E-Marketing Strategies and Performance of Registered Rated Hotels in Nakuru County
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Date
2020
Authors
Korir, Esleen Jerotich
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Electronic marketing has become central part to efficient operations of many sectors of
the economy. In recent years hotel sector has experienced poor performance due to
emerging technological trends, competition, security and economic growth of hospitality
industry. Hence, many studies have propounded influence of E-commerce on
performance of tour firms as a key determinant. While some others postulate that internet
marketing determines the performance of hospitality industry, many others have also
argued in contrast holding that the hotel industry can accelerate their performance
through financial determinants, profitability margins, sales volumes and good returns.
However, in this basis, the question of relationship e-marketing strategies on
performance of registered rated hotels remains unanswered. Therefore, the current study
as laid out determines the effect of e-marketing strategies and performance of registered
rated hotels in Nakuru County Kenya. Specifically, study objectives were to: establish
the effect of social media and performance of registered rated hotels in Nakuru County
Kenya, to determine the effect of mobile marketing and performance of registered rated
hotels in Nakuru County Kenya, to establish effect of email marketing and performance
of registered rated hotels in Nakuru County Kenya and to understand the effect of search
engine optimization and performance of registered rated hotels in Nakuru County,
Kenya. The research adopted a descriptive design. The study conducted a census as the
population was manageable. The study population was sixty three respondents drawn
from eighteen (18) registered rated hotels mainly hotel management, marketing and ICT
department. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires administered by the
researcher in person. The questionnaires were piloted on eighteen registered and rated
hotels to determine validity and to establish whether the questions answered measured
theorized variables. The study addressed reliability using Cronbach Alpha statistical test.
Quantitative data was analyzed by inferential and descriptive statistics and was presented
in tables and figures. Multiple regressions helped to determine the relationship between
dependent and independent variables. The findings indicated that there was a significant
positive effect on social media and performance with a top mean of 4.516 against a 0.565
standard deviation, email marketing recorded a signification positive effect on
performance of registered and rated hotel in Kenya. Mobile marketing mutually had a
significant effect on performance with a mean of 4.2312 against a 0.781standard
deviation. However, Search engine optimization had a less significant effect on
performance with a mean of 4.2821 and 0.7238 standard deviation. The findings
validated the Electronic commerce domain matrix theory base that rated hotels leverage
their investment in internet enables competencies to source precious, uncommon and
inimitable to result in sustainable competitive benefit to rated and registered hotels.
However, the study faced certain limitations as it was restricted to rated hotels within
Nakuru County that made it impossible to generalize the findings. The recommendations
are that all registered rated hotels should endeavor to embrace social media,
email,mobile marketing strategies that are competitively inimitable, rarely changed,
valuable and well integrated with technology, and therefore improved performance. In
addition hotel management who are keen to boost their hotel performance ought to adopt
the e-marketing strategies that improve their quality service delivery, customer
satisfaction and help to deal with competition arising within the hospitality industry. In
addition there was limited secondary data on the subject mainly in Kenya to draw
reference and thus, future researchers should expand the field to cover both registered
rated hotels and Non-rated hotels in Kenya. Finally, this research endeavours to uphold
ethics and standards of the study.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Business in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of
Degree in Master of Business Administration (Marketing
Option) of Kenyatta University
Keywords
E-Marketing Strategies, Registered Rated Hotels, Nakuru County, Kenya, Electronic marketing