Description

E-MARKETING IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

(A case study of Nike lake Resort Enugu, Enugu State)

ABSTRACT

This research work was carried out on the ‘E-marketing in the hospitality industry: prospects and challenges. A case study of nike lake Resort enugu, Enugu State’. This study reveals the importance, prospects and challenges of the E-marketing in the hospitality industry. It also highlights that E-marketing is an important tool to improve the hospitality sales and revenue. Different problems of E-marketing are analysed and the possible solutions to these problems. Research were made with the use of questionnaire where it was analysed that E-marketing should be introduced into the hospitality industry which would help the industry in achieving outmost profit. The method used to analysed and interprete the data was simple percentage and quantitative method respectively.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0   Introduction

In the olden days, less attention was given to hospitality industry, people saw hotel proprietors as those with certain explicit goals, who have the money to set up business but have chosen the wrong path. As times changed, people had to perform certain duties, by doing so, they had to spend days if not weeks at long distance away from home, through this the hospitality industry began to be appreciated. Asubiojo (2003) Marketing in the hospitality industry. Lurison printing press Kenya.

Hospitality industry is the industry that provides foods, drinks, accommodation, entertainments and other services to people away from their place of usual residence.  Source: www.wikipedia.com/hospitality_industry. The major tool needed to ensure the success and survival of the hospitality industry is MARKETING, as a result of technological advancement, we have what we called E-marketing today, which is refer to as the means of conducting business activities using electronic data transmission. We need to have knowledge on how to get these services rendered, its challenges, effects and prospects in the industry. By Chris Cooper, John Fletcher “marketing prospect in the hospitality industry” 2005, amazon

1.1   Brief History of the Hospitality Industry

Hospitality activities have been in existence from time immemorial.  During the seventh and eighteenth century, it was the monastries that supply the accommodation for people or travellers. All travellers were expected to contribute according to their means to the Abbeys fund at the monastries. As time went on the numbers of travellers increase and travellers arriving in groups at monastries became much and it was often difficult to accommodate them all.

To overcome this, separate lodging houses called INNS were built. In the early part of nineteenth century, the development of railway system began. More travellers changed from road to rail, which brought a decline in the use of INNS.

The railway companies met the demand of passengers by building hotels near the railway terminus. Safer, faster and more comfortable easier travel and more spending as a result of industrial development led to the expansion of holiday resorts. The trends in the 1980s has been to add leisure centres to the facilities available to guests. This includes Jacuzzi, swimming pool, night clubs, casinos and so on. James anat 2004 “Hospitality and Service” Irante World press London

1.2   Purpose of the Study

The primary purpose of this study is to know the effects, various challenges and prospects of E-marketing in the hospitality industry.

Another reason for this study is to create awareness and educate consumers on the existence of E-marketing and its mode of operation.

Furthermore, the study is equally going to examine the problems associated with the E-marketing in the industry and possible solutions to the problems.

1.3   Research Questions

For the purpose of this study, there is a need to build a conceptual foundation that will help us to evaluate the importance of E-marketing in the hospitality industry.

To provide empirical analysis, the following question may be asked:

1. What is E-marketing?
2. What are the effects of E-marketing on the hospitality industry?

iii.      What are the problems of E-marketing?

1. What are the prospects and challenges of E-marketing?

1.4   Significance of the Study

E-marketing is a powerful direct-to-consumer distribution and marketing tool. It allows hoteliers to engage customer in strong, personalised and mutually beneficial interactive relationships, increase conversions, and sells more efficiently. E-marketing is an important aspect of today’s multi-channel marketing model that requires hoteliers to communicate a single brand image across all channels.

In hospitality industry, E-marketing continues to receive marketer’s attention because costs remain relatively low, it is easy and fun to create and to implement and the results can be measured practically in real time. E-marketing creates direct revenue opportunities with past, present and future customers.

1.5   Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is in the world of hospitality industry and the field of E-marketing. This deals with the types of services rendered and products produced in the industry and the most effective way of marketing these products and services. And this research work cover Nike lake Resort Enugu, Enugu State.

1.6   Limitation of Study

It is natural that before one can achieve his or her aim in this universe; such an individual must have faced one obstacle or the other.

Choosing the topic is one of the problems faced by us on visiting the library, it was discovered that some of the textbooks available do not have much relation to the research and sometimes are outdated.

Furthermore, as this is a study that have not been given much attention by the general public, people seem to lack much to say concerning this topic. Also producers only think of selling their products through any means after the final production which ought not to be and this makes them think E-marketing is not as important as it is and as a result of this, little attention was given to the topic.

1.7   Definitions of Terms

Marketing:         In 1984 Chartered Institute of Marketing defined Marketing as “the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers’ requirements profitably”. Kotler and Keller (2006), define marketing as groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and services of value with others”.

Hotel: According to Hotels Proprietor’s Act of 1956, hotel is defined as an establishment held out by the proprietor as offering food, drinks, and if so required sleeping accommodation, without special contract to any traveller presenting himself, who appears able and wiling to pay a reasonable sum for the service and facilities provided and who is in a fit state to be received.

Hospitality Products and Services: They are things produced by the hospitality industry to meet the need of customers in return of their money. They include foods, drinks, accommodation, entertainment and other services like cyber café, car hire and so on.

Internet: This is a vast web of consumer network which connect users of all type all around the world to each other and to a large information repository.

E-Mail (i.e. Electronic mail): is the electronic exchange of message between one person and another. This system is surely an improvement on the old mailing system of writing letter and sending it through the NIPOST. With E-mail system, we just type your message on the computer or any other electronic device, send it right there and it is received on another computer at the other end with ease.

E-Business: This involves the use of electronics platforms to conduct a company’s business. E.g. Internet, Extranet and Intranet