Cashless Policy and Guest Patronage of Hotels in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

This Study examined the influence of cashless policy on guest patronage of Hotels in Umuahia, Abia State of Nigeria. The specific objectives were to determine the influence of automated Teller machine (ATM), point of sale (POS) transaction and mobile banking on guest patronage; and identify challenges facing cashless policy in the study area. The study population was infinite and consisted of customers patronizing registered hotels in the study area; and the sample size was 154, using Cronbach formula. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyse data while multiple regression was used for test of Hypothesis. Cashless payment methods, including ATM and POS transactions, mobile and internet banking all had significant (p < 0.05) influence on guest patronage, and are integral components of modern hotel business operations. However, they do not singularly determine guest patronage. Guest decisions in this context are influenced by a complex interplay of these various factors. There is, therefore, necessity for a comprehensive approach to understanding and fulfilling guest preferences in the dynamic hospitality industry. The regression model's overall explanatory power is moderate, as indicated by an R-Square value of 0.612. However, the model, when considered as a whole, achieved statistical significance (p < 0.05) in explaining guest patronage, as evidenced by the F-Statistics (p = 0.808). These findings reveal the heterogeneous nature of guest patronage and the need for a more pellucid understanding of the factors influencing cashless policies in the hotel industry.