Owomuhangi, Emmanuel2024-07-092024-07-092024Owomuhangi, Emmanuel (2024). The Contribution of the Hotel Industry on Youth Empowerment in Mbarara City: A Case Study of Hotel Triangle Mbarara City. Kabale: Kabale University.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12493/2165The study was about assessing the contribution of the hotel industry to youth empowerment in Mbarara City. A case study of Hotel Triangle Mbarara. The study was guided by three objectives which were: To analyze factors that favor youth empowerment in the hotel industry of Mbarara City, to analyze the effect of levels of education on the empowerment of the youth working in the hotel industry in Mbarara City, To investigate the effect of pay on empowerment of the youth working in the hotel industry in Mbarara City. A targeted population was 80 respondents who were considered for the study. These were the youth employees across different working departments at Hotel Triangle Mbarara. A qualitative descriptive study design was employed as it allowed for straightforward and comprehensive explorations of participants’ experiences without imposing theoretical frameworks or preconceived categories. The methods that were used in data collection included questionnaires and interviews. Data collected was edited, coded, entered into the computer, and analyzed with Excel, a Microsoft statistical package, the results were presented in tables. According to the findings, the study revealed that 10% of the study participants were front desk/receptionist youth employees while 33% were housekeeping department employees,22% were dining,18% were the kitchen,6% were the bar, and 11% in the spa and sauna department. Statistics indicated that the study participants were evenly distributed. However, degree, diploma, and certificate holders were very low given a combined 55% which was slightly above the 40% of a combined secondary and primary level. It was disclosed that the hotels have provided job opportunities to the youth that in turn elevates the standards of living hence facilitating empowerment with 97% maintaining that it is true the hotels have given jobs to the youth. More so the practical skills and experience gained in the hotel industry were averagely found to attract the youth with a combined 56% of those in agreement. competitive salaries and benefits offered in the hotel industry were a source of empowerment with 55% agreeing. While also the view that flexible working hours help to balance work and personal life of the youth with an average of 56% which is therefore an empowerment to carry out different chores outside the hotel industry. It was also found that prestige associated with working in renowned hotels contributes minimal reason for the youth to fancy the hotel industry with 74% in agreement to this however more than half of the respondents agreed that having higher levels of education increases the chances of finding employment in the hotel industry indicated by 87% of respondents agreeing. 61% agreed that a basic level of education is sufficient for entry-level positions in the hotel industry and surprisingly 63% agreed to the view that work experience is more important than formal education for succeeding in the hotel industry. However, when it came to Education playing a crucial role in securing higher-ranking positions 76% of the respondents in agreed just 19% disagreed, and 5% were unsure. It was further found that low pay discourages young individuals from pursuing careers in the hotel industry with 86% agreeing. From the field, 90% agree that Low pay negatively impacts job satisfaction and motivation. Low pay restricts opportunities for personal and professional growth within the hotel industry, 68% in agreement, and just 26% disagree with either 6%. Also, from the study findings, it was evident that other industries that offer more attractive pay and benefits attract more of the youth than the hotel industry with 75% in agreement. It was found out that in a view that most hotels provide sufficient pay for the youth employees, only 13% agreed which proved that it was not the case.enAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United Stateshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ContributionHotel IndustryYouth EmpowermentMbarara CityHotel Triangle Mbarara CityThesis