Human Resource Management and Development of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Nigeria

Abstract

Tourism as an activity of movement and discovery of new places, peoples and its affiliates has
always been with man. This inherent multifaceted activity generates enormous income among nations and contributes to national GDP more than certain sectors of a nation’s economy when it is properly harnessed, deliberately planned, positioned and repositioned over time. Most times, the key to the success of tourism amongst other sectors has been human resource management. The outcome of human resources if untapped, mismanaged and underutilized is counterproductive to growth and development in all ramifications. This paper, therefore, relies on content analyses of secondary documents to discuss the impact of human resources management on the development of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria. The study finds that human resource management is essential for the successful development of any sector of the nation’s economy and recommends amongst other things the professionalization and training of personnel in the tourism industry. This will enhance the growth of the industry and attract international and local tourists to Nigeria; help in job creation, increase foreign exchange earnings and contributes to the socio-economic development of the nation.