An evaluation on the utilization of website marketing activities in danang upscale hotels
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
International Conference on Marketing in the Connected Age (MICA-2018), October 6th, 2018
Danang City, Vietnam
An Evaluation on the Utilization of Website Marketing
Activities in Danang Upscale Hotels
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuya*, Tran Dinh Longa
aDepartment of Business Administration, University of Economics, The University of Danang, Vietnam
A B S T R A C T
This study intends to gain the better understanding on current status quo of website marketing activities
among enterprises in Danang hotel industry. An observation form was constructed based on the ICTR model
proposed by Wang & Russo (2007) with four dimensions including Information, Communication, Transaction
and Relationship, to examine all 47 4- & 5-star hotels in Danang. The findings indicated that these hotels
mainly utilized their websites to providing information. The implications are then discussed.
Keywords: hotel; website marketing; website marketing activities.
1. Introduction
Since its first emergence in the late 1990s, hotel's website has undoubtedly become an indispensable part of
any enterprise within this industry (Law, 2018). Characterized by the information-extensive nature, hotel site is
an ideal instrument for marketing initiatives from information dissemination, communication, promotion to
transaction between enterprises and their target customers (Li et al., 2015). Marketing activities utilizing website
benefit hotel in terms of cost reduction, revenue increasing (Bui et al., 2014; Shuai & Wu, 2011) or better
customer retention from better communication (Chiou et al., 2010). Moreover, from the demand side, hotel
website eliminates the confinement of time & space, and create a convenient platform for customer not only to
explore the information of product & service, but also to process the transaction (Chiappa, 2013; Díaz & Koutra,
2013). It has also been witnessed that tourists have been increasingly employing internet and website for
planning their trips (Xiang et al., 2015), or processing their lodging reservation (World Tourism Organization,
2014). As a result of above circumstances, websites take a significant importance to the hotel business outcome
and hoteliers should completely maneuver the potential of this tool (Leung et al., 2016).
However, empirical evidences illustrated that, the potential of hotel's website have not been completely
utilized. The study of Li et al. in 2015 with members from the three largest hotel associations in USA, indicated
that websites of these hotels solely focused on providing information and their current usage of website
regarding marketing activities is limited (Li et al., 2015). Ting et al., (2013), with the examination on the
websites of the top 100 hotel, also indicated that merely a half of sample utilized their websites as a means to
effectively interact with their customers. These authors suggested that this circumstance demonstrated the
confinement in completely employing the usage of hotel’s website. Findings in these previous studies might
indicate that hoteliers seemed to employ their websites without any cohesive understanding on the usability of
this tool; and probably imitate the success from other hotel's sites (Schmidtet al., 2008; Li et al., 2015).
Regarding the scarcity of firm’s resources, hotel’s managers need to completely comprehend the criteria that
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: thuyntb@due.edu.vn
203
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
composed in an effective website in order to possibly excavate the capability of their websites rather than taking
a “me-too” approach and wasting their effort (Schmidt et al., 2008).
Nevertheless, literature indicated the escalating controversy without any unified scheme to evaluate the
hotel’s website usage in term of marketing initiatives (Law, 2018; Leung et al., 2016; Li et al., 2015). In order to
better employ the potential of website for Hotels in Danang, we conduct a study that provides the coherent
understanding toward the framework to evaluate the usage of website marketing activities, which in turn,
portrays out the accurate information of the utilization. The study would be implemented in the context of
Danang upscale hotels, with 47 firms in which approximate a third of these firms originate from the global hotel
chain as Sheraton, Hilton, Accord…(Danang Department of Tourism – DDT, 9/2016). As the importance in
terms domestically economic contribution, understandings on the current usage of website marketing activities in
domestic firm, and the confrontation with other global participant, is valuable as it partially provides a
consolidated foundation to develop the domestic upscale hotel. To accomplish this purpose, this paper would
first introduce the definition of website marketing to consolidate the understanding on the concept that have been
used throughout the study. Then, the paper continued to present the controversy regarding the evaluation of
website marketing activities and came up with the rationale for the selected framework. The following parts
discussed the methodology and result; and finally, concluded with the overall discussion on our research.
2. Literature Review
Definition of Website Marketing
Since the introduction of internet platform, the pace of changing and launching new forms of marketing
initiatives using internet is unimaginable (Law, 2018; Leung et al., 2016) and so the terminologies to define
these forms. In order to unify the understanding within this study, this part would discuss the prominent
terminologies that are usually handled interchangeable in practice but needed clarification in this study.
Internet marketing – this definition witnessed the changing regularly since its first mentioned. Internet
marketing was suggested as the use of latest technologies and internet connection in order to achieve the
marketing objectives (Atshaya & Rungta, 2016). The frequently mentioned channels of internet marketing
include website, search engine marketing, social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, mobile
marketing, banner advertising (Aleksandar & Oljia, 2018).
Website marketing – or corporate website marketing, referred to the marketing initiatives using corporation
owned website (Aleksandar & Oljia, 2018). In this context, corporation owned website is the central hub of the
overall internet marketing campaign, where contains the information of product, firms and other related service
(Atshaya & Rungta, 2016)
Evaluation of Website Marketing Activities
Since the emergence in the second half of 1990s of hotel website, the discussion that aiming to propose a
proper approach regarding the website evaluation, has been diversifying (Law, 2018). Reviewing the literature
since 1995 revealed three classification based on the research approaches comprising evaluation by (1) phases,
(2) features & (3) features & effectiveness (Li et al., 2015, Ting et al., 2013; Ip, Law, & Lee, 2011; Schmidt et
al., 2008).
Evaluation by Phases
The typical paradigm in the evaluation approach by phase is the Model of Internet Commerce Adoption
(MICA) proposed by Burgess & Cooper in 1999 and latterly modified into the extended MICA (eMICA) by
Doolinet al., in 2002 (Schmidt et al., 2008). In the promotion stage, the static information of products and
services is introduced. The provision stage includes the features that enhance the capability of website to
communicate and interact with its target audiences internally and externally. The processing level emphasizes
the functions that promote the happening of online transactions (Doolin, et al., 2002). Merono-Cerdan and Soto-
Acosta in 2007 also acquired this essence. They classified three types of marketing initiatives using website
comprising e-information, e-communication & e-transaction. While e-information emphasize the aspect of
information dissemination using website toward their direct and indirect stakeholders, e-communication
involved the functions that promote the capacity of communication and interaction, and e-transaction focuses on
executing online transaction (Merono-Cerdan & Soto-Acosta, 2007). Empirical evidences from the studies
adapting this model suggested that the first stage (information dissemination) has been implemented by the hotel
across continents and the stages with greater maturity (promoting communication, interaction & transaction)
have been proceeding but the level of implementation is relatively limited regarding the first stage (Chiou et al.,
2010; Ting, et al., 2013).
Evaluation by Features
204
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
Contrary to the evaluation by phases, evaluation by features focuses on analyzing the presence of website
functions and features. Within this realm, the proposed models were diversified in the category and the activities
within each category. Leung et al. (2016) suggested 5-dimension model comprising (1) hotel reservation
information – including the items of “policy”, “guarantee”, and “real-time” booking system; (2) facilities
information – including “Hotel description”, “location”, and “facilities”; (3) contact information including the
detail of “email”, “telephone”. “fax” and “instant messaging”; (4) surrounding information area including
“distance to main attractions”; “nearby facilities” and “local weather report”; and Peripheral information
including the items of “language”, “site map” mk, “brand description” …
Li et al. (2015) illustrated their evaluation in terms of Information, Communication, Transaction &
Relationship. According to these authors, the fourth dimension is the most challenging dimension for enterprise
to attain and the attainment of this dimension might provide a considerable source of firm’s competitive
advantage. Ting et al. (2013) stated seven categories in classifying website features including “interactivity”,
“navigation”, “functionality”, “marketing”, “service”, “innovativeness”, and “online processing”.
Evaluation by Features & Effectiveness
The last approach combined the website effectiveness into the evaluation consideration. Liu & Zhang (2014)
consider the booking channel selection as a measurement for effectiveness and “information quality, service
quality and privacy protection” for the criteria of website functions. Shuai & Wu (2011) utilized three dimension
of website marketing activities including information, communication & transaction to estimate the impacts on
hotel performance.
Generally, evaluation by (1) phases, (2) features and (3) features and effectiveness reserves its own
advantages and drawbacks. It is arduos to assess the degree of effectiveness among these three categories of
evaluation. While evaluation by phases provides the practitioners a specific way with details in each stage for the
development, evaluation by features provides the diversified lists of website features that could be considered in
utilizing website. Evaluation by features and effectiveness might fulfill the needs of practioners in terms of
performance measurement. However, the standards to measure website effectiveness are different from varied
standpoints.
3. Methodology
Reseach Instrument
This study utilized the ICTR model proposed by Wang & Russo in 2007 with four interrelated dimensions
including information, communication, transaction & relationship. These authors elaborated that a website’s
success rely on the the alignment of four elements including: (1) up-to-date and accurate information provision;
(2) effective and constant communication with consumers; (3) reliable and seamless electronic transaction; and,
(4) appropriate and sustainable relationship building programs” (Wang & Russo, 2007). It has also been
indicated that the components should be executed relatively following that order and the features that promote
the relationship establishment, retention and development, are the most arduous to progress (Li & Wang, 2011).
Based on the classification that mentioned above, the model proposed by Wang & Russo (2007) was
categorized into the evaluation by features (Li et al. 2015) as this model focused mostly on the website features.
Despite the diversification in terms of the function categories, which created the complexity in validating proper
an evaluation into a means of measurement, ICTR model reserved the distinctions to be utilized in this study. It
was proposed in 2007 and was employed in the highly prestige study as the study of Li et al. in 2015 on the
evaluation of website marketing activities among members of the three largest hotel associations in US or
accounted recently in the study of Law (2018) invited paper for ‘luminaries’ special issue of International
Journal of Hospitality Management. The structure also accounted the essence of evaluation approach by phases,
as firm should implement these features comparatively following the order of information, communication,
transaction and relationship, respectively, due to the increasing complexity involved in the following stage. This
order partially provides the practitioners with a guidance for implementation in practice.
This study reproduced the initial stage of CPA (changing propensity analysis) technique from the study of Li
et al. (2015) in evaluating the current usage of website marketing activities and forecasting the future pattern of
the usage. Past literature review was conducted to gather the items accounted in each dimension. Lately, the
enlisted items were reviewed by a group of professional body including the researchers with tourism and hotel
expertise, and the representatives from Danang Hotel Association, hoteliers to assure the appropriateness. The
finalized list comprised 16 items of information dimension, 5 items of communication dimension, 10 items of
transaction dimension, and 9 items of relationship dimension, illustrating the consistency with the study of Li et
al. in 2015 (Appendix 1). (enlisted by the DDT in “2016 annual report”)
Data Collection
205
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
This study collected data on the whole population as the size of population stayed within the reach, and the
capability of the authors to conduct within the limitation of time frame. 47 websites of upscale hotels referred in
2016 annual report (DDT, 2016) was searching on google and then verifying with the DDT before conducting
the observation.
The websites of these hotels were observed with the answer of “yes” or “no” for data collection. We also
control the factors of time and technology infrastructure, so all the website’s observation was conducted in the
same period of time in a day, in the second week of June (June 11th – June 17th), using the same laptop and
browser, with other conditions remain constant.
4. Results
Table 1. Applications of hotel website marketing activities
Information Dimension
Information Dimension
Accommodations information
Information about the hotel
Property overview
% of Hotel
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
97.87%
97.87%
97.87%
93.62%
93.62%
91.49%
68.09%
48.94%
36.17%
8.51%
Photo gallery
Maps/driving directions
Amenities information
Virtual tours
Products/services offered
Restaurant information
Meetings and events information
Media/press
Employment opportunity
Destination attraction information
Shopping information
Events calendar
2.13%
Links to regional/city/area pages
0.00%
Regarding the information dimension, 11 over 16 features of this dimension was employed by one half of the
investigated hotels, and on average, approximately 71.01% of 4-5 star hotels in Danang implemented the
information dimension features on their websites “Accommodations information”, “information about the hotel”,
“property overview” & photo gallery are the most popular functions that was deployed on all of examined hotel
websites. Other features as “Maps/driving directions”, “amenities information”, “virtual tours”,
“products/services offered”, “restaurant information” and “meetings and events information” are also extensively
executed by more than 90% of hotels in this study. While the main features that provide the information of core
products/ services offered, were forceful implemented, there were variances in the implementation of supportive
information functions, especially with “shopping information”, “events calendar” and “links to regional/ city/
area pages” with less than 10% usage level. “Media/ press”, “employment opportunity”, and “destination
information” were not as favorable as other core informative features as they were offered on the websites of
68.09%, 48.94% and 36.17% of observed hotels respectively.
Table 2. Applications of hotel website marketing activities
Communication Dimension
Communication dimension
Contact information
Other language options
Search functions
% of Hotel
100.00%
97.87%
70.21%
Interactive forms
23.40%
Frequently asked questions
12.77%
206
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
In terms of communication dimension, this component includes the features that promote the information
exchange effectively. On average, roughly 60.85% of observed hotel implemented forms of communication
functions, in which “contact information” was accounted as the most popular application (100%), while
“frequently asked questions” was referred as the least popular function (12.77%). The multi-language function
was also considered as popular as “contact information” with the application by 97.87% of observed hotels. The
popularity of “search functions” and “interactive forms” was followed with 70.21% and 23.40% respectively.
Table 3. Applications of hotel website marketing activities
Transaction Dimension
Transaction dimension
Online reservation
Secure transactions through SSL
Dining packages
% of Hotel
91.49%
78.72%
44.68%
44.68%
19.15%
8.51%
Spa packages
Online group bookings
Airline and hotel packages
Online gift shop
6.38%
Attraction tickets
4.26%
Event tickets
4.26%
Merchandize/themed products
2.13%
In respect with transaction dimension, only 30.43% of observed hotel implemented the application of
transaction dimension on average. In specific, hotels in this study solely focuses the transactions of their core
service. “Online reservation” was the most popular functions that deployed on 91.49% hotel websites, and
followed by “secure transactions through SSL” (78.72%). The application of “dining packages”, “spa packages”
and “online group booking” were less popular than other two functions that mentioned above with 44.68%,
44.68% and 19.15% respectively. The features as “airline and hotel packages” (8.51%), “online gift shop”
(6.38%), “attraction tickets” (4.26%), “event tickets” (4.26%), “merchandize/themed products” (2.13%) were the
least favorable features within this transaction dimension.
Table 4. Applications of hotel website marketing activities
Relationship Dimension
Relationship dimension
% of Hotel
78.72%
76.60%
61.70%
42.55%
40.43%
36.17%
29.79%
Web seal certificate (e.g., Trust)
Special deals and packages
Privacy policy
Customer loyalty programs
Personalization/customization
Cross-selling/up-selling opportunities
Customer support
Incentive programs to attract new
customers
Community function like chat rooms
0.00%
0.00%
In case of relationship dimension, on average, roughly 40.66% of observed websites processed the features of
relationship dimension. “Web seal certificate” and “special deals and packages” were the functions with greatest
popularity with 78.72% and 76.60% respectively, privacy policy was followed with the implementation on
61.70% of hotel websites. “Customer loyalty programs”, “personalization/ customization”, “cross-selling/ up-
selling opportunities”, and “customer support” were not as popular as other above mentioned features with the
proceeding on 42.55%, 40.43%, 36.17%, 29.79% of hotel website consecutively. The functions as “incentive
programs to attract new customers” and “community function like chat rooms” were not available in any hotel
site within this study.
207
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
5. Conclusions & Implications
Generally, a substantial level in the usage of information and communication features, were maintained
throughout the hotels in this study, or in other word, Danang upscale hotels focused on the dimension of
information of their website marketing application. The findings implied that the hotels in Danang yet fully and
effectively employed their corporate website as a marketing tools. It was also unveiled that in each component,
the features with direct involvement with the core products/ services would be stressed to deployed, while other
supportive functions seemed to be neglected.
Nonetheless, the findings also unveil the pattern that indicate the lack of co-operation between the hotel and
its surrounding actors. Only one third of hotel in this study provide the information of destination and the link to
local actor’s websites. And even lesser the hotel facility that support the purchasing of local offered products/
services. In comparison with the study of website marketing activity in US hotel industry, it has been witnessed
the substantial differences with the deployment of destination attraction information by more 90% of hotel in
that study.
It is necessary to provide the accurate and up-to-date information on firm's website, but it would not be
substantial to survive and develop regarding the intensifying competitiveness in business environment recently,
unless these firms commence to commit with more effective and proper marketing functions (Shuai & Wu,
2011) as transaction-oriented or relationship-oriented functions (Wang & Russo, 2007). Moreover, in the
position of initial information point for customers outside their home countries, it has been suggested that the
website marketing activities in these facilities should shift their focus onto the information of their surrounding
actors in order to attain more benefit from greater customer experiences (Lipianin-Zontek & Zontek, 2017).
References
[1] Aleksandar, G. & Olja, J. (2018). Internet Marketing as a Business Necessity, Interdisciplinary Description
of Complex Systems, 16(2), 265-274.
[2] Aluri, A., Slevitch, L., & Larzelere, R. (2015). The effectiveness of embedded social media on hotel
websites and the importance of social interactions and return on engagement, International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(4), 670-689.
[3] Atshaya, S. and Rungta, S. (2016). Digital Marketing vs. Internet Marketing: A Detailed Study,
International Journal of Novel Research in Marketing Management and Economics, 3(1), 29-33.
[4] Bui, M., Jeng, D., Lin, C. (2014). The importance of attribution: connecting online travel communities with
online travel agents. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 1–13.
[5] Chiappa, G. (2013). Internet versus travel agencies: the perception of different groups of Italian online
buyers, Journal of Vacation Marketing, 19 (1), 55–66.
[6] Chiou, W.C., Lin, C.C., & Perng, C. (2010). A strategic framework for website evaluation based on a review
of the literature from 1995-2006, Information & Management, 47, 282–290.
[7] Díaz, E., & Koutra, C. (2013). Evaluation of the persuasive features of hotel chains websites: a latent class
segmentation analysis, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, 338–347.
[8] Dominici, G. (2009). From marketing mix to e-marketing mix: a literature overview and classification.
International Journal of Business Management, 4 (9), 17–24
[9] Doolin, B., Burgess, L., & Cooper, J. (2002), Evaluating the use of the Web for tourism marketing: a case
study from New Zealand, Tourism Management, 23 (5), 557–561.
[10]Ip, C., Law, R., & Lee, A. L. (2011). A Review of Website Evaluation Studies in the Tourism and
Hospitality Fields from 1996 to 2009, International Journal of Tourism Research, 13, 234-265
[11]Law, R. (2018). Evaluation of hotel websites: Progress and future developments, International Journal of
Hospitality Management, Invited paper, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.06.005
[12]Leung, D., Law, R., & Lee, H. A. (2016). A modified model for hotel website functionality evaluation,
Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 33, 1268-1285.
[13]Li, X., & Wang, Y. (2010). Evaluating the effectiveness of destination marketing organizations’ websites:
evidence from China, International Journal of Tourism Research, 12 (5), 536–549.
[14]Li, X. & Wang, Y. (2011). Measuring the effectiveness of US official state tourism websites, Journal of
Vacation Marketing, 17 (4), 287–302
[15]Li, X., Wang, Y., & Yu, Y. (2015). Present and future hotel website marketing activities: Change propensity
analysis, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 47, 131-139.
208
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
[16]Lipianin-Zontek & Zontek (2017). Co-operation between tourism enterprises as the source of new tourism
product creation, Tourism in Southern and Eastern Europe, 4, 307-319.
[17]Liu, N.K., Zhang, Y., 2014. An investigation of factors affecting customer selection of online hotel booking
channels, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 39, 71–83
[18]Merono-Cerdan, A.L., & Soto-Acosta, P. (2007). External web content and its influence on organizational
performance, European Journal of Information System, 16, 66–80.
[19]Schmidt, S., Cantallops, A.S., dos Santos, C.P. (2008). The characteristics of hotel websites and their
implications for website effectiveness, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27 (4), 504–516
[20]Shuai, J., & Wu, W. (2011). Evaluating the influence of E-marketing on hotel performance by DEA and
grey entropy, Expert Systems with Application, 38 (7), 8763–8769
[21]Teo, T.S.H., Pian, Y., (2003). A model for web adoption. Information and Management, 41 (4), 457–468
[22]Ting, P., Wang, S., Bau, D., & Chiang, M. (2013). Website evaluation of the top 100 hotels using advanced
content analysis and eMICA model, Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 54 (3), 284–293.
[23]Wang, Y., Hwang, Y-H., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2006). Futuring Internet Marketing Activities Using Change
Propensity Analysis, Journal of Travel Research, 45, 158-166.
[24]Wang, Y., & Russo, S.M. (2007). Conceptualizing and evaluating the functions of destination marketing
systems, Journal of Vacation of Marketing, 13 (3), 187–203.
[25]World Tourism Organization. (2014). Online guest reviews and hotel classification systems: An integrated
approach. Madrid: Author
[26]Xiang, Z., Wang, D., O’Leary, J. T., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2015). Adapting to the internet: Trends in
travelers’ use of the web for trip planning, Journal of Travel Research, 54(4), 511–527.
Appendix
Appendix 1: The application of website marketing activities
Data collecting instrument
Yes No
Information Dimension
Accommodations information
Information about the hotel
Property
Photo gallery
Maps/driving directions
Amenities information
Virtual tours
Products/services offered
Restaurant information
Meetings and events information
Media/press
Employment opportunity
Destination attraction information
Shopping information
Events calendar
Links to regional/city/area pages
Communication dimension
Contact information
Other language options
Search functions
Interactive forms
Frequently asked questions
Direct email campaign
Transaction dimension
209
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Tran Dinh Long/ MICA 2018 Proceedings
Online reservation
Secure transactions through SSL
Dining packages
Spa packages
Online group bookings
Airline and hotel packages
Online gift shop
Attraction tickets
Event tickets
Merchandize/themed products
Relationship dimension
Web seal certificate (e.g., Truste)
Special deals and packages
Privacy policy
Customer loyalty programs
Personalization/customization
Cross-selling/up-selling opportunities
Customer support
Incentive programs to attract new customers
Community function like chat rooms
210
8 trang
14/05/2022
1840
Bạn đang xem tài liệu "An evaluation on the utilization of website marketing activities in danang upscale hotels", để tải tài liệu gốc về máy hãy click vào nút Download ở trên
File đính kèm:
- an_evaluation_on_the_utilization_of_website_marketing_activi.pdf
