Effect of covid-19 pandemic on hostel businesses around Makerere university

Abstract

In order to satisfy the demand for private accommodation, there has been upsurge in hostels around Makerere University. The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of tertiary institutions which affected the business of most of these hostels. This study is aimed at assessing the influence of COVID-19 on the hostel businesses around Makerere University. The method employed involves the use of self-administered questionnaires and interview guides to the relevant respondents. The expected outcome from this study will be information how the pandemic impacts hostel businesses. This will be useful for future planning for such unforeseen circumstances for the owners and users of these hostels. From the study findings, it emerged that there was a significant relationship between single room fees and covid-19 pandemic (p=0.031) which depicted that a unit extension in covid-19 pandemic, it resulted in a unit change in hostel fees. A significant relation was also established between fees for double room, customers, number of employees employed at each hostel and covid-19 pandemic (0.020, 0.000 and 0.001). The study findings also revealed that significant relationship between transport expenses and covid-19 pandemic (p=0.015). This implied a unit extension in covid-19 pandemic, it results in a unit change in transport expenses. More so, results established that Maintenance and repair expenses as a variable, it was significantly associated with the emerging of covid-19 pandemic (p=0.003). Office supply expenses and Labour costs were also found to be significantly associated with the emerging of covid-19. From the study, it was found out that the impact of covid-19 (independent variable) on the super dependent variable (a combination of all the dependent variables i.e. Transport expenses, Maintenance and repair expenses, Advertising expenses and Labour costs) is significant.