By Reporter
Uganda’s Hospitality Industry has for a long time, faced an issue of standardization. It has, since time immemorial, been hard to understand how to determine, define and award stars, and the standards there in. Not anymore. Hotel Owners, Lodge owners, among other top tier accommodation facility owners now have cause to celebrate. The Moriah Hospitality Awards are finally happening in Uganda. The awards, renowned worldwide for working with top notch Hotels and Lodges to enhance service standards, are finally happening in Uganda.
Speaking during a phone call, the CEO of Moriah Hospitality Awards Africa; Ebenezer Bunya, said that he trusts that the team in Uganda will be able to execute the mandate of the award ceremony in Uganda. He added that the international team has camped in Uganda since January, led by Ugandan CEO, Evelyn Banga, and are already in the process of tying down partnerships to aid the seamless organization of the Moriah Hospitality Awards 2022.
“It is important to celebrate those who labor to provide top notch service in the Hospitality Industry. But in the same vein, we seek to emphasize the need for those who miss out on the nominations and awarding, to learn from the attributes and service standards the award winners showcase,” explained Bunya.
During a phone interview that she had with this website, Ugandan CEO of Moriah Hospitality Awards, Evelyn Banga, explained that hospitality business is the back bone of the tourism industry.
“If we are to attract bigger revenues as a country through tourism, there is need for hotel and lodge owners to step up to the international standards. But to do that, they need to learn what the standards are. They need to know what the International Market needs and therefore expects. They need to know the service, branding and etiquette standards, among other aspects. That is what we are here to do. To educate those who are oblivious, and celebrate those who are on a good learning curve. To hold the Hospitality Industry in general in one hand, and usher it towards a Uganda of consistent and standardized hospitality service,” explained Banga.
She then urged all the industry stake holders to invest in creating experiences, hiring professionals, and training all their staff to meet the international standards set. She lauded Lemala Wild Waters Lodge for having scooped 2nd place as the Most Instagramable Hotel in the world, and emphasized the need for other hotels to emulate them.
“Moriah Hospitality seeks to reward those who have labored to grow. Those who appreciate hospitality as an ever changing concept of human needs, and therefore react promptly to meet the requirements that come with the trends. Those who appreciate the immense value of great service, great food and great architecture and therefore embrace the notion of learning, training to be better. Those who seek to satisfy their customers through and through again, so that the industry as a whole can grow. All the hotels that don’t do this, ought to learn from those that do it right,” explained Banga.
HOW NOMINATION IS DONE
According to Evelyn Banga, The Moriah Hospitality Awards team of experts in hospitality invests time in visiting all the luxury hotels between 2-5 stars in Uganda (Those who want to book an assessment can send an email to info@moriahhospitality.com ) After which, the experts vet the hotels or lodges (among other accommodation types) according to a number of service facets like waiting staff etiquette, hygiene, branding, food, facilities, modern plumbing, experiential interior and exterior architectural design, to mention but a few. Those that pass the tests are then awarded marks ,which are then compared with the other accommodation facilities in their categories. After which the best 6 in the different categories are nominated in the Moriah Hospitality Awards.
The Moriah Hospitality Awards, through the team of experts at Moriah Hospitality, however also offer comprehensive trainings curated according to the needs established after the vetting session. Hotels that are not contacted for the vetting process of the Moriah Hospitality Awards can also reach out to Moriah Hospitality, and can therefore only receive the service audit and consequent trainings on request.
Hospitality brands like Serena Hotel, Lemala Wild Waters Lodge, Sheraton Hotel, Skyz Naguru, Chobe Safari Lodge, Latitude 0 Degrees Hotel Makindye, Nile Safari Lodge, Apoka Lodge, Baboon Safari Lodge, Gorilla Heights, Kyaninga Lodge, among many others, are expected to vie for the awards come December 2022.