Evaluating Socio-Cultural Practices on Hotel Patronage in Adamawa State Metropolis

The hotel industry is a vital component of the hospitality sector which plays a significant role in economic development of any nation. In Adamawa State, Nigeria, the patronage of hotel products and services are subject to the socio-cultural and religious practices prevalent in the study area. Hence, the study investigated the impact of social, cultural and religious practices on hotel patronage in Adamawa state. Cross sectional design was adopted, and a stratified sampling technique was employed to select 18 large hotels across Yola, Jimeta, and Mubi, in line with Nigeria’s hotel classification standards. Using the Cochran formula, a sample size of 385 respondents, comprising hotel guests, managers, and staff, was determined. A structured questionnaire was designed for data collection and were analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that social and cultural practices generally exert a neutral or no influence at all on hotel patronage in Adamawa State. However, religious practices significantly discourage hotel usage in the study area as revealed by the study. The results showed that most respondents perceived hotels as a taboo from religious beliefs and will not lodge or patronize hotel products or services. The study concluded that while socio-cultural practices have a largely neutral effect on hotel patronage, religious practices pose a significant constraint. The study recommends that hotel operators engage local communities to address moral perceptions by repositioning hotels as family-friendly regulated environments and introduce women-friendly facilities to create socially acceptable environments for female guests, particularly those deterred by religious concerns, thereby reducing social stigma and enhancing patronage.