Assessment of Hotel Seasonality; Causes, Challenges & Marketing Strategies to Deal With: In case of Selected Hotels of Amhara National Regional State

Abstract

Hotel business is a seasonal sector because of many factors. This study is conducted with the objectives of identifying the factors of tourist hotels seasonality, challenges &marketing strategies to deal with seasonality, in selected Hotels of Amhara National Regional State tourist destination sites. Descriptive research design & a mixed research approach were used. Data were collected form hotel managers& hotel experts of the selected sites through questionnaire, interview, observation, and document review. Descriptive research analysis was used to describe the current situation of hotel business & seasonality of the hotel.Majority of the hotel manager & experts have said that the main cause for hotel business seasonality in the region is leisure/holiday; the institutional causes of seasonality.On the other hand, in the year 2016/17,because of the political instability in Amhara National Regional State,there was a very low tourist flow &hotel’s occupancy rate.In the same year, many of foreign nations, to mention; USA, Germany, Canada& England, have warned their citizens not to go to the region specifically and Ethiopia in general. Thissituationexplainedhow both local & international tourist’s flow to the region were very low & all hotel managers have replied that political instability is one of the major cause of seasonality of the hotel business, especially in 2016/17.