TLH342 E-Tourism: Social Media Strategy Development for SMTE

This case study critically evaluates the impact of social media and mobile technology on hospitality businesses, focusing on a Small and Medium Tourism Enterprise (SMTE). It analyzes the chosen business's current social media portfolio and proposes a detailed new social media strategy, considering factors like customer engagement, marketing channels, and competitive advantages. The study incorporates a literature review on social media strategies and examines the role of e-tourism in modern business, particularly within the airline industry using Norwegian Air Shuttle as an example. It discusses the importance of understanding customer needs, leveraging social media for marketing, and adapting to changing trends, including the impact of events like COVID-19 on the tourism sector. The analysis also covers the adoption of new technologies and the use of influencer marketing to enhance brand image and customer experience.

E-Tourism
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Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
Case Study Evaluation (Findings)...................................................................................................6
Discussion....................................................................................................................................7
Development of Current social media strategy..........................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15
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INTRODUCTION
E-Tourism can be defined as the digitalization of all processes as well as a distribution
channel in the tourism, travel, and hospitality sector that aids an organization in enhancing
efficiency along with effectiveness in business operations. It assists in developing and effectively
enhancing the strategic relationship with its stakeholders including competitors, consumers,
dealers, etc. E- Tourism. Developments in this sector made tourists capable enough to choose
their destination easily, comparing prices at different sites and choose a company which is apt for
their financial budget. Information, advanced technology, and easy communication channels are
proved as innovative strategic tools for young tourism entrepreneurs which in turn aids them in
upgrading their business effectively. Increased cooperation with travel agencies and engagement
of digital marketing channels as well as social media sites results in effective communication to
cater to existing customers along with attracting potential ones (Al-Essa and Yahia, 2019)
To understand about this Norwegian Air Shuttle has been taken that is a low-cost airline and
Norways’ airline. This is the fourth low-cost carrier in Europe behind Wizz Air, EasyJet, and
Ryanair, the second-largest airline in Scandinavia, and the ninth-largest airline in Europe in
terms of passenger numbers. Management in Norwegian.com offers luxurious enmities to its
customers through its own created mobile application (Chan and Law, 2020). This application
gives their guests various types of facilities such as book spa and dining tables, request check-in
and check-out. The management of such an organization plays an important role by providing an
online facility that can help to place orders online and manage a better quality of services. The
report covers a literature review on social media portfolio and detailed social media strategies
that develop understanding and manage all functions effectively.
MAIN BODY
E-Tourism is defined as the use of information and communication technology in the
tourism industry that can help to make feel people good and manage activities. This is important
for each organization to understand what people want and how they could be satisfied so that
products and services are provided accordingly. It has been seen that people go to spend their
holidays, business meetings, and celebrating events then they select the best destination and use
different types of tourism services via an electronic mode that can help to develop the
organizational performance and productivity. If an organization is not using effective marketing
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and social media, then it will be difficult to reach targeted customers. This is most important for
each organization to use marketing planning and strategy for the purpose of reaching its targeted
customers and developing organizational productivity. Norwegian is a low-cost airline and
Norway's medium-size airline. The organization was founded on 22 January 1993 to take over
the regional airline services produced by Busy Bee for Braathens in Western Norway. The
organization understands the demand of their customers and provides low-cost airline services to
their passengers that can help to develop organizational productivity and profitability. The main
object of the organization is to increase its customer base by using social media and new
technology (Dosi and Tzortzaki, 2017). The other objective is to improve the competitive
advantages by 60% within 2025. To improve organizational productivity and profitability by
managing all functions and new technology effectively. Marketing management is having a
major role in the airline industry as it conducts market analysis and introduces the products as
well as services accordingly.
Social media presence is growing rapidly in changing environment where it became most
important for companies to understand the new technology and innovation then use in their
organization for the purpose of developing business and maintaining higher performance. Every
organization runs its business by offering a better quality of products and services as per demand
or trend that influences the number of people and managing business activities. For business,
industry customer is important where it became important to use the effective channel of
marketing and social media for the purpose of connecting people and maintaining higher
performance. Norwegian is a medium-size organization in the airline or tourism industry where it
analysis demand customers and provides low-cost airline services. Other than airline services, it
offers hotel, rental car, and airport transfer facilities to its guests that influence the number of
people and manage higher performance. The marketing management of such an organization is
highly active on social media as it provides information whenever it introduces new services,
packages of traveling, and other services that can help to reach the targeted customers and
maintain higher performance (David Negre, 2018). It has seen that environment and trend is
changing where people do not have enough time to visit or go to market for buying and selling
the products as well as services where it became most important to make the use of new
technology and internet to place an order or booking the products as well as services. In relation
to E-Tourism, Social media has changed every single aspect of people’s lives and affected the
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business enabling through marketing strategies that can help to manage business activities and
performance. Social media is leading e-tourism excellently as people analyze their demand to go
outside and use social media to gather information effectively that can help to increase the
business performance and productivity effectively. The management also understands the
requirements of tourists and uses new technology that can help to improve the business
performance and productivity effectively (Dan, 2017).
Social media impacts on E-Tourism positively for example people research before going on
a trip then they use social media to search for the best destination, airline services, and other
facilities that can help to fill their requirements and supports to increase business activities. In
relation to Norwegian, people are encouraged to search and share their travel experience via
social media that can help to improve the customer's experience and influence other people to
book such kinds of tourism and hospitality services. Thus, social media has changed the way
people make buying decisions. People build their trust in a tourism agency based on the reviews
of others with the help of new technology and social media. This can help to attain business
goals and productivity in the global business environment and maintain higher performance
which supports to development of organizational brand image and profitability (Hu and Olivieri,
2020).
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to (Kozinets, 2020), Social media strategy is important planning for an
organization that is used to influence and attract a number of people and offer products
accordingly. The use of social media is gaining increasing importance as a firm’s portfolio of
strategies that can help to develop organizational performance and productivity. The type of
social media is Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The management of chosen organization uses
social media and online marketing to reach their targeted customers which can help to develop
organizational performance and productivity. In relation to Norwegian, marketing management
uses different types of social media by analyzing people’s needs that can help to provide
information and influence people to develop their organizational activities. It has been seen that
when people are unsatisfied with tourism services then they have the option to call the
companies to account for that as it helps to resolve problems and leads to a better reputation for a
company.
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According to (Kusumasondjaja, 2018), The tourism industry is highly competitive where
it became important for companies to use new technology and social media as it supports
reaching targeted customers and developing organizational performance. In e-tourism, the use of
information and communication technology is possible through social media and internet sources
that can help to reach the targeted customers and develop organizational performance. Social
media is defined as an effective source of communication and sharing knowledge that is used to
bring changes in their performance and organizational productivity by offering kinds of products
and services. Norwegian is an airline industry that creates awareness between people and
provides information regarding organizational services which can help to maintain higher
performance. The chosen organization provides the booking, and cancellation facility to their
customers on mobile phones with the help of new technology that makes it an easier task for
customers to influence customers and develop organizational productivity.
According to (Paladan, 2018), it has been evaluated that currently social media is playing a
major role in growing and developing the business industry. To reach potential customers and
provide information is a difficult task for companies where it became important for management
to use an effective marketing strategy that could help to fill gaps between people and services
which are being decided to provide by organization that directly affects organizational
productivity and profitability negatively. The management of Norwegian, makes the use of
effective strategic marketing for the purpose of influencing people and bringing changes in their
products and services which can help to develop the organizational performance. As covid-19
occurred in whole world where government has declared the lockdown and airline services has
also been stopped. This directly affected organizational productivity and profitability in changing
environment. The marketing manager understands the requirement of their customers and
provides safe, clean, and proper sanitized services to their customers which can help to operate a
business regularly. The company makes sure their customers would get effective and affordable
tourism services with the help of new technology that can help them to get a safe journey.
Case Study Evaluation (Findings)
Apart from social media, Norwegian has adopted various other practices in its operations to
be a leader in industry. This global airline company is working and processing its operations on a
vision to provide fuel- efficient aircraft in order to offer most affordable journey to common
people. Company's unique idea is to focus on passenger’s comfort with low fares enables it to
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have different and positive brand image in comparison to other airlines in industry. It undertakes
careful and critical analysis while developing new flight length. Norwegian ensures that strong
demand of consumers should match with supply of products and services. While ensuring
demand of its product, it simultaneously working on its new products and services. Norwegian
also serves short- haul trips to busiest destination of world, whenever needed. Reacting on
passenger complaint or grievance it took necessary measures too (Serafinelli, 2018). It tries to
provide separate check-in lanes, lounge options and enhanced in-flight services. Norwegian
partners with Amadeus, leading travel technology company aids it to extend its operations
globally. Amadeus e-ticketing assists Norwegian in online booking of flight seats. Another
software, Amadeus Altea aids Norwegian in running smooth and consistent business operations
all over the globe. This gives agent’s viable insights to check the status of seat and to track
passengers through their journey (Pinto and Yagnik, 2017).
Discussion
From the given, it has been discussed that social networking sites and digital marketing
channels proved to be a boom for tourism industry. Consolidation of social media and tourism
marketing lead to excellent results in business. Reviews posted for Norwegian on different social
sites help its potential customers to build their decision about going somewhere or using a
specific airline service. Social media aids Norwegian to reach their customers very easily. Even
people can reach to company in a very easy manner, if they were suffered in any incident due to
airline's authority negligence. People shares real experiences about choosing Norwegian aids in
creating positive image and attract potential customer. Norwegian encourages its consumers to
share their real experiences with airline on social sites (van Esch and Mente, 2018). Norwegian
is using influencer marketing in which it hires social media influencer or celebrity to advertise
their products and services. This is giving Norwegian larger engagement on their website.
Tourism industry especially works on seasonality. For instance, flights are fully booked at the
time of vacation or festival time. With the help of digital marketing agencies Norwegian plans
up-to- date campaign to advertise new products and services. Norwegian is using social
networking sites such as Facebook as well as Instagram, which has a very large audience and
fortunately travelling is most shared topic on this. Norwegian has developed its own hashtags
and promotional campaigns to engage a large number of existing and potential customer base. In
order to popularise its business trips, company uses LinkedIn to enhance their image as providers
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of best business class trips. Time of manual brochures and billboards are over, if business wants
to sustain in competitive environment, it should rely on social shares, positive reviews and
customer satisfaction on social media (Vize and Sherrett, 2017).
Development of Current social media strategy
E-tourism services are providing by organization to their customers by creating an
application and websites which is visited by customers and supports to make right buying
decision. This can help in development of organizational performance and productivity by
managing all functions and offering kind of services. In Airline Industry, Norwegian is following
the changing trend and technological innovation that could be used to develop the organizational
productivity and sales by influencing number of people and managing all functions. To bring
new products and services in changing environment, management conduct market audit and set a
budget which used to bring change and new airline services that supports to improve brand
image and productivity effectively (Yadav and Rahman, 2018).
In Today's world Social media is used by everyone and also provide various benefits for
organisations in order to promote their brand and offerings in digital manner. It important
features such as Follows, Like and share helps organisations in order to make their credibility in
Social Media platform which also help them to get success in their digital marketing strategy in
effective manner. In order to make their Digital marketing strategy most effective, every
companies need to develop its Social media strategy in order to understand their target audience
in most effective manner. In context of Norwegian, its current social media strategy are
discussed Below:
Start using chatbots- Chatbots are important social media tools which help companies
in order to interact and communicate with their potential customer and solve their queries easily
without any need of human disruption. This makes consumers more comfortable in order to
interact with companies through social media. Many platforms such as Chattypeople make AI
powered Chatbots effective, which make social media strategy easy for the companies. For using
Chatbots companies does not need any Coding Knowledge in order to operate this. In case of
Norwegian, its managers are also used chatbots in to answer their potential customer's questions
as well as take order directly through Facebook Comments and Messenger in order to book their
advance tickets. It can also help them to integrate with their all the major payment systems in
effective manner (Zahoor and Qureshi, 2017).
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Create a personalized experience for customers- Chatbots are not only help
companies in order to deal with their customers it can also help them to create more personalised
experiences for their potential customers if it is implemented in proper manner. In order to get
personalised experience companies need to create ads that directly reach to their customers to
their messenger window through their chatbots in effective manner. This linking ads to their
chatbots help companies in order to change their traditional views of their customer in which
they only try to sell their products. In respect of Norwegian, its managers are also create
personalised experience of their customers through Chatbots in order to make their social media
strategy more effective. This will also help them by increasing their sales and also create a loyal
fan base (Zain, S. Z. M. and Selamat, M. H., 2019).
Create an efficient content marketing strategy- Content marketing is a prominent
tool of social media strategy which help organisations in order to advertise their brand and their
offerings for long time in which is company does not change them anytime. Effective content
marketing strategy help companies in order to bring their right customer at right time in relevant
manner. Companies can implement its content marketing strategy in free for attracting its
potential customer in effective manner. In regards of Norwegian, its managers are also creating
relevant marketing strategy along with their thorough and optimized content in order to make
their social media strategy effective.
Create a community for audience- In social media strategy followers and other
features are important but not enough for the companies in order to get success in social media.
Companies should use integrated personality like emotions and humour in their posts in order to
make their audience relate with their brand in effective manner. Social media refers to being
social all time it means if customer see same type of posts again and again so, they will lose their
interest in order to like their products. Companies can make their communication interactive by
asking questions from their customer, collecting their opinions on particular matters and by
sharing relevant information about their company not just about their products and services to
their customers. In accordance with Norwegian, its managers are also creating community for
their potential customers by making their communication interactive in order to make their social
media strategy most effective (Narayanaswamy and Heiens, 2022).
Use brand advocates- The best advertising tool for the company is the people who likes
their brand. This make company to focus on current customers along with their employees
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instead of making new customers. Company use their employees as brand advocates in order
promote their brand and offerings. In order to use their employees as brand advocates, company
should create social media guidelines which is specific and important for their brand, provide
best practices to their advocates in order to operate their social media platform and also provide a
leader for each sections of their social media strategy. In account of Norwegian, its managers are
also use their employee as their brand advocates in order to make their social media strategy
most effective. These advocates also help them to improve their important areas in order to make
them effective (Agnihotri, 2020).
Run cross-channel campaigns- Companies can run cross-channel campaigns across all
in their social media channels in order to engage their customers to their brand. In today's world,
every companies are running these campaigns virtually so, it is important for the company to
make an effective strategy which helps them to become effective from other. Companies should
add an emotional element in their social media campaigns in order to make their customer
related with their cause. In consideration of Norwegian, its managers are also run efficient cross-
channel campaigns in their social media strategy in which they tell an engaging story, provide
more information about their campaigns to their customers. This will also provide them a
memorable and unique name joined with their relevant information.
Tell a story by going live- Content of a company tell the whole story of the brand of the
company but not share daily happening in their company with their customers. Many platforms
such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. have live streaming features which help companies in order
interact with their customers in effective manner by going live. These features are mainly not
used by the big companies so; these will help them to compete with their competitors in effective
manner. In context of Norwegian, its managers are also uses live streaming features in order to
tell stories to their customers which makes their social media strategy most effective. This helps
them in order to inspire and engage their customers and create memorable and shareable content
in effective manner (Fang, 2021).
Content strategy – It has been seen that people influenced and respond to good imagery,
fun videos, and interesting content that can help to analysis and make effective decisions. If
content which is generated by organization is not effective and not understandable then would be
difficult for organization as customers switch brand and affect organizational productivity
negatively. For each organization it is important to understand how their customers will be
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influenced after reading the content that can help customers to understand about quality and uses
of particular products with the use of social medial and increase organizational image. In relation
to Norwegian, management apply content strategy as social media planning in which it generates
effective and understandable content that could be easily understands by people and make
buying decisions. This strategy is used to catch audience’s eye and support to build a personality
brand.
Relevant channel – As per changing period, people are highly active on social media and
other social groups by creating their own profile with the aim of reaching as many people as
possible. If people is not using relevant channel to aware and provide information about
organizational products, then it would be difficult to operate their business and manage the
functions. E-tourism services are providing by Norwegian with the use of relevant social media
such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram that can help to influence the number of people and
supports to increase the organizational productivity. This can help to improve brand image and
productivity in changing environment. The management also understand requirement and
bringing changes in their existing performance that can help to improve organizational
productivity and profitability (Galea, 2020).
Conducting survey / sharing experience – This can be explained as effective social media
strategy that could be used by E-tourism industry to provide great experience to their customers
and increase business performance. To increase customer base in Norwegian, management
conduct survey and share their experience with others that can help to make right decision and
increase organizational productivity. This can help to maintain higher performance and
productivity effectively by managing all function and sharing experience (Goecke, 2020).
Recommendations
 From the above discussion Norwegian is recommended to use the social media and new
technology in their changing environment that can help to attracts number of people and
support to increase the business performance. Using Instagram will help you attract
people, especially the millennials, as they form a group that is highly active on Instagram.
 The management should be understanding changing environment and new technology
that can help to provide the E-tourism services accordingly. This helps to save time and
cost of organization as it spends high amount on investment in marketing activities that
affected organizational productivity (Honerkamp, 2020).
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 The chosen organization should make use of SEO that means search engine optimization,
part of customer marketing strategy. This would help to know what customers are
looking for and trying to do that supports to increase organizational sales and
productivity. This also helps to accomplish business goals by increasing customer base
and attain higher productivity.
 It is a great platform for e-tourism businesses such as Norwegian, to engage with their
current and future customers. Management should follow the travel hashtags and create
your own to maximize the popularity of your posts (Inversini, Rega and Gan, 2020).
 Norwegian can make people's real life experience so well and luxurious that they never
forgot that and share that on social sites which engages potential customers.
 Advertisements are one of obsolete method of promoting products, the newer one is
social networking sites. People may show distrust in advertisement but they show full
trust on videos and photos of travel blogger as well as vlogger as they share their real life
experience.
 Norwegian should focus on lead nurturing through social media. They should make as
well as reinforce long- lasting relationship with their customers and develop an emotional
connect with them (Leung and Law, 2017).
 Norwegian should focus on creating reliable and relevant content through hired
influencers or celebrities. Only creating content and posting on social media is not
enough to engage customers. More engagement needs content to be different and
credible.
 Norwegian can use e- mail marketing as a tool of promoting products as well as services
to effluent and business class in order to generate sales in their operations (Macedo and
Sousa, 2019).
 To have a positive image as well as enhance brand awareness in market and to increase
its customer base, rather fully realising on social media sites Norwegian can focus on
corporate social responsibility. It is a focused effort in which company majorly
concentrate on upgrading society and its resources. It aids company in gaining morale
standards in workforce and feeling more connected with world.
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