African Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management

COVID-19 Risk Perception, Student Engagement, Peer Team Learning and Learning Satisfaction Among Hospitality and Tourism Students in Ghana

lolonyo Letsa — 2024-06-18

This study examined COVID-19 risk perception, student engagement, peer-led team learning, and learning satisfaction among students in the hospitality and tourism departments in Ghanaian universities. Valid responses for this study from 440 hospitality and tourism students across four (4) universities across the country were analysed to achieve this objective. COVID-19 risk perception proved to have a significant positive impact on students’ engagement and peer team learning, but an insignificant negative influence on learning satisfaction. The results also underscored the positive role of the learning environment in driving students’ engagement and learning satisfaction including the positive bearing of students’ engagement on learning satisfaction. The study contributes to theory and practice by extending the social cognitive and self-determination theories to understand the links between COVID-19 risk perception, student engagement, peer-led team learning, and learning satisfaction among students in the hospitality and tourism departments in Ghanaian universities. Thus, the integration of social cognitive and self-determination theories in this study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing learning experiences during the pandemic.

Stakeholder collaboration in tourism governance in Ghana

Aseye Afi Atsakpo — 2024-06-18

This paper analyses stakeholder collaboration in tourism governance in Ghana. It further examines the forms and rationale of stakeholder collaboration and the extent of stakeholder collaborations. The paper deployed the qualitative approach in research, descriptive research design and purposively selected 14 participants from public and private sector tourism organisations and local communities in Ghana’s tourism industry. These participants were selected based on their knowledge and experience in the tourism industry. The data was collected using in-depth interviews (IDI). The responses of participants were analysed inductively and deductively. Two key findings emerged from the study. First, it was found that there is a discernible line of authority where authority comes from the top management in the sector. Secondly, collaboration in the tourism sector is not well established.

Making Healthful Food Choices: University Employee Perception of Nutritional Information on Restaurant Menu

Abednego Kofi Bansah — 2024-06-18

Nutrition-related illnesses continue to pose challenges for healthcare providers and as such, people are encouraged to look into meal constituents, especially in the hospitality industry. This study sought university employees’ general perception of nutritional information on restaurant menus. Data was purposively obtained from employees who patronized restaurants on the university campus. Descriptive statistics and an independent samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that respondents had some form of perceived knowledge of nutritional information with calories and cholesterol, reported as the most important information to be provided on menus. There was a statistically significant difference between females and male respondents with females showing a greater positive perceived nutritional knowledge than their male counterparts. University employees had a high perceived expectation of the provision of nutritional information on menus of restaurants on campus. Implications for restaurants on campus to provide nutritional information on menus that can guide healthier food choices and the University’s management involvement in encouraging individuals to develop and maintain better eating habits are also discussed.

Emotional Reactions of Inbound Tourists Towards Souvenirs in Cape Coast, Ghana

BRIGHT DANQUAH — 2024-06-18

Souvenirs are tangible reminders of the experiences of tourists and hence an important component of the tourist product despite their centrality to tourists’ experiences. Generally, there have been empirical studies on tourists’ attitudes toward souvenirs. A few studies on souvenirs have concentrated on the cognitive aspect while neglecting the affective and conative components of attitudes toward souvenirs. The research used a cross-sectional survey and collected data from 387 international tourists using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The emotional reactions of tourists were measured using mean scores and standard deviations. Findings from the study revealed that respondents had positive emotions towards the souvenirs they purchased. It was recommended that Organizations like the Centre for National Culture and Aid to Artisans Ghana should periodically organize workshops and on-the-job training for local artisans to enhance their skills to help revive and inculcate extinct designs in the production of souvenirs.

Innovative Utilization of Information and Communication Technology in Hotels: Perspectives of Managers of Star-Rated Hotels in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area

REGINALD OLYMPAS AKUA AWUSIEDU — 2024-06-18

Even though information and communication technology provide an important role in hotel service and aid service efficacy in customer satisfaction, little literature exists on it in the study area. The study assessed managers’ perception of innovative utilization of ICT in star-rated hotels in the Kumasi metropolitan area. Emphasis was laid on the relevance and reasons for the innovative use of ICT in hotels. A qualitative approach was adopted for the study and 50 hotel managers were sampled. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data solicited. Results of the study established that managers were of the view that the innovative use of ICT in hotel service was relevant and reasons for which the hotels have innovatively used ICT in their service delivery were achieved. However, the innovative use of ICT in hotels may create problems such as high cost of initial investment, cost of training employees and poor employer-employee relations. The study discovered that the hotels have made good use of ICT innovatively to sustain their business. The study unearthed that hotels must be abreast with ICT use as it has become a tool for attracting guests to hotels.