The Tourism Sector of Hospitality: A Study of the Profile of Guest House Managers and the Satisfaction Generated by this Type of Business

This aim of this article is to identify the profile of guest house managers on the Aracaju seashore and their level of satisfaction level with the business. This research, carried out in 2001, is exploratory-descriptive in nature. Fourteen guest house managers were interviewed, from a universe of nineteen entrerprises, based on information from the Empresa Sergipana de Turismo (EMSETUR) (the Sergipe State Tourism Agency). The research conclusions are as follows: managers of guest houses on the Aracaju seafront are mostly male, aged over 33, university graduates, with an average monthly income of over R$ 4,000.00, born in the State of Sergipe and Roman Catholic. Regarding their satisfaction with the business, several contradictions were seen in their responses. Some of the managers blame the difficulties they face on the lack of commitment to tourism by the public administration, while others see the government’s initiative to promote tourism as an excellent opportunity for growth.