An international hotelier, Jonathan Patterson, has attributed the high cost of hotel rooms in Nigeria to market forces as the country is a popular destination.

Speaking with Vanguard at the Akaawaba travel exhibition in Lagos, Patterson explained that the reality is that if you have a destination, particularly in city like Lagos, where the demand is always high for good quality hotel, then the prices will reflect that.

Demand is continuing to pick up with the supply; it is similar to the airlines.  All the airlines coming into the country fly in full, so it is good and the hotels in Nigeria are predominantly expensive. Lagos is the second most expensive city in the world, perhaps Moscow for hotels.”

Patterson said the high prices charged by hotelier is market driven, “anywhere that is busy you find this type of issue, just like the airlines. Look at what the airlines charged to come to Lagos, it is expensive and again it is market forces.

The Briton said apart from the market force determining the prices that the cost of operating any hotel, apart from wages, is a contributory factor that makes cost of hotel rooms in the country high.
“If the destination is not popular for whatever reason,  I think the prices will be low and of course it is true to say  hotels  in this country use a lot of money on diesel. “

The man with over thirty years experience in the hospitality industry said the industry is growing in the country, particularly Lagos, where more hotels are coming in with more bedrooms being introduced.

He said this is why Lonrho Hotels, a leader at establishing and operating hotels in Africa’s high growth destinations, is driving the growth of easyHotels in Nigeria.

“We have our land for five star brands, 153 bedrooms and we are intending to develop two of this large scale hotel in Lagos and Abuja. On those to be opened in Nigeria, we will start that next year here in Lagos.

“As far as the easyhotels are concern, we have signed twenty franchise agreements with the easy group to exclusively operate these hotels in Africa. So, we intend to open 100 of these hotels in Africa. Thirty   of which will be in Nigeria.

Patterson, who has managed some good hotels in Nigeria, said easy is a loved consumer brand from its airline to hotel as consumers equate easy with great value. “ EasyHotel simply offers clean, secure and branded hotel rooms in great locations at great prices.”