The Impact Of Social Media On Customer Flow Of Five Star Hotels In Addis Ababa
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Date
2018-06-17
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study emphasizes on the effect that social media has on the customer flow of the hotel
industry. The objective of the study is to assess the impact of social media in contribution to
customer flow of the hotel business in the country with special emphasis on the five-star hotels.
Currently, social media networks and websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many more
are redefining the way people communicate and share their travel and touring experiences.
As a result, more and more companies are turning to these platforms to gather information, keep
their customers informed about their products and so much more. In Ethiopia, however, the hotel
industry heavily depends on conventional media for communication and advertising. The
research has been conducted using explanatory research method since explanatory method is
where a researcher has an idea or has observed something and seek to understand more about
it. Sample size was calculated in the following formula and has come to be 214 respondents.
Marketing managers of each five-star hotels in Addis Ababa i.e. seven Five-star hotels (Sheraton
Addis, Capital International hotel, Ellily International Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Tulip
Hotel, Getfam international Hotel and Marriot international Hotel) were the target for the study.
The evidence from the collected data shows that each five-star hotel customers have been
exposed to social media and they have been influenced by the information provided on the social
media platforms including the information about the hotels services qualities, location,
accommodation and price for using the services of the hotels. In advocacy, the engagement in
social media has to be thought within the security framework of connectivity between the
customers and Hotels. The issue of reliability about the information provided in the social media
platform may have impact in reducing the customer flow of the Five Star Hotels. Therefore, both
the customer and the Hotels has to think of ways that may secure their level of interaction in a
mutually confirmed platform of social media protected by firewall and anti-fraudulent people.
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Keywords
social media, hotel business