Every week, we throw 10 quick questions at someone whose mind we find fascinating — the thinkers, founders, innovators, policymakers, builders, and culture-shapers quietly changing how we see the world and inspiring us to do things not just differently, but better-differently. First thoughts only.
This week’s fascinating personality is Tolu Elizabeth Babatunde. Tolu is a guest experience specialist and hospitality professional redefining service through the lens of culture, warmth, and intentionality. Known as Africa’s Guest Experience Girl, she is passionate about building unforgettable, people-centered experiences that reflect authentic African hospitality. Through her work, she continues to champion excellence, emotional connection, and the power of thoughtful service in shaping how guests feel, remember, and return.
What does it take to create unforgettable guest experiences?
Read as Tolu shares her insights on hospitality, culture, and the power of intentional service:
1. What was the defining moment that cemented your passion and interest in hospitality as a career choice?
The realization that hospitality is one of the few industries where you can transform someone’s day, mood, and memory in real time. Very early in my career, I saw how a simple but intentional gesture could completely shift a guest’s experience. That stayed with me. I knew then that this was more than service delivery for me, it was about creating moments people remember long after they leave.
2. Detty December, Nollywood, Afrobeats and local cuisines have become Nigeria’s global identity. Your thoughts on this?
I think it is a beautiful evolution of cultural power. Nigeria is no longer just being seen, we are now being experienced. Detty December has become a tourism product on its own. Afrobeats has given the world a soundtrack, Nollywood has given us visibility and storytelling, and our local cuisines have given people something authentic to taste and connect with. The opportunity now is for us to improve our cultural assets, become prouder of it and intentionally package these cultural assets into world-class experiences that feel both proudly local and globally appealing.
3. Rendering hospitality services to the elites or the masses—which do you prefer? And why?
I have also firmly maintained that true hospitality is not discriminatory. True hospitality should not lose its essence regardless of who is being served. Whether it is the elite or the everyday customer, people want to feel seen, respected, and cared for. That said, I am particularly drawn to spaces where hospitality is treated as an experience and not just a transaction. What matters most to me is not status, but whether there is an opportunity to create excellence, intentionality, and emotional connection in service delivery.
4. Who do you look up to in the industry? And why?
I admire leaders who understand that hospitality at its highest level, is a fusion of vision, operational discipline, and human connection. Globally, Isadore Sharp stands out to me for building Four Seasons into a global symbol of consistency and service excellence. Closer to home, I deeply respect Mark Slade, co-founder of Jara Beach Resort, for showing that grit, selflessness, and intentional leadership can translate into a consistently strong guest experience.
I also admire Dr. Belinda Nwosu for the thought leadership and institutional influence she brings to the industry, and Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo of Eko Hotels for representing excellence at scale within one of Nigeria’s most iconic hospitality institutions.
5. In your own view, what’s that one element of hospitality that many operators do not pay attention to and has the potential to be a gamechanger?
As far as I’m concerned, it is nothing but guest experience systems. Many operators invest heavily in physical spaces, branding, and revenue generation, yet pay insufficient attention to the invisible systems that ultimately define the guest’s experience. Things like: How are guests welcomed? How are concerns handled? How are repeat guests recognized? How do teams communicate under pressure?
These seemingly small details shape perception, loyalty, and reputation far more than many realize. In my view, businesses that intentionally design for guest experience, not just service delivery, will always have the stronger long-term advantage, and this is why I’ll continue to be a strong advocate for improved and consistent Guest Experience.
6. What’s your projection of Nigerian hospitality industry in the next 5 years? Which subsector would you be betting on?
I believe the Nigerian hospitality industry is moving into a far more experience-conscious era. In the next five years, the brands that will lead will not simply be those with scale or visibility, but those with the clearest identity, the strongest service culture, and the most intentional approach to guest experience. I anticipate meaningful growth in domestic tourism, boutique and lifestyle hospitality, wellness-led concepts, and culturally immersive food and travel experiences.
If I were placing a serious bet, it would be on experience-led hospitality brands, especially within the boutique, wellness, and cultural tourism subsectors, that are able to merge comfort, authenticity, and emotional connection in ways that feel distinctly Nigerian yet globally resonant.
7. Hospitality is a round-the-clock career, how do you manage to balance work with life?
Balance in hospitality is never accidental; it is something one must cultivate with great intention. It is an industry that demands presence, emotional labour, and near-constant responsiveness. In the earlier part of my career, I found that balance quite difficult, particularly because I had not yet fully embraced delegation or the importance of stepping away to recover.
The real shift came when my health forced me to take a deep pause. That moment changed my perspective entirely. I came to understand that balance is not about achieving perfection, but about practicing intentionality, honouring rest, setting boundaries, creating room for reflection, and protecting the parts of life that restore you. To lead well, one must learn to extend the same care inward. It is also this conviction that inspired The Pause Table, a monthly retreat I host for fellow professionals in the industry as a reminder that rest is very essential to excellence.
8. If you were appointed to lead National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) today, what are the first two decisions you would make?
My first priority would be to modernise the training framework to reflect the realities of contemporary hospitality. That would mean going beyond technical instruction to include guest experience design, emotional intelligence, service recovery, leadership development, digital competence, and globally relevant service standards.
My second decision would be to drive institutional and industry-wide reform through digitization, stronger compliance culture, and deeper practical integration with credible operators. NIHOTOUR should not merely exist as a certifying body; it should help shape standards, strengthen professionalism, and reinforce accountability across the hospitality sector. A serious industry cannot continue as a free-for-all. There must be clearer expectations, stronger monitoring, and a more deliberate commitment to raising the bar.
9. What Nigerian-owned hospitality business do you most admire, and why?
What I admire most in any Nigerian-owned hospitality business is not merely prominence, but intentionality, the ability to build a clear identity, deliver consistent service, and create experiences that feel both authentic and memorable.
I have deep respect for brands that understand that true hospitality is not sustained by aesthetics alone, but by culture, systems, warmth, and attention to detail. Any business that can successfully bring those elements together while remaining distinctly Nigerian is, in my view, building something truly enduring.
10. What gives you the most joy in your line of duty? What keeps you going even when you are burnt out?
What brings me the most joy is the knowledge that something I helped design, influence, or lead translated into a meaningful human experience. Whether it is a guest leaving better than they arrived, a service failure transformed into a moment of loyalty, or a team member stepping into their confidence. Those moments are incredibly rewarding.
In more demanding seasons, what sustains me is a deep sense of purpose. Hospitality, at its core, is about how people feel, it’s about comfort, dignity, connection, and memory. To be part of creating that, even in small ways, is both a privilege and a responsibility, requiring emotional labour, resilience, and consistency even on difficult days. But it is precisely that depth and the unseen effort behind every seamless experience that makes the impact of the work even more meaningful. That understanding continues to anchor me, even on the most challenging days.
Connect with Babatunde Elizabeth Tolu on IG: @lizinhospitality
