EMERGENCY UNIT TRAINING AND GUEST SAFETY IN THE HOTEL ESTABLISHMENTS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT The study examined how emergency unit training influences guest safety and satisfaction in hotel establishments in Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study ascertained the influence of emergency preparedness on guest safety in hotels, investigated the effect of staff responsiveness on guest safety in hotels, determined the impact of risk mitigation strategies on guest safety in hotels, and evaluated the ways of improving emergency training in hotel establishments in Rivers State, Nigeria. Four (4) research questions and four (4) hypotheses guided the study. The sample size of the study was 319 respondents comprising hotel guests and staff. The research questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, which included mean scores and standard deviations, while the hypotheses were analyzed using regression analysis with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The decision rule for mean stated that any mean above 2.5 was considered positive, and the decision rule for regression stated that if the coefficient of regression was statistically significant, the alternative hypothesis was accepted, otherwise rejected. The major findings revealed that emergency preparedness, staff responsiveness, risk mitigation strategies, and improvement in emergency training all had significant positive influence on guest safety and satisfaction. It was further discovered that well-structured emergency training enhances staff confidence, minimizes panic, and significantly improves crisis outcomes in hotel establishments. Based on the findings, it was recommended that hotel management should sustain regular emergency drills, upgrade safety infrastructure, improve communication of safety protocols to guests, and foster collaboration with external emergency agencies to maximize guest safety and satisfaction in Rivers State, Nigeria.