Social Media Marketing in Hospitality

This assignment delves into the significant role of social media in the hospitality industry. It examines various aspects, including its effectiveness in managing hotel performance, facilitating recruitment processes, and driving marketing strategies. The analysis draws upon relevant academic research, case studies, and real-world examples to illustrate the multifaceted impact of social media on hotels.

Project Proposal Report

Table of content
TOPIC..............................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES.................................................................................................2
TIMELINE.......................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................5

TOPIC
“To identify the impact of social media on the improvement of business
performance on hospitality industry.”
INTRODUCTION
In the recent time, the social media platform has emerged as major tool to set the goals
and objectives that supports the effective placing of the business operations and help in setting
the enterprise operations in a very effective way (Kandampully, Zhang and Bilgihan, 2015).
Especially in hospitality industry, the social media tools and techniques have major influence on
the growth and development and setting out the products and services that are offered by the
selected business entity in an effective and significant manner. This report will showcase the
impact of social media on the business of the well known hospitality firm, Hilton Group.
Background of research:
Social media operations can help an organisation in enhancing the quality of business
activities and operations which will help the firm to enhance the overall activities that are
carried out in the business activities and operations taken in the consideration . The hospitality
sector is one of the most happening and fastest growing sector or industry. Thus, here in this
case, the social media operations plays a very crucial role in the setting up of the business
activities and operations that will help to carry out the business operations and thus will help
Hilton group.
Rationale of research:
From this research, it would be beneficial to identify the effectiveness of the social media
on the hospitality sector as it can further help the firm to enhance the quality of products and
operations that are carried out by the research in much effective and significant manner. The
influence of the social media will help the organization to enhance the quality of business
operations and other activities that support the Hilton group to improve their hospitality
performance to a greater extent.
Aim:
"To identify the impact of Social media on the business performance on hospitality
organisation. A Case study on Hilton Group."
Objectives:
 To get the knowledge about the social media tools and techniques.
1

 To identify the impact of social media tools and techniques on a hospitality firm like
Hilton Group.
 To analyse the influence of social media tools and techniques on the business
performance of Hilton group.
 To recommend appropriate solutions to any sort of issues that are taken in the
consideration by Hilton Group.
Research Question
 Is the social media platforms effective for carrying out the proper marketing
operations?
 Is the social media platforms that are been used are effective for a hospitality firm
like Hilton Group?
 Are you aware of the issues and limitation that are been faced by Hilton Group?
 Are the recommendatory measures that are been taken within the organisation are
adequate for Hilton Group?
LITERATURE REVIEW
The social media operations are considered by the firm that will impact the overall
operations of the organisation in an effective and significant manner. Various scholars and
analyst have proposed their views in the various literature and articles that have showcased the
influence of social media which will help the improvement of business operations of an
organisation to enhance their performance. The proper use of the social media tools and
techniques will help the organisation to carry out the proper management of business operations
and thus will lead the firm to carry out its operations in much effective way. Through the
research of (Molinillo and et.al., 2016), this can be said that it will also help in improving the
overall performance of Hilton Group. It leads the organisation to improve the overall
performance rate to a greater level that will help in enhancing the quality of products and
services in much effective and suitable way. This will also lead the firm to identify their
customers needs and demands to develop a good and effective product accordingly.
As per the view of Leung, Bai and Stahura (2015), with the rise of social media tools and
techniques such as Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc that will help the firm to
enhance the quality of their business operations have effective growth and development.
Furthermore, social media tools and technologies has proved beneficial as proficient marketing
2

tools to promote the company's services in the global marketplaces. Other than this, (Palacios‐
Marqués, Devece‐Carañana and Llopis‐Albert, 2016) states that the proper management of the
market place requirements that will help in proper management of revenue generation, helping in
effective placing of firm in market. This will also improve the core compatibility and meeting of
business operations in an effective way. It will help in improving the quality of products and
services. Besides this, as per the views of (Thach, Lease and Barton, 2016), the Hilton Group has
to perform extensive research in order to identify the scope of growth and development to
improve the quality of services and meeting the needs and demands of theuir clients.
Besides this, As per the views of (Palacios‐Marqués, Devece‐Carañana and Llopis‐
Albert, 2016), use of these tools, technologies and techniques will help an organisation to have
effective growth and development of business operations to lead sustainable connectivity with
respect to operations. Thus, it will also assist in enhancing the quality of business activities and
operations carried out within any hospitality organisation like Hilton Group. Along with this, as
per the views of (Chung and Koo, 2015), this can be said that the social media platforms make
the best out of all the operations and get the proper and effective outputs from all the operations
that are carried out at Hilton group. Apart from this, (Xie and Lee, 2015) states that the proper
management of the business activities and operations are been carried out which will help in
proper management of requirements that the organisation will carry out in much effective way
and also improve the quality of products and services offered by Hilton group.
Other than this, according the views of Ladkin and Buhalis (2016), social media and
other digital technologies will help to enhance the quality of services and action plans that will
help company to enhance the quality of a wide range of business operations and will lead to the
setting up of the business activities in effective manner. This will help in having effective growth
of the firm. According to the findings of (Sigala and Chalkiti, 2015), this can be said that the
Social media platform can be used as an effective tool for the growth and development of the
organisation that will improve the quality of operations and help in meeting the needs and
demands of a business entity in much effective way. The views and operations of Bowen and
Baloglu, (2015) states that the proper management of business operations and activities and
catering their customers with the best of products and services.
3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
The effective research methodology will be taken in the consideration that will help the
organisation to enhance the quality of measures (Kim, Lim and Brymer, 2015). The research
methods that will be followed by the firm are:
Research typology: For the current report, qualitative research typology is chosen that
will help the firm to enhance the quality of products and services in much effective and
significant manner. This will lead to the utilization of a proper questionnaire.
Research approach: The research approach will be utilized will be deductive in
investigation as it will help the firm to enhance the knowledge by the amount of data that is
gained. For the current report, deductive research approach is taken in consideration.
Data collection: Data collection is the most important part of the research that will help
the firm to enhance the quality of operations that are taken in the consideration. For the present
research process, the primary data collection method including the use of questionnaire is taken
in consideration.
Sampling: Sampling is the process i.e. required to be effectively followed by the firm. It
helps to gain the clarity regarding the data assessment process. For the present report, random
data sampling process has been chosen of 20 people who spent around 10 hours of their daily
lives using such social media platforms.
Data Analysis: In order to get the proper output for the effective thematic analysis is
been taken in the consideration by the firm which will help to improve the data research process
(Zeng and Gerritsen, 2014). For the present research, thematic data analysis will be chosen.
TIMELINE
Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Formulating research topic
Preparing aim and objectives
Writing background of study
Implementing research methodologies
Data collection through sources
Examining data
4

Interpreting data for gathering results
Writing Conclusion and
recommendations
Submitting report
Modifying report as per comments
Final submitting the report
Formulating research topic
5

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Kandampully, J., Zhang, T. and Bilgihan, A., 2015. Customer loyalty: a review and future
directions with a special focus on the hospitality industry. International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management. 27(3). pp.379-414.
Kim, W.G., Lim, H. and Brymer, R.A., 2015. The effectiveness of managing social media on
hotel performance. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 44. pp.165-171.
Ladkin, A. and Buhalis, D., 2016. Online and social media recruitment: Hospitality employer and
prospective employee considerations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality
Management. 28(2). pp.327-345.
Leung, X.Y., Bai, B. and Stahura, K.A., 2015. The marketing effectiveness of social media in the
hotel industry: A comparison of Facebook and Twitter. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism
Research. 39(2). pp.147-169.
Zeng, B. and Gerritsen, R., 2014. What do we know about social media in tourism? A review.
Tourism Management Perspectives. 10. pp.27-36.
Bowen, J. and Baloglu, S., 2015. Common themes across social media research. Worldwide
Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 7(3), pp.314-319.
Sigala, M. and Chalkiti, K., 2015. Knowledge management, social media and employee
creativity. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 45. pp.44-58.
Xie, K. and Lee, Y.J., 2015. Social media and brand purchase: Quantifying the effects of
exposures to earned and owned social media activities in a two-stage decision making
model. Journal of Management Information Systems 32(2). pp.204-238.
Chung, N. and Koo, C., 2015. The use of social media in travel information search. Telematics
and Informatics. 32(2). pp.215-229.
Palacios‐Marqués, D., Devece‐Carañana, C. and Llopis‐Albert, C., 2016. Examining the effects
of online social networks and organizational learning capability on innovation
performance in the hotel industry. Psychology & Marketing. 33(12). pp.1126-1133.
Thach, L., Lease, T. and Barton, M., 2016. Exploring the impact of social media practices on
wine sales in US wineries. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing
Practice. 17(4). pp.272-283.
Molinillo, S. and et.al., 2016. Hotel assessment through social media: the case of
TripAdvisor. Tourism & Management Studies. 12(1). pp.15-24.
Online
Jones, J., 2018. The Value of Social Media in the Hospitality Industry. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4086981.html>
6