A Comparative Study of Social Media Marketing and Traditional Marketing in Indian Hotel Industry

Abstract

Purpose The present study aims to compare social media marketing with traditional marketing concerning its role in Hotel Branding and Hotel Revenue. Design/Methodology/Approach A quantitative approach has been adopted for this research, wherein the data has been collected through a questionnaire from 470 respondents comprising General Managers, Marketing Managers & Departmental Heads of 77-star hotels (5*Deluxe, 5*, 4* & 3*) in Delhi/NCR. Findings The findings highlight the prominence of social media marketing and discover that social media marketing has benefitted the hotel industry in increasing brand awareness and generating revenue as compared to the traditional marketing methods. It also discovers that social media marketing is the future of the hotel industry. Practical Implications This study will help the hotel managers in the application of various Social media marketing practices for the overall profitability of the business. Originality/Value Arguably this is one of a kind study, as there has been no such research done specifically aiming at the perception of Hotel Managers of star hotels of the Indian market. The findings will help the hotel industry enrich its digital presence by suggesting the benefits of social media marketing as compared to traditional marketing in creating & enhancing brand awareness and generating more revenue.   Limitations The present study is just confined to hotels in Delhi/NCR and hence carried on a limited population. A more detailed study with a larger sample size, with a large range of variables and/or in any other region of the country, may also be carried out to effectively represent the intrinsic research. Keywords: Hotel; Social Media; Traditional Media; Social Media Marketing; Traditional Marketing