EVENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY OF SOME SELECTED HOTELS IN THE GREATER ACCRA REGION

ABSTRACT 

This study examined event planning and management by hospitality facilities, using the African Regent and Mensvic Grand Hotels located in Accra, as a case study. The specific objectives were to identify events that are planned and undertaken by the hotels, examine the knowledge and awareness of event management techniques by managers of the hotels and examine the expectations and satisfaction levels of their clients. Using mixed research method, the case study design was adopted, with a sample of sixty respondents made up of 10 event planners selected purposively and 50 individuals or clients of two hotels. The clients were selected using convenient sampling. The study revealed that whilst religious and socialization activities dominated events organised by the two hotels, only a few of the events organized covered corporate conferences, meetings and workshops. Most of the respondents expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the events they have attended, intimating that the events orgnised at the hotels were found to be very convenient.  However, some managers of the hotels were found to have received no training in the planning and management of events. Among the recommendations of the study are that there should be proper supervision and in-service training for the various departments within the hospitality facilities concerned with the execution of events and that both event planners and clients of such events should be cautioned on the importance of proper time management, to ensure that events commence and end on time to prevent frustrations and customer dissatisfaction.