The use of marketing and communication tools to promote sustainability

This research focuses on the use of marketing and communication tools to promote sustainability in the hospitality industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the sustainability of the sector, different marketing and communication tools that can be used by Premier Inn, and the challenges faced by the hotel chain. The research methodology includes a literature review and primary data collection through a questionnaire. The findings highlight the importance of sustainability in the hospitality sector and current trends in sustainable practices.

Research project

ABSTRACT
In the hospitality sector, tourism is mainly relied on cultural and natural resources that
attract visitors and act as major driver of development of tourism economy. The aim of this
research is to determine the use of marketing and communication tools to promote sustainability
of hospitality industry during COVID- 19 pandemic. The literature review has been conducted
by consisting the different sources such as books, articles, internet sources and others.
Methodology plays a necessary role in providing the authentic methods and analysis about the
collection of information. There has been discussed about the different layers in research onion.
Deductive research approach and positivism research philosophy has been used because it
provides the authentic and specific information regarding sustainability in hospitality sector.
Primary method of data collection has been used to collect information. There has been
questionnaire developed to gather the fresh and new information about the use of marketing and
communication tools to promote sustainability of hospitality industry during COVID- 19
pandemic.

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Background of Research.........................................................................................................1
Problem statement..................................................................................................................1
Rationale of Research.............................................................................................................1
Research Aim.........................................................................................................................2
Research Objectives...............................................................................................................2
Research Questions................................................................................................................2
Literature review....................................................................................................................2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................5
MAIN BODY AND FINDINGS.....................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................18
RECOMMENDATIONS...............................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................20

TITLE: The use of marketing and communication tools to promote sustainability.
INTRODUCTION
Background of Research
In hospitality sector, sustainability has come longer way since arrival in- room suggestions
to save water and reuse towels. Hotels business are enhancing taking mature approach that
mostly incorporate the socially responsible practices and environmental policies. The
sustainability minded leaders in hospitality can improve the efficiency as well as attract in
developing the enhancing number of consumers. They are looking for the socially and
environmentally responsible services and products (Agyeiwaah, 2019). Premier Inn is British
hotel chain with more than 72000 rooms and 800 hotels. This mainly operates the hotels in many
locations consisting suburbs, city centres and also airports competing with like of Ibis and
Travelodge hotels. In the situation of COVID- 19, hotels face the many different issues such as
reducing sustainability. The main focus of Premier Inn hotel is enhancing the sustainability by
using different marketing and communication tools for an instance social media, email and
others. These all are helpful in improving the hospitality sustainability during COVID-19
situation.
Problem statement
COVID-19 is one of the main issue faced by hospitality sector. By COVID-19,
sustainability of this sector is mainly impacted. In the pandemic situation, there are different
complexities faced by the hospitality industry such as minimize sales, chose hotels, high
employee turnover rate and others. Finding the ways to overcome from issues helps in enhancing
sustainability within hospitality industry (Ahmad, 2016).
Rationale of Research
In situation of COVID-19, hospitality sector faces the issues about enhancing
sustainability. The rationale behind conducting the present research is to determine the use of
marketing and communication tools to promote sustainability of hospitality industry during
COVID- 19 pandemic. The present investigation is mainly conducted in personal and
professional context. In the personal context, concepts of learner about the sustainability in
hospitality sector can be improved (Ayanfulu and et. al., 2018). On the other hand, in the
professional context research skills and understanding about the use of marketing and

communication tools to promote sustainability can be improved. It provides the better knowledge
about knowledge about conducting the similar type of the research in future.
Research Aim
The aim of this research is “To determine the use of marketing and communication tools
to promote sustainability of hospitality industry during COVID- 19 pandemic. A study on
Premier Inn.”
Research Objectives
 To analyse the impact of COVID-19 on sustainability of hospitality sector.
 To determine the different marketing and communication tools can be used by Premier
Inn to promote sustainability during COVID-19 pandemic.
 To identify the challenges faced by Premier Inn during COVID-19 pandemic.
Research Questions
 What is the impact of Covid- 19 on sustainability of hospitality sector?
 What are the different marketing and communication tools that can be used by the
Premier Inn to promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic?
 Describe the challenges faced by the Premier Inn during COVID- 19 pandemic?
Literature review
Impact of Covid- 19 on sustainability of hospitality sector
According to Gursory (2020), Due to the Covid-19 Situation as world economy has faces
high challenges and disaster implications in business as well as economy. Many businesses get
shut down due to not get productive returns and presence of economic slowdown. The major
impact on hospitality as because it creates high rate of implication which get to prevails more
strategic challenges which hospitality venture need to follows like social distancing and
lockdown. In situation of Premier Inn, their staff faces more conflicts in their jobs and other
employment resources that get need improve in effective manner. As Hospitality industry aim to
provide service and they have more customer interaction, due to Covid company like Premier
Inn which comes under 3-4-star hotel faces high term of sales in decrease that enhance layoffs,
resignation and not getting expected outcomes from customers. By generating strict polices
which need to follows to avoid the pandemic situation and the impacts are high rate of customer
dis engagement, decrease in sales, resources get wasted, staff attrition such as layoffs,

unemployment increased. As in financial situation the impact arises to extends cash flow forecast
for six months’ duration (Byrne and Abdul-Ghani, 2017). Hospitality business is extended to
profound where the impact that get generates sustainable changes that creates more information
collected. There are some restricted on home place ordered in which authorised that enhance to
decline where each capacity get to distancing in guidelines which domestic and international
level.
Different marketing and communication tools that can be used by the Premier Inn to
promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic
According to Nesterenko (2020), as due to this rise in crises of COVID-19, various
marketing strategies of business firm has switched towards performing its respective activities to
quarantine mode. Major supported with minor changes has been made to operating hours, budget
allocation, customer communication as well as planning structures of the company. With regards
to chosen organisation i.e. Premier Inn, in order to promote its sustainability growth, the
management of the company should adopt to various trending marketing as well as
communication tools (Peters and Kallmuenzer, 2018). It will enhance operational activities of the
firm and will also help the firm to deal with its external factors that affects working of the
business firm to deliver its quality services to respective company’s customers. Various
communication and marketing tools that can be used by marketing department of the firm are as
follows:
Marketing tools
Online commerce: In this keeping in mind current pandemic situation of COVID-19,
respective hospitality sector can use online and digital means for marketing their services being
delivered by the company. The marketing department of the firm can take advantage of using
online means for marketing as it helps in cost cutting techniques for the business firm and will
also contributes towards capturing larger market customers using lesser time as a resource.
Advanced delivery and payment: Concerned higher authorities of the company can make
use of digital means of payment from respective customers of the hospitality industry. This will
help business firm to save up to valuable resource of the company and ensure their availablity for
future generations.
Communication tools

Web conferencing: By establishment of this digital means of communication, it
will help managers of the firm to establish effective communication in the firm. A sound
working of an organisation is defined by its effectiveness in communications between various
departments of the company (Ram, 2018).
Mails: By delivering important information to respective staffs of the company by E-
mails will prove to be an effective tool for establishing effective communication in the firm
considering current pandemic situation.
Challenges faced by the Premier Inn during COVID- 19 pandemic
According to Gursoy (2020), Premier Inn one of the biggest UK's hospitality industry
has recently announced for cutting out nearly a job count of 6,500. As per restrictions imposed
by government of respective region that instruct various hospitality industries including pubs and
restaurants for their closure till 10 PM. Various challenges faced by respective industry during
current pandemic situation are as follows:
Government policies: As due to this pandemic, various government policies were
being imposed which every business enterprise has to follow regardless of their nature. In
context to Premier Inn, the company faced difficulty in operating its various operational
activities and due to lock-down imposed by concerning government, the demand for hospitality
industry declined (Turker and Ozdemir, 2019).
Ensuring safety measures: As due to this pandemic situation, the respective management
of the company has to ensure more emphasis on assuring better safety measures while delivering
their key services to their customers. It resulted in increased price of the service being delivered
by the company which was hard to digest in viewpoints of respective company's customers
(Vlachos, 2020).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This is framework which enhance to implies systematic method where it resolves a research
problem through gathering various technologies where providing a detailed interpretation
through various techniques (Nikadimovs and et. al., 2020). There has been research onion
considered that developed by Saunders et. al. in year 2007. Different layers consist in research
onion mention below:
Research Philosophies: According to this process, it depicts about the sources or way in which
data related research or topic gathered and analysed to used. It contains two types of philosophies
like Positivism and Interpetivism.
Justification: In this research, investigator is selected Positivism research philosophy
because it helps to scrutinised factual and knowledge which gained statistical outcomes on
quantitative mannerism (Dos Santos, Méxas and Meiriño, 2017).
Research Approach: This emphasis through plans and procedures for specific research
where different board of assumptions and detailed method such as data collection analysis of
information. It consists two approaches like Deductive and Inductive.
Justification: In this researcher has selected Deductive approach, as because it is concerned
within developing hypothesis which is related towards existing theory that designed to analyse
test of hypothesis (Horng and et. al., 2020).
Research strategy: This is a research where overall plan and procedure to conduct specific
research in which research strategy helps to directs researcher planning, organising or monitoring
about overall method which used in particular. As in this research, the format is follows
questionnaire so the strategy which researcher opted is Survey Method, as this method helps to
gain and useful that enhance to clear all benefits. It also constraints research objective base
questions in which respondents plays an important role to share their views or opinions.
Research choice: It seeks to be inform regarding what data is gathered from using the
authentic method. In this, quantitative and qualitative are two different research choices. The
quantitative research is mainly deals with the statistics and numbers (Matteucci, 2020). On the
other hand, qualitative research choice is concerned to test the experiences as well as ideas in-
depth manner.

Justification: There has been quantitative research method considered because it permits an
investigator to test hypothesis through gathering and examining data regarding the sustainability
in hospitality sector.
Data collection: It is concerned with gathering the accurate and relevant information
regarding the sustainability in hospitality sector. Primary and secondary are two different method
of data collection. The primary method provides the new information by consisting different
sources such as questionnaire, observation, interview and others. On the other hand, secondary
method of data collection is mainly consisting the different sources like articles, internet sources
and others (Michel and et. al., 2016).
Justification: There has been primary method of data collection used because it provides the
authentic information and provide the fresh information. Questionnaire has been developed to
collect the information from large number of respondents.
Sampling: It is set of the people chose to collect the data and information regarding specific
subject area. There have been 50 respondents chosen by using random sampling method. The
main reason behind using this method is that it provides the equal chance to the chosen
respondents and reduce the biasness (Peters and Kallmuenzer, 2018).

MAIN BODY AND FINDINGS
Frequency Table
Q1) Do you have detailed understanding about the sustainability in
hospitality sector?
Frequency
a) Yes 40
b) No 10
Q2) Does different marketing and communication tools helps the
hotels to promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Yes 42
b) No 8
Q3) As per your perspective, what are the different marketing tools
Premier Inn can be used to promote sustainability during COVID-
19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Social media 18
b) Websites 12
c) Promotional Items 20
Q4) According to you, why is sustainability necessary for hospitality
sector?
Frequency
a) Minimizing spending and waste 10
b) Maintain public relations 20
c) Improve environment 10
d) Using Organic Amenities 10
Q5) What are the different ways through which Premier Inn hotel
can be more sustainable in COVID-19 pandemic situation?
Frequency
a) Reuse and recycle 25
b) Provide training 10
c) Go with green 15
Q6) As per your opinion, what are the current trends in the
sustainable hospitality sector?
Frequency
a) Reducing water usage beyond hotel room 12

b) Eliminating plastic 15
c) Conserving energy 10
d) Integrating sustainability into hotel architecture 13
Q7) What are the different challenges faced by the Premier Inn
during COVID- 19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Issue of revaluating every process 18
b) Enhance cost 12
c) Sustainability have been rising 20
Q8) According to your viewpoint, what are the ways through which
Premier Inn can improve the sustainability in COVID- 19
pandemic?
Frequency
a) Recycling bins in guest rooms 19
b) Use eco-friendly cleaning products 21
c) Promote eco-friendly transport 10
Q9) For doing to go green, which ways Premier Inn hotel should be
used?
Frequency
a) Water management 12
b) Energy consumption 18
c) Waste management 20
THEME 1: An individual has detailed understanding about the sustainability in hospitality
sector
Q1) Do you have detailed understanding about the sustainability in
hospitality sector?
Frequency
a) Yes 40
b) No 10

Interpretation: From the above mention graph, this has been stated that there are 40
respondents which said that they have in- depth understanding about sustainability within
hospitality industry. Sustainability is one of the necessary issue that facing the hospitality sector.
It has the dramatic environmental impact by water and energy consumption, hazardous waste
creation and use of durable products. According to them, myths consists ideas that the green
option is expensive and guests are not to be interested in the sustainability. There are 10
remaining respondents and according to them they do not have the detailed explanation
regarding the sustainability in the hospitality sector.
THEME 2: There are different marketing and communication tools helps the hotels to
promote sustainability
Q2) Does different marketing and communication tools helps the
hotels to promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Yes 42
b) No 8
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
40
10

Interpretation: From the mention graph, this has been stated that there are 42 respondents
which said that there are different marketing and communication tools helps the hotels to
promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic. Other than this, there are 8 remaining
respondents which are not agree with given statement.
THEME 3: There are different marketing tools Premier Inn can be used to promote
sustainability
Q3) As per your perspective, what are the different marketing tools
Premier Inn can be used to promote sustainability during COVID-
19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Social media 18
b) Websites 12
c) Promotional Items 20
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45 42
8

Interpretation: On the basis of 18 respondents that social media is one of the effective
marketing tool that mostly used by the Premier Inn hotel to promote the sustainability in
COVID-19. According to them, large number of people are connected on social media. 12
respondents are agreeing with websites of company. There are 20 remaining respondents and
according to them promotional items is better the different marketing tools Premier Inn can be
used to promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic.
THEME 4: Sustainability necessary for hospitality sector
Q4) According to you, why is sustainability necessary for hospitality
sector?
Frequency
a) Minimizing spending and waste 10
b) Maintain public relations 20
c) Improve environment 10
d) Using Organic Amenities 10
a) Social media b) Websites
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
18
12

Interpretation: According to 10 respondents that sustainability is beneficial for hospitality
business in minimizing the wastage. To cut down the food wastage, hotels can source food
locally and grow this on site. According to 20 respondents that maintaining the public relation is
necessity. On the basis of 10 respondents that sustainability is helpful in improving environment.
There are 10 remaining respondents which are agree with using the organic amenities.
THEME 5: Ways through which Premier Inn hotel can be more sustainable in COVID-19
Q5) What are the different ways through which Premier Inn hotel
can be more sustainable in COVID-19 pandemic situation?
Frequency
a) Reuse and recycle 25
b) Provide training 10
c) Go with green 15
a) Minimizing spending and waste
b) Maintain public relations
c) Improve environment
d) Using Organic Amenities
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
10
20
10 10

Interpretation: On the basis of 25 respondents that reuse and recycle are the better ways to
make the hotel sustainable. It is one things the environmentally conscious people look fort
regarding anything. According to 10 respondents that training is necessary part for sustainability
efforts. There are 15 remaining respondents which agree with go with green. Goods the hotel use
will impact directly impact on sustainability efforts of operations.
THEME 6: Current trends in the sustainable hospitality sector
Q6) As per your opinion, what are the current trends in the
sustainable hospitality sector?
Frequency
a) Reducing water usage beyond hotel room 12
b) Eliminating plastic 15
c) Conserving energy 10
d) Integrating sustainability into hotel architecture 13
a) Reuse and recycle b) Provide training c) Go with green
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
10
15

Interpretation: According to 12 respondents that reducing water usage beyond hotel rooms
current trend in the hospitality industry sustainability. As per viewpoint of 15 respondents that
sustainability helps in minimizing the plastics. 10 respondents are agreeing with conserving the
energy. There are 13 remaining respondents are agreeing with integrating the sustainability into
the hotel architecture.
THEME 7: Challenges faced by the Premier Inn during COVID- 19 pandemic
Q7) What are the different challenges faced by the Premier Inn
during COVID- 19 pandemic?
Frequency
a) Issue of re-evaluating every process 18
b) Enhance cost 12
c) Sustainability have been rising 20
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
12
15
10
13

Interpretation: On the basis of 18 respondents that main challenge faced through Premier Inn
hotel in COVID-19 is issue regarding re- evaluating the process. There are 12 respondents and
according to them COVID-19 enhance the cost of business operations. There are 20 remaining
participants and they are agree with enhancing the sustainability.
THEME 8: Ways through which Premier Inn can improve the sustainability
Q8) According to your viewpoint, what are the ways through which
Premier Inn can improve the sustainability in COVID- 19
pandemic?
Frequency
a) Recycling bins in guest rooms 19
b) Use eco-friendly cleaning products 21
c) Promote eco-friendly transport 10
a) Issue of re-evaluating every process b) Enhance cost
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
18
12

Interpretation: There are 19 respondents and as per their perspective that hotels should provide
the recycling bins in guest room to reduce wastage. According to 21 respondents that Use eco-
friendly cleaning products. There are 10 remaining respondents which are agree with use of the
eco- friendly cleaning goods. Promote the econ- friendly transport helps in reduce the pollution.
THEME 9: There are various ways Premier Inn hotel should be used
Q9) For doing to go green, which ways Premier Inn hotel should be
used?
Frequency
a) Water management 12
b) Energy consumption 18
c) Waste management 20
a) Recycling bins in guest rooms b) Use eco-friendly cleaning products
18
18.5
19
19.5
20
20.5
21
19
21

Interpretation: There are 12 respondents which said that managing the water consumption helps
to hospitality sector to go green. On the basis of 18 respondents that energy consumption is
necessary. According to viewpoint of 20 respondents that wastage through recycling bin helps in
doing to go green.
a) Water management b) Energy consumption c) Waste management
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
12
18
20

CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be analysed that, respective firm uses various methods to deal
with various external factors affecting working of the business firm. The present document
highlights various difficulties faced by concerned authorities of chosen firm to deal with current
pandemic situation as well as their ways in this management is able to counter those issues. With
addition to that, usage of respective sustainability approaches is being highlighted in this report.
moreover, various operational activities of the firm are being brought to light with relation to
current pandemic situation of COVID-19.
RECOMMENDATIONS
By the above analysis of report, it is to be recommended to respective firm that by use of
proper innovate approaches might give better shape to conduct various operational activities of
the firm. With addition that, management department of the respective firm is guided for;
 Adoption of sustainability approaches for conduction of key plans and strategies of the
business firm. Undertaking appropriate sustainability approaches for conducting
respective activities of the firm ensures effective utilisation of valuable resources of the
business firm and ensures their available for consumption of future generations also.
 Respective firm can adopt innovate methods of establishing effective communication
between its respective departments. It enables management of the company to saves up to
cost of producing respective efforts in the company and enhances productivity of the
business firm keeping in mind current pandemic situation.
 Premier Inn can adopt principles of reuse and recycle of various products being used in
production activities of the firm. It helps operational management of the firm to save up-
to cost of production and helps firm to deliver their quality services at reasonable rates to
their customers.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Agyeiwaah, E., 2019. Exploring the relevance of sustainability to micro tourism and hospitality
accommodation enterprises (MTHAEs): Evidence from home-stay owners. Journal of
Cleaner Production. 226. pp.159-171.
Ahmad, U., 2016. Application of multiple criteria decision making techniques in tourism and
hospitality industry: A systematic review. Transformations in Business &
Economics.15(1). p.37.
Ayanfulu, A.M. and Yekini, N.A., Effects of ICT Applications and Gender Participation on the
Sustainability of Tourism & Hospitality Industry in Nigeria.
Bag, S. and et. al., 2018. Industry 4.0 and supply chain sustainability: framework and future
research directions. Benchmarking: An International Journal.
Byrne, R. and Abdul-Ghani, M., 2017. Gauging The Hospitality Industry’s Awareness and
Commitment to Sustainability Practices: The Case of the Hospitality Industry in
Muscat. Journal of Arts and Social Sciences [JASS]. 8(1). pp.21-32.
Dos Santos, R. A., Méxas, M. P. and Meiriño, M. J., 2017. Sustainability and hotel business:
criteria for holistic, integrated and participative development. Journal of cleaner
production. 142. pp.217-224.
Horng, J. S. and et. al., 2017. From innovation to sustainability: Sustainability innovations of
eco-friendly hotels in Taiwan. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 63.
pp.44-52.
Matteucci, V., 2020. How can the hospitality industry increase corporate value aligned with
sustainable development goals? Case examples from Hilton, Meliá and Sun. Worldwide
Hospitality and Tourism Themes.
Michel, J. P. I. and et. al., 2016. Sustainability leadership for competitiveness in the hospitality
industry in Mazatlán Mexico. Journal of Intercultural Management. 8(1). pp.91-119.
Nikadimovs, O. and et. al., 2017. Key competencies of managerial level employees for
sustainability in hospitality business. Economics & Education, (2), pp.23-34.
Peters, M. and Kallmuenzer, A., 2018. Entrepreneurial orientation in family firms: The case of
the hospitality industry. Current Issues in Tourism,.21(1). pp.21-40.
Ram, Y., 2018. Hostility or hospitality? A review on violence, bullying and sexual harassment in
the tourism and hospitality industry. Current Issues in Tourism. 21(7). pp.760-774.
Turker, D. and Ozdemir, G., 2019. Modeling social sustainability: analysis of hospitality e-
distributors. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal.
Vlachos, P., 2020. Covid-19 pandemic and the hospitality response. Hospitality
Quarterly. 2020(2). pp.44-44.

APPENDIX
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Q1) Do you have detailed understanding about the sustainability in hospitality sector?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) Does different marketing and communication tools helps the hotels to promote
sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic?
a) Yes
b) No
Q3) As per your perspective, what are the different marketing tools Premier Inn can be
used to promote sustainability during COVID- 19 pandemic?
a) Social media
b) Websites
c) Promotional Items
Q4) According to you, why is sustainability necessary for hospitality sector?
a) Minimizing spending and waste
b) Maintain public relations
c) Improve environment
d) Using Organic Amenities
Q5) What are the different ways through which Premier Inn hotel can be more
sustainable in COVID-19 pandemic situation?
a) Reuse and recycle
b) Provide training
c) Go with green
Q6) As per your opinion, what are the current trends in the sustainable hospitality sector?
a) Reducing water usage beyond hotel room
b) Eliminating plastic

c) Conserving energy
d) Integrating sustainability into hotel architecture
Q7) What are the different challenges faced by the Premier Inn during COVID- 19
pandemic?
a) Issue of revaluating every process
b) Enhance cost
c) Sustainability have been rising
Q8) According to your viewpoint, what are the ways through which Premier Inn can
improve the sustainability in COVID- 19 pandemic?
a) Recycling bins in guest rooms
b) Use eco-friendly cleaning products
c) Promote eco-friendly transport
Q9) For doing to go green, which ways Premier Inn hotel should be used?
a) Water management
b) Energy consumption
c) Waste management
Q10) Recommend ways through which hospitality sector can reduce impact of COVID-19
and enhance sustainability in business.