Hospitality Digital Marketing: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impact

This report provides an environmental analysis of Marriot Hotel's digital presence, focusing on the opportunities, challenges, and impact of the digital environment for the hospitality industry. It also includes a critical assessment of Marriot Hotel's digital presence compared to Hilton Hotel and a plan for organizing digital marketing activities to support Marriot's initiatives of building multi-channel capabilities.

HOSPITALITY DIGITAL
MARKETING

Table of Contents
Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Provide an environmental analysis for Marriot digital presence, focusing on the opportunities,
challenges and the likely impact the digital environment for the industry.............................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
A critical assessment of Marriot Hotel business by comparing and contrasting it’s digital
presence..................................................................................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Provide a plan for organising digital marketing activities to support Marriot’s initiatives of
building multi-channel capabilities........................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
Provide key methods you will use to evaluate, monitor and measure the digital marketing
effectiveness...........................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Hospitality digital marketing is a process for getting the business products and services to
the customers in a satisfactorily manner. As in today’s scenario technology usage is being more
important and with this working effectiveness of the business become more enhanced and with
this more modification will get induced. The digital marketing helps the hospitality service
provider to target the potential customers and in addition circulate the required information in the
market through which positive change will get comprehend by the business (Adeyinka-Ojo,
2019). The marketing will get encompasses the different ways through which the hospitality
sector will communicate, differentiate and reinforce the brand products and services to the
customer. In support of the hospitality digital marketing opening the new doors to drive the
customers engagement, endorsement, feedback in more appropriate manner. This report is based
on the Marriott Hotels as it is the brand leader and offer the most powerful portfolio with 30
brands and 7,000+ properties across 131 countries and was founded by J. Willard and Alice
Marriott, and guided by family leadership since 1927. This report consist of an environmental
analysis that focusing on the opportunities, challenges and the likely impact the digital
environment for the industry, the key digital tools, platforms and channels, plan for organising
digital marketing activities to build multichannel capabilities and the key methods to evaluate,
monitor, measure the digital marketing effectiveness.
TASK 1
Provide an environmental analysis for Marriot digital presence, focusing on the opportunities,
challenges and the likely impact the digital environment for the industry
Digital presence is more relatable to the aspect through which the business want to enhance
and develop the profit and sales by attracting the large number of customer for the longer period
of time as it parallel develop the effectiveness of the business. It will also enlarge the reach of the
business by which the need and requirement of the business will get developed with more
perfection by which the strong relationship will get maintained with the larger (Boella, 2019).
The business will also get induced more innovation and creative in the working and that is
accordingly the feedback that is taken by the customers that support to make the long term
sustainability and continuous success as well. Marriot Hotel is a multinational brand and with
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this analyse the macro environmental factors along with different opportunity and challenges will
get measured as per the context of digital presence and as explained below as:
 Political: It is a factor that is more associated with the political conditions of the country
that has the direct impact on the working ability of the businesses. It is related to rules,
regulations and policy as like tax rates, trade tariffs and that has the direct impact on the
profitability of the business as Marriot operate the functions in various countries with that
expose the political environment and system risk by itself (Buhalis, 2019). In addition
UK has more stability within the country thus the fluctuation range of the policies are
also very less and it is more beneficial to all the companies in order to maintain the
adequate balance in between the working structure. There are some opportunity in
context of digital environment as there is no barrier toward the government about the
usage of the technological advancement thus it has improvise the use of digitalisation in
appropriate manner by which the reach of the hotel will get more expanded. There are
some Challenges too as like the ongoing state of the country will easily get judged by
the customer thus they become more selective while choosing the service thus the lack of
exposure will get faced by the hotel.
 Economical: It is more related to the factor as like the inflation rate, GDP, interest rate
etc that has the direct impact on the purchasing power of the customers and with the
better economy the stability and balanced in the country will get developed. It is more
beneficial for the hotel and with this they have make suitable profit by serving the best
and quality services to the customer with more attracted prices. Opportunity: with the
better generation of economy the people were also ready to invest more to enjoy the
hospitality services and with the support of digitalisation the need and demand of
customer will get analysed and the changes will get induce in the luxury services
accordingly (Viglia, 2018). Challenges: to get manage the digital marketing is more
costly for the business and the profit ratio will get divided thus to maintain the better flow
of service at liable cost is more challenging.
 Social: It is the factor which is more related to the societal aspect and reflects the sense of
belongingness and suitability of the people as per the culture, religion, demographics etc.
The belief and attitude of the population plays the vital role and with this Marriot will
understand the requirement and design of market (Buhalis, 2019). UK population is more
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favourable and with this the spending power of people is high thus more profit gain by
hotel. Opportunity: Marriot hotel use the digital marketing to make the better reach with
the customers and with this their market share will get enhanced. Challenges: The
customer’s preference will always get changes on rapid basis and with this it is always be
difficult to get manage the demand of the customer and this hotel has to invest more in
their investments by which attractive presentation will get maintained.
 Technological: In this the better advancement will get implemented within the business
and with this the Marriot hotel will uses the research and development by which the
efficient growth and development get achieved (De Pelsmacker, 2018). There is a huge
betterment in the UK and have uses the better digitalisation that helps the hotel to make
the effective advantage from the competition. Opportunity: The advanced digital
marketing will help the Marriot hotel to enhance the customer based by which the sales
and profit will get developed. Challenges: The technology is being changes on
continuous basis and with this Marriot have give the biggest competition to the
Travelodge and with that to profit will get divided.
 Legal: UK has strict and rigid laws and regulations and that has to be followed by all the
businesses and with this the legal framework will get balanced by the hotels and in this
the digital marketing will get performed by the hotels by maintaining the flow of
adequate information. Opportunity: Marriot get the better support from the UK
government as they get provide the effective revenue to the business as thus they have
used digital marketing and spread the validate and right information that helps to generate
more sales and profit. Challenges: It is more needed that Marriot will followed all the
rules and with this maintain the ethnicity as follows the Data Protection Act, 2018 to
prevent the misuse of customer data.
 Environmental: It is related to environment aspect and with this include the protection of
environment from the pollution by conserving the resources by which the Marriot also
ensure that they have uses the utmost resources with better generosity (Griesmayr, 2019).
Opportunity: the customer has been looking forward for the prevention of surround and
with that adequate service will get provided to the customer. Challenges: The tourism
has been increased with more attractiveness thus it creates more pollution that has the
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adverse impact on the environment for that the people visit get deprived by which the
sale of the hotel will get decreased.
TASK 2
A critical assessment of Marriot Hotel business by comparing and contrasting it’s digital
presence
The digital presence is being more vital and in this the different tools and technique will
get used within the business so as to develop the brand image and values with more perfection.
The digital marketing is being more important as with this all the functions will get processed
with more systematic manner by which the suitable transformation will get induced by which it
is more easy to convince the customer and get attracted towards the hotel (Gustavo, 2019). It will
provide the better support while fulfil the satisfaction of the customer and there are some media
tools that get used by the Marriot hotel and that get compared with the Hilton and as defined
below as:
Marriott Hotel: It is the third largest chain of hospitality service in worldwide and includes
the diversified range of service and with that also provides the lodging facility to the customer
and in support also provide the most luxurious services to the customers that always get attract
the potential customers in easiest manner. The market competition has been increased with more
rapidly and thus accept the innovation as well by focusing on the improvement of sales and profit
thus have used some of the tools of digital market and that are as defined below as:
 Email marketing: It is a tool in which the Marriot hotel will send the mail to their regular
and potential customer about the different new schemes and policy that get develop to
grab the market attention with more easiness and in this the customer based of the hotel
will get more improvised. You tube: It is used by the Marriot hotel while making the deal with the Jackson Harries
from JacksGap, that has the 4 million subscriber as they have create the short videos that
will focused on the different destination that is covered by the hotel and with that they
have maintain the focus on the influencer and its command will get resonate the their
loyal customers that helps to make the strong relationship with the customers (Herrero,
2018).
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 Social media: In this Marriot hotel get collaborate with the Snapchat, Shaun McBride and
Casey Neistat as they have appeal to the millennial. It is the biggest platform that get
used by the young people in which the information will get circulated on the basis of
video visuals by which the larger audience will get targeted and better connection get
developed with the audience thus more profit will get maintained.
Hilton hotel: It is the hotel that will operate their business at wider platform and with this
more luxurious services will get provided in the market and they have also uses the digital
marketing and with this they have try to enhance their revenue generation (Ivanov, 2019). The
customer attraction will get conceived as from by provide the better and quality services in
certain time and they have also used some tools that are as defined below as:
 SEO: It is the search engine optimisation in which the Hilton hotel will always want to be
the search list by which they could came over an eye of more and more people and thus
the visibility of the business will get increases that has direct impact on the profitability
of the business. In this the image and working attribute of the hotel will also get
presented in front of the customer by whom they could themselves select the better
services.
 Social media: It is the most attracted digital marketing platform and in this they have
target the large audience by which suitable outcomes will get achieved in timely basis. In
this Hilton hotel uses the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and provide the certain
information about the hotel to the customer by whom the relatedness will get developed
and more profit will get generated in efficient manner.
 Content marketing: It is a type of digital marketing in which the Hilton hotel must get
perceived the different changes with more sufficiency and with this selective amount of
information will get circulated in the market and thus the customer get concerned towards
the services in better way (Litvin, 2018). As the people didn’t have much time to get
search the required services in this they have need the précised content and with the help
of this tool Hotel provide the relevant information.
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TASK 3
Provide a plan for organising digital marketing activities to support Marriot’s initiatives of
building multi-channel capabilities
To get gain the better competitive advantage as from the workplace it is more essential
and required that the hospitality service sector must get used the digital marketing in more
sufficient manner by which they could have reach to the customer and get connect with them
with more easiness that spread more awareness about the brand values, belief and image as well.
In this it is also be more needed that the reliable digital marketing plan will get develop by the
hotel by which all the inputs of the hotel will get more précised and get inserted with the motive
to gain better sales and profit (Ristova, 2018). The plan is more useful for the hotel as it helps to
achieve all the objectives with more sufficiency and to gain the competitive edge with better
suitability. There is some of the different digital marketing plan that gets build up by the Marriot
hotel so as to accomplish their target within the timely basis.
Luxury business Division
1) Identify the channel: It is the initial and the basic step in which the digital marketing
plan will get initiate for the development and it will be based on the individual that get
targeted by the Marriot hotel in order to fulfil the requirement in systematic format. As
Marriot hotel provide the most luxurious services to their customers and for that it is
needed that they chose the appropriate channel as from where they could target the
audience that has the ability to enjoy the luxury. The customer need and demand from the
hotel is as they get the most lavishing services with better comfort and the superior
hospitality by which they could easily invest the amount in order to make better
refreshments. Marriot hotel will target the upper class public and with that uses different
channel as like the social media, you tube, emails, Facebook and many other platform as
well from which the relatable information will get processed in the market that get clutch
the attention of the people (Ristova, 2019).
2) Developing objective: In this Marriot hotel will develop the objective in order to attain
the benefits from the selected marketing channel and it is also be needed that the
performance will get enhanced by which more profit and sale get favoured by the hotel
and in this Marriot standardised some objectives that are as defined below as:
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 To augment its sale by 35% in the upcoming 7 months.
 To amplify the consumer base by 30% in the imminent 1 year.
 To enlarge the online existence by which the visitor list get increased.
To accomplish these objectives Marriot hotel will maintain the better quality services by
which the better experience will get provided to the customer that reflect in the increased
goodwill of the hotel (Saura, 2019). In addition to this it is also be more needed that the
preference of the customer will get analysed by which the continuous improvisation will get
maintain over there as well by which customer will get more satisfied.
3) Conclude target audience: It is the stage over which the Marriot hotel will acknowledge
the customers and with that divided the luxurious services as per the customer range by
which larger market will get covered. In this the hotel will always be focused and more
concerned about the changing behaviour and attribute of the customer and execute that so
that long term stability will get maintained within the business by which the image of the
brand will become stronger.
4) Make amalgamation: It is the last stage at which the marketing development will get
considered by the combination of both the channel as like online as well offline and with
that the supportive channel will get enhance by which better competitive advantage will
get gained with more adequacies.
Active holiday seekers
1) Identifying the channels: The holiday seeker always found the better place to get explore
better services and with that Marriot hotel must get select the certain marketing channel
and with that they could reach out to the larger audience either they are in range or not. In
this Marriot will used the marketing tools and technique as like the social media platform
email, you tube, advertisement at local level and many other as well by which the
attention will get grabbed (Shabani, 2018). Furthermore, hotel provides the better
experience by which the holiday trip becomes more memorable.
2) Developing objectives: In this Marriot hotel will set the certain objectives as from which
develop different strategy by which more revenue will get generated within the
continuous period of time. These are the objectives that are needed to provide the best
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quality services and with that better connection and relation will get maintained through
which more profit will get generated by the hotels.
3) Conclude target audience: In this step the Marriot hotel will target the larger public and
with that also ensure that the offered services are more relatable to the need of the
customer and on the basis of which they manage the taste and preference of the audience
and with this target get achieved with more comfort. In this Marriot will target the next
generation traveller as, a young traveller and partnering with the storytellers as they
produce the story in which Marriot is the hero that better facilities will get provided to the
customer (Spyrantis, 2020). Thus with this Marriot hotel also provide the better services
with affordable prices under which more profit will get gained by the hotel.
4) Make amalgamation: It is the final stage at which the Marriot hotel integrated the entire
communication channel and with that dealt with all the situation with more easiness. It is
even more important as with this better connection will get maintained thus the
experience of the audience will also get more developed.
TASK 4
Provide key methods you will use to evaluate, monitor and measure the digital marketing
effectiveness
The digital marketing has more effectiveness and for this Marriot hotel has been used the
different techniques so as to evaluate and implement the better method and tool by which the
outcome will always be more beneficial for the business and for its success (Morrison, 2018). In
this the certain modification will indulge while considering the need of customer by which they
could retain for longer period of time. As from the plan it is more important that the need of
customer will get monitored, evaluate and measured on continuous basis that improvement get
insert with more efficacy. There are some tools that are used to evaluate, monitor and measure
the effectiveness of digital marketing and are as defined below as:
 ROI metrics: It is a tool in which the optimised outcome will get selected as the return on
the different investment at digital marketing will get analysed and with that net profit and
loss will get measured in term of figures and as per that further investment will get
processed by the Marriot hotel to develop more effectiveness of digital marketing.
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 CTR (Click through rate): It is a method that is used for evaluation and in this click
through rate will defines the ratio of the audience as compare to the total user to those
who visit the site to make a view about the services of hotel. Thus in this the actual
number of visitor will get counted by which Marriot evaluate the effectiveness of the
marketing that has done through digital platform and also help to achieve the objective in
timely basis.
 Questionnaire: In this the information will get collected about the different served
services to the customer while conducting the survey and in that the different range of
answer will get collected and Marriot make the changes accordingly (Rather, 2019). It
helps to gain the trust and belief of the customer that will advance the sale of the hotel.
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CONCLUSION
It has been recommended from the above report that the hospitality marketing is being
more important in the business as with this the better services will get presented in front of the
customer by whom the selective outcomes will get attained in timely basis. In addition the digital
marketing is more vital as with this the marketing of the different offered products and services
get served to the customer with the uses of digital platform as it is more easy to get attract the
large number of customer from the competitive world. In this there is an environmental analysis
that get performed within the business by which the affordable result will get conceived by the
business and thus the suitable plan will get developed so as to improvise the profitability of the
company. There are some different tools and techniques that get used to improvise the digital
marketing impacts thus the sales and profit of the business will get developed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Adeyinka-Ojo, S. and Abdullah, S.K., 2019, April. Disruptive Digital Innovation and Sharing
Economy in Hospitality and Tourism Destination. In IOP Conference Series: Materials
Science and Engineering (Vol. 495, No. 1, p. 012006). IOP Publishing.
Boella, M.J. and Goss-Turner, S., 2019. Human resource management in the hospitality
industry: A guide to best practice. Routledge.
Buhalis, D. and Sinarta, Y., 2019. Real-time co-creation and nowness service: lessons from
tourism and hospitality. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 36(5), pp.563-582.
Buhalis, D. and et. al., 2019. Technological disruptions in services: lessons from tourism and
hospitality. Journal of Service Management.
De Pelsmacker, P. and et. al., 2018. Digital marketing strategies, online reviews and hotel
performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 72, pp.47-55.
Griesmayr, C., 2019. Digital marketing in the hospitality industry: what influence does digital
platform economy have on the booking rates of the hotel industry.
Gustavo, N., 2019. Trends in Hospitality Marketing and Management: facing the 21st century
challenges. In Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship and Marketing for Global
Reach in the Digital Economy (pp. 311-337). IGI Global.
Herrero, A., San Martín, H. and Collado, J., 2018. Market orientation and SNS adoption for
marketing purposes in hospitality microenterprises. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, 34, pp.30-40.
Ivanov, S. and Webster, C. eds., 2019. Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Service Automation in
Travel, Tourism and Hospitality. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Litvin, S.W., Goldsmith, R.E. and Pan, B., 2018. A retrospective view of electronic word-of-
mouth in hospitality and tourism management. International Journal of Contemporary
Hospitality Management.
Morrison, A.M., 2018. Marketing and managing tourism destinations. Routledge.
Rather, R.A. and Hollebeek, L.D., 2019. Exploring and validating social identification and social
exchange-based drivers of hospitality customer loyalty. International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Ristova, C. and Maglovski, A., 2018. Transforming hospitality in the digital era, factor for
competitiveness in the tourist destination.
Ristova, C., 2019. How can big data contribute to the hotel's digital marketing success?.
Saura, J.R. and et. al., 2019. Digital marketing strategies based on the e-business model:
Literature review and future directions. In Organizational Transformation and Managing
Innovation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (pp. 86-103). IGI Global.
Shabani, N., Munir, A. and Hassan, A., 2018. E-Marketing via Augmented Reality: A Case
Study in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. IEEE Potentials, 38(1), pp.43-47.
Spyrantis, P. and et. al., 2020. Social Media Marketing in Hospitality Industry of Crete. In
Cultural and Tourism Innovation in the Digital Era (pp. 189-199). Springer, Cham.
Viglia, G. and et. al., 2018. Information Technology in Hospitality Education. In Innovation in
Hospitality Education (pp. 87-100). Springer, Cham.
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