Covid-19 Pandemic: Revoke of State of Emergency and Its Implications in the Hotel Business in Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Corona virus disease caused severe damages to many industries including hotel industry worldwide including Ethiopia that is evident from many researches that were conducted earlier. This study is slightly deviant and focused on identifying the challenges encountered by the hotel management after the revoke of the State of Emergency Period (SOEP) in star-rated hotels in Amhara region. Descriptive research design and judgmental sampling technique is used, and structured interviews were conducted with the ten managers working in the star-rated hotels in different managerial positions. Study results reveal that Average Monthly Occupancy Rate (AMOR) is fallen to the minimum (0%) and led to the budget deficit, lack of capacity to pay salary and run the business during the SOEP period. However, significant progress (26.3%) AMOR was there in the business after the revoke of state of emergency. The hotel management overcomes the accumulated challenges by cost-reducing, offering training programs, by giving discounts, operating the major activities with limited multi skilled workers.