination                                                                                             46

3.4.2 Sampling technique                                                                                                        47

3.5 Instrument for data collection                                                                                          47

3.6 Validation of the instrument                                                                                             48

3.7  Reliability of the instrument                                                                                             48

3.8 Method of data collection                                                                                                48

3.9 Method of data analysis                                                                                                   49

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS                                                                                             50

4.1 Data presentation                                                                                                              50

4.2. Data analysis for test of hypotheses                                                                                55

4.3 Test of hypotheses                                                                                                            56

4.4 Discussion of findings                                                                                                      58

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS             60

5.1 Summary                                                                                                                           60

5.1.1 Restatement of the problem                                                                                           61

5.1.2 Description of methods used                                                                                         62

5.1.3 Major findings                                                                                                                62

5.2 Conclusion                                                                                                                         63

5.3 Recommendations                                                                                                             63

5.4 Contribution to knowledge                                                                                               64

5.5 Suggestion for further studies                                                                                           64