Marketing Strategies of Hospitality Businesses during COVID-19: A Study on Marriott

PHigher National in Hospitality Management
Unit 18 Research Project
RESEARCH PROPOSAL FORM
STUDENT DETAILS
Section One : Research Title, Aim and Objectives
Research Title: To identify and evaluate marketing strategies used by hospitality businesses at
the time of COVID-19 pandemic: A study on Marriott....................................................
Background of the study
In the recent era, UK hospitality sector is growing increasingly with a very high pace.
However, it was affected very negatively due to Covid-19 crisis. This crisis was the reason of a
negative influence on the operations of hospitality sector. During this period this industry
focused on specific marketing strategies which would increase the business opportunities. With
the rise in technology companies in this sector has started utilizing social networking sites for
technological advancements in the marketing practices. Digital Marketing has been considered
to be the upcoming strategy that has helped the business in grabbing opportunities for
pertaining to sales. This can help the advertisement for social sites for customers for target
customers reside at global level. The current proposal of Marriott has been selected for the
influencing marketing strategies during Covid-19 pandemic to gain competitive advantage.
Research Aim The aim of this research is to understand the role of marketing and its utilization
for hospitality business during Covid-19 pandemic in Marriott.
Research Objectives (How do you want to achieve this aim. At least three/four objectives).
To achieve this aim, the following objectives have been proposed.
i. To identify different marketing strategies used during Covid-19 pandemic.
ii. To investigate the significance of marketing on Hospitality industry.
iii. To indicate the importance of marketing in hospitality industry during the
pandemic.
iv. To recommend essential marketing strategies to Marriott for promotions during the
pandemic period.
Unit 18 Research Project Proposal–Spring 2021

Research Questions (convert each objective above into a research question)
i. What are the different marketing strategies and their pros and cons?
........................
ii. How marketing affects the hospitality industry?........................
iii. .........................
iv. What was the role of marketing in Marriott during Covid-19 pandemic?
.........................
Section Two: Research Rationale and Scope
Reason for doing this research is to analyse how the marketing practices in the organization
can affect the business of hospitality industry. This recognizes the research issue which is
related to how an organization will be able to improve the marketing of the hospitality
industry. The focus of the business needs to be positive and negative manner. In this research
the thematic perception test technique needs the research to shed the light on the different
levels of the marketing.
Rationale/Justification for the Topic: this should briefly cover the following three areas.
i- Personal reasons for choosing the project topic (e.g. links to other subjects you are
studying, personal interest, future plans, knowledge/skills you want to improve)
ii- The gap identified in the literature
iii- Practical benefits of the study (i.e. state the beneficiaries of the study).
Research Scope: this should briefly cover the following.
i. State the geographical area and name of organisation the research will focus on. Give
reason.
ii. State the units of study (i.e. the target groups that the study will focus on)
iii. List the theories and/or themes that will be involved in the study.
Section three : Preliminary Literature Review
According to Sheth, (2021) marketing was very important for the companies during
pandemic to engage with the customers. This allowed them to turn customers as their
valuable asset for the creation of a long-term cash streams. During the pandemic
prioritizing on the trusted relationship of the customers allowed the business in the
management of the marketing practices. Li, Larimo and Leonidou, (2021) added to that
online sales are going to be the key practice during the Covid-19 therefore promotions
of the online practices related to the organization can be very effective form of
marketing. This will help the business to transform their digital marketing investments
for supporting the operations.
Unit 18 Research Project Proposal–Spring 2021

As per the view of Olson and et.al., (2018) social media will be the most useful
form of marketing platform during the pandemic. This will allow the business in
engaging the customers during the pandemic and also be able to have higher
performance with this strategy of contributing to the social media performance. Rana
and et.al., (2020) explained that customer's retention during the pandemic can be
influenced very effectively for focusing in the market to increase the social media
budget.
From the evaluation of Dianto and et.al., (2020) marketing of hospitality
organization has been considered to be the essential for the hotel to promote their
property, highlight, features and establishes the benefits of the organization. Marketing
plays the role of safety in the hotels as it helps the organization promote the safety
measures, highlights, hygiene and safety in the communication for the Covid-19.
Gnizy, (2019) said that hotels use marketing for educating their customers about the
new trends in the Hotels specially during the pandemic period.
Gechbaia, Kharaishvili and Mushkudiani, (2019) added that marketing allows
the hospitality industry to let the potential guests experience the guests from far. This
can allow the organization to promote the new trends that it has introduced in the
organization. Effective marketing helps the customers during the booking of the
services. Dewi, (2020) explained that marketing for hospitality is very important for the
competitiveness in the industry. This is considered to be helpful for the business in the
management of adding value.
The study of Sharma and Shrivastava, (2021) explains how marketing practices
during pandemic in hospitality was helpful for the organization. This allowed them to
enhance their reach to the customers through the digital marketing. Application of
digital marketing is considered to be faster cheaper and more effective mode of
marketing. Pan, Torres and Zúñiga, (2019) explained that creation of social media
marketing can influence the consumers towards the hospitality organization and their
offerings.
From the analysation of Baena, (2019) development of websites during the
pandemic helps the hospitality organization to update its practices and growth the
essential features during the outreach of the strategy. The explanation of Liu and
Chen, (2021) explained how Covid-19 solutions introduced by the hotels can help the
business in building connection and trust with customers. Pandemic has been the time
when the organization have been focused on enhancing the digital marketing
practices.
Section Four: Overview of Research Methodology:
Unit 18 Research Project Proposal–Spring 2021

Research Type
The research type is considered to be distinguished in the terms of qualitative
and quantitative research types. Qualitative research involves collection and
analysation of non-numeric data for understanding the concepts, opinions or
experiences. Quantitative research is the process of collecting and analysing the
numeric data for the collection of finding patterns and average which is essential for
making predictions and generalized results.
Research Approach
Research approach is the plan and process that consists of the steps on the
basis of the research problems. There are two types of research approach inductive
and deductive out of which inductive approach of research has been chosen for this
research. This approach is the observation and theories formulated towards the end of
the research as a result of observations.
Research Philosophy
Research Philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about phenomenon
should be gathered to be used in research. There are two forms of research philosophy
such as, interpretivism and positivism. Out of this two research philosophy the
interpretivism is the chosen philosophy for this research. Interpretivism is based on the
principle which states the research performs a specific role for observing the facts
which are analysed.
Data collection
There are two types of sources in data collection primary and secondary.
Primary sources of data are interview transcripts recordings of speeches, newspapers
and surveys in which the information is collected from someone else earlier. Secondary
sources of data which is collected from someone else earlier as they are studies done
previously such as, books, articles, journals and websites. In this research the both the
primary and secondary data has been taken for research.
Data analysis
Research analysis is the process of systematic application of statistical and
logical techniques for the description of the illustration, condense and recap for the
evaluation of the gathered data. The data analysis in this research proposal is using
the qualitative technique for analysing the data effectively. In this research different
considerations are going to be made for understanding the responses for several
themes which will be prepared for the analysation of the research.
Reliability & viability
In order to ensure the validity of the research the papers and articles which are
published after 2018 have been considered. This will make the research more relevant
the recent trends and happenings. Further the copyright account needs to be protected
for the secondary sources for the data which is collected in the reliability.
Unit 18 Research Project Proposal–Spring 2021