https://guardian.ng/interview/stop-over-motels-stands-tall-40

40-Years ago, the Chairman of Stop Over Motels, Otto Andrew Fischer, created a one-of-a-kind hospitality brand, a transit establishment to meet the need of transiting travellers from both the local and international airport in Lagos. In this interview with MARIA DIAMOND, Fischer reflects on the journey of creating a transit establishment for travellers and the highs and lows of the hotel and hospitality business in Nigeria.

Tell us about the creation of Stop Over Motels and ideology?

I WORKED with Lufthansa for 10-years. During this period, we were trained in the hospitality industry. So, after I left Lufthansa in 1974, having a hotel of my own was something I desired but I didn’t get into it immediately. I started exporting goods but while I was doing that, I was preparing to get into the hospitality industry. In 1982 I built the 62-room capacity edifice and Stop Over Motels officially opened on February 15, 1986. The idea of the motel came from my lifelong experience with airports and travel. I noticed that airports are places of transit – people are always moving, connecting flights, waiting, adjusting to schedules. I wanted to create a hotel that reflects that idea: a transit establishment.

What does the Stop Over Motels brand represent?

The vision was to serve airline passengers and crew members – people who need comfort, the ones they call ‘distressed passengers’ but we call them passengers in transit. Stop Over Motels represent efficiency, and proximity to the airport without losing time. We had different airline patronage both local and international and we regularly accommodated their crew. That relationship helped shape our identity as a reliable airport hotel.

Tell us about the competitive side of the hotel business on the Lagos international airport road – 40-years ago, did you have this many hotels around to compete with?

When I entered the hospitality business, things were very different. There weren’t many hotels around the airports. Most of the hotels around were small, maybe 10 or 15 rooms and they focused more on basic accommodation than structured relaxation or transit convenience. Today, the industry has expanded significantly. In this axis alone, you can find dozens of hotels. The numbers of hotels have diluted the patronage. Most people tend to follow trends. When a new hotel opens with new furniture, modern lighting, and fresh materials, people gravitate toward it. That’s human nature. You cannot stop it. However, although we now have a lot of competition around, we are still here, raising the bars on a daily basis by delivering our services in a topnotch standard.

What is your sustainability module?

We focus on three core principles: Delivering better service than competitors; Maintaining our founding standards of simplicity and Cleanliness and courtesy to guests. If you walk into our hotel, you won’t find distracted or disorganised staff. Professionalism is essential to us. Financially, it hasn’t always been easy, but in terms of achieving my target and maintaining standards, I am satisfied.

Tell us about this four decades milestone – how do you feel and what does it mean to you as the founder?

It’s been a very rewarding 40-years. Not necessarily financially but how the brand is perceived in terms of quality service by people even competitors and I am happy, fulfilled. It’s been a rewarding journey. Looking back, it feels like yesterday. It took me four years to build this hotel from scratch and about two years plus to get approval. At the time, construction was challenging because of height restrictions on the airport road from the Nigerian Airports Authority (NAA) but now known as Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). We couldn’t go beyond a certain height and because of the limitation we had to compress each floor. We had to get approvals and comply with regulations. At one point, our proposal was held for months due to concerns about building height. Eventually, after revisions and negotiations, we received clearance. Many hotels that started around the same time are gone today. We are still here. This milestone represents not just our business achievement, but also our contribution to Lagos hospitality industry and the local economy over these four decades.

Why the name Stop Over Motel and would you say the hotel is exactly where you envisioned it?

Many years back we did better when the hospitality industry wasn’t as massive as it is now. The name Stop Over Motel is one of those things you can’t exactly explain. I just felt it would be nice for transiting travellers to have a place to stop over before they continue their journey. However, the ideology behind calling it a motel rather than a hotel emanated from the American system of calling a hotel on a motorway or highway ‘motel’ coined from motor and hotel ‘motel’.

However, it became a serious issue at the beginning as people read uncouth meaning to motel based on ignorance of its true meaning until they came into the place and realised it’s a decent simple place of hospitality.

What are the major challenges you have encountered in the course of running a hospitality business in Lagos for 40-years?

There are many challenges. Government policies and regulatory pressures are huge. Taxes, certifications, compliance requirements – these can be overwhelming. Sometimes you are required to bring in external consultants for inspections and certifications, which adds more cost. Utilities are another major issue. Electricity, for example – if the public power supply fails, you must rely on generators. Fuel costs are high. Maintenance costs are high. Security and economic instability also affect business. When the economy is strong, hospitality thrives. When it struggles, hotels feel it immediately.

What other experiential facilities does Stop Over Motels offer?

From the beginning, we focused on being a clean, efficient transit hotel. We did not aim to become a luxury resort with swimming pools and gyms. Our strength is simplicity, comfort, and reliability.

What advice would you give to people entering the hospitality industry?

This industry is intense and demanding. It requires patience, discipline, and consistency. Many people get into it because they see it as attractive, but they underestimate the operational challenges. You must focus on service. Without service quality, nothing else matters. Also, trends change. You cannot rely only on appearance. You must build a reputation for consistency.

As you celebrate this anniversary, what are your reflections?

It has been a long 40-year journey. There have been good times and difficult times. The industry today is not what it used to be. Competition is stronger. Costs are higher. But we are still here. That means something.