Small tourism accommodation business owners in Ghana: a factor analysis of motivations and challenges

Abstract

Five hundred and five small tourism accommodation business owners in Ghana were surveyed to determine their motivation for owning/operating a small tourism business and the challenges they encounter. Tourism accommodation business owners indicated factors such as maintaining lifestyle, being their own bosses, capitalising on a business opportunity, generation of retirement income influence the decision to own/operate a small tourism accommodation businesses. These variables can be categorized as non-economic and economic factors. It was found that though the owners were motivated by commercial enterprise goals, these are subordinated to the pursuit of socially driven lifestyle motivation factors. Small tourism accommodation business owners in Ghana perceive the non-availability of skilled hospitality personnel and limited access to structured hospitality training programmes as the greatest challenge facing their industry.

Keywords

• Ghana
• Small Tourism accommodation businesses
• motivations
• challenges