CHAPTER ONE
1.0.INTRODUCTION:
Tourism is travel for pleasure; also
the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating,
and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be
international, or within the traveller's country. The World Tourism
Organization defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the
common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only ",
as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual
environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and
other purposes".
Tourism has become a popular global
leisure activity. Tourism can be domestic or international, and international
tourism has both incoming and outgoing implications on a country's balance of
payments. Today, tourism is a major source of income for many countries, and
affects the economy of both the source and host countries, in some cases being
of vital importance.
Tourism suffered as a result of a
strong economic slowdown of the late-2000s recession, between the second half
of 2008 and the end of 2009, and the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza virus, but
slowly recovered. International tourism receipts (the travel item in the
balance of payments) grew to US$1.03 trillion (€740 billion) in 2011,
corresponding to an increase in real terms of 3.8% from 2010. International
tourist arrivals surpassed the milestone of 1 billion tourists globally for the
first time in 2012, the same year in which China became the largest spender in
international tourism globally with US$102 billion, surpassing Germany and
United States. China and emerging markets such as Russia and Brazil had
significantly increased their spending over the previous decade.
Social media are computer-mediated
tools that allow people to create, share or exchange information, career
interests, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks.
Social media is defined as "a group of Internet-based applications that
build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that
allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content." Furthermore,
social media depends on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly
interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share,
co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content. They introduce
substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses,
organizations, communities, and individuals. These changes are the focus of the
emerging field of techno self-studies. Social media differ from traditional or
industrial media in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability,
immediacy and permanence. Social media operates in a dialogic transmission system,
(many sources to many receivers). This is in contrast to traditional media that
operates under a monologic transmission model (one source to many receivers).
The rise in popularity of social
networking sites has led social networking to become a global phenomenon. After
many countries gained Internet access, the increase in the use of Internet
started influencing the economy and social life at the beginning of 20th
century (Milano, Baggio & Piattelli, 2011). Later on, in the era of Web
2.0, as social networking advanced, an increasing number of users on the
Internet began to participate in social networking websites and this has
resulted in the system of social networking to change (Milano, Baggio &
Piattelli, 2011; Seth, 2012).According to Clark and Robert (2010), social
networking sites are now mainly used for “job networking, targeted marketing,
and entertainment”. (p.507).
Social networking is a type of
social media; social networking sites allow Internet users to connect with
people and create information. Social networking sites are originally used for
entertainment purposes however an increase in the use of Internet and
information communication technologies has shifted the way people communicate
with each other, mainly in the tourism and tourism industries (Assenov &
Khurana, 2012; Clark & Roberts, 2010). For instance, social networking
sites like Facebook allow registered users to interact globally and freely with
people who share the Author: Same interest by uploading photos, sharing posts,
chatting, commenting on the posts and also getting replies, such features allow
companies to get quick feedback from consumers whereas consumers are able to
receive responses immediately. These software and technology features which are
available on social networking sites are also part of the Web 2.0 system (Seth,
2012). “Web 2.0 has also given popularity to user generated content (UGC) where
information is gathered from different online sources all of which collaborate
to form the final source” (Seth, 2012, p. 9). UGC has replaced traditional
marketing in terms of media advertising. The advertisements are often sponsored
posts promoted by people on social networking sites and these online
advertisements appear to be more trustworthy than advertisements from mass
media like televisions, radio, newspaper and magazines (Li & Darban, 2012).
Manap and Adzharudin pointed out that consumers were more likely to be
convinced to buy a product that is recommended by people who had experienced it
(experience good) rather than a search good, the researchers also stated that
it is possible to frequently utilize this strategy in the tourism industry.
(2013)
The change in consumer behavior is
majorly affected by the social networking sites which provide platforms for
consumers to connect with the company and other consumers (Bilgihan, Peng &
Kandampully, 2014).The explosive growth of the population of Internet user son
social networking sites has had a huge impact on tourism and tourism industry
whereby consumers are changing the rule of marketing. In order for a company to
be successful in business, it is necessary for marketers to make decisions
based on consumer needs, changes in society and also the development of technology.
By doing, it not only satisfies consumers but also strengthens the relationship
with customers to ensure they make a comeback. In addition, social networking
sites also help to record the information of consumers so that it is easy to be
obtained whenever needed (Assenov & Khurana, 2012). In addition, social
networking sites also provide social communication services which could create
brand awareness and build a good image for the brand (Bilgihan, Peng &
Kandampully, 2014).
There are many effects that stem
from internet usage. According to Nielsen, internet users continue to spend
more time with social media sites than any other type of site. At the same
time, the total time spent on social media in the U.S. across PC and mobile
devices increased by 99 percent to 121 billion minutes in July 2012 compared to
66 billion minutes in July 2011. For content contributors, the benefits of
participating in social media have gone beyond simply social sharing to
building reputation and bringing in career opportunities and monetary income,
as discussed in Tang, Gu, and Whinston (2012).
One of the most competitive fields
of Service sector is tourism industry, which requires effective management of
natural, financial and human resources existing in country. For developing
tourism industry in any country it is therefore important to provide relevant
Infrastructure, improve service quality and increase of customer satisfaction.
The essence of successful marketing is to provide sufficient value to gain
loyal, long-term customers. There are different types of instruments in
marketing, which aims to achieve of customer satisfaction and loathly. Social
media is a crucial tool for success in business today. People are already
talking about the business using social media, companies could establish good
relations directly to the customers. Use of the internet for booking tends to
be higher in countries that have high internet penetration levels and usage of
credit cards, especial in the USA and UK. But the highest levels,
interestingly, can be found in some smaller Travel and Tourism markets such as
Scandinavia (65% and higher) and Australia. Globally, different estimates
suggest that more than 50% of leisure trips and 40% of business trips are
booked online. By 2014, over 3 billion of the world’s adult population will be
able to transact electronically via mobile or internet technology with a 90%
mobile penetration rate and 6.5 billion mobile connections. (Travel and
Tourism, World Travel Tourism Council in 2011) Social media refers the
activities of different customers in the society, gathering and sharing online
information and knowledge. Marketers know that theoretically, social media
should be a powerful way to generate sustainable, positive word-of-mouth
marketing. It is very important that marketers select the right social media
platform, design the right message and engage the right users to spread that
message for implementing successful campaign. Tourism review team works daily
with a number of collaborative media for tourism industry and attracting
millions visitors from different countries. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube,
Podcasts and travel shake are the best known and effective social media
networks for marketing in tourism and tourism industry. The impact and usage of
social media marketing strategies are very crucial for satisfying tourist
demand in the global world. The creation and accessibility of internet space
has radically changed tourists’ motivation to plan and book trips with
different destination. Companies grow their confidence and familiarity with the
social web to receive all successful information from researching travel on
websites.
To access new information technology
now is very easy and this has radically altered the way in which information is
created and disseminated. Accordingly, marketers have possibility to use social
media to stimulate and encourage interaction of customers to facilitate
developing awareness of tourists in through the country.
It has
already been mentioned, that “business increasingly acknowledge the potential
role of the online social networks as marketing instruments” (Lorenzo-Romero et
al., 2011, p.171). Going a step beyond, “the multiple possibilities of the
internet as a means of communication among consumers, as well as between
consumers and companies, allow for the emergence of new forms of social
relationships as well as new marketing approaches, both in terms of selling,
promotion and relational paradigms” (Pinho and Soares, 2011, p.116) That is why
the advent of social networking sites (SNS) has offered new opportunities to
companies and their brands; especially promoting their brands, products and
services. According to Lorenzo-Romero et al. (2011, p.172) “social networking
sites not only offer users the possibility of networking with each other, but
also users can become consumers; this means that users have the chance to
gather more information about the brands/products/services they prefer, through
user reviews, making thus better buying decisions’’. Consequently, “creating
social networking CHAPTER ONE
1.0INTRODUCTION:
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Hotel and catering services are
basically concerned with the essentials of food, housing, but they are profit
centers too; also offering entertainment, providing myriad services and meeting
many other needs. Man’s basic need for food and shelter has not changed in the
course of civilization, but the environment in which they exist is undergoing constant
change. Adapting to the change calls for flexible leadership, one of the many
attributes of management and one not usually required of technically skilled
workmen. Some changes are gradual, of course, others come suddenly. But all of
them contribute to the dynamic nature of the society and to one important
segment of that society - the ever- changing hotel and catering field.
In the past, hospitality management
was a management of personality. Few managers of the old school were managers
in the present day sense of the word. Capital investment was smaller, labour
problems were almost unknown, most were family businesses; government control
and regulation practically unheard of. Management was the skill of Mine Host,
the ability to comfort the traveller and welcome the stranger.
Not so today where investment
requires corporate ownership; labour involves complex contracts and a myriad of
government regulations, limitations and restrictions tap the energy of the
modern manager.
It is not surprising therefore, that
today’s executives are meeting in conferences, attending seminars, talking to
the experts and consulting with advisers. They are less and less on the floors
of their establishments and more and more behind their desks. Here, efforts are
concentrated on the problems of rising costs and slender profits. Increasing
competitions, costly modernization and other problems preoccupy our present-day
managers. With increasing expectations, they look to the implementation of
sound business practices to provide the means of countering the many few
pressures facing the hotel and catering industry.
For any hotel, no matter how well
operated, must have to be first located in an ideal spot, in perfectly
favourable economic conditions to be able to attain an ultimate efficiency
without marketing activity backup. The fact is that business exists in a
dynamic environment affected by economic, legal, political and technological
conditions that have varied impact on business fortune in terms of periods of
boom and adversity.
The truth is that no matter the
quality of management in terms of capacity, standards and resources, hotels and
catering houses definitely need marketing efforts to achieve corporate goals
and objectives of profit maximization.
Marketing entails management
functions “which organize and direct all the business activities involved in
assessing customer needs and converting customers purchasing power into
effective demand for a specific product or service and in moving that product
or service to the final consumers or users so as to achieve the profit target
or other objectives set by the company” as defined by the Institute of
Marketing.
Having established the need for
marketing in the Hotel and Catering Industry and understanding the services so
offered and their nature, it becomes absolutely necessary for this study to
find out their implications of marketing in Hotel and Catering Industry and
suggest the best ways to effectively market the services provided by the
industry.
In comparison with industrial
manufacturers and consumer goods, inadequate marketing efforts by proprietors
of hotels and catering services have been identified as the main problems of
the Hotel and Catering Industry in Nigeria. From the economic and financial
returns of their performance one easily observes that most hotels have not been
able to meet main business objectives of profit making and maximization.
Statistics show that many well-researched, built and commissioned hotel
projects in Nigeria have not done well in profit maximization due to poor and
low sales volume. Many cannot pay staff salaries or undertake major repairs and
renovations to meet today’s challenges as a result of this. Added to this, is
the problem of poor or inadequate marketing efforts. There is poor drive to
create awareness of general services offered by the hotel industry in Nigeria.
It is hoped that at the end of this study, solutions to these problems would
have been proferred so as to introduce effective marketing to Hotel and
Catering services in Nigeria.
1.2STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
The study seeks to provide answers
to the relationship if any, between conscious marketing efforts and business
prosperity in terms of enhanced profits. In other words can effective marketing
in hotels and catering services industry be relied upon for improved business
fortunes? It is hoped that at the end of the study adequate answers/solutions
could had been provided.
Generally, the study is designed to
find ways of effectively marketing Hotels and Catering Services to customers in
Nigeria. Specifically the study will attempt to:
(a)Highlight effective marketing
strategies to create awareness on services provided by firms in the hotel and
catering industry.
(b)Find the reasons for the general
apathy to hotel and catering services by the customers,
(c)Find the causes of the low level
of marketing efforts offered by the hotel and catering industry,
(d)Identify the causes of low sales
and low profits in the hotels and catering services.
(e)Identify some of the management
problems faced by the industry.
(f)Identify the major customers
complain in service area
(g)Find solutions to customers
complaints,
(h)Suggest ways which hotels and
catering services can maximize profits
(i)Suggest ways to effective
communication in the business.
1.4SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Few research works are known to have
been carried out to this area.
It is necessary to study the ways of
operating hotels and catering services in marketing their services effectively
to the customers. It is also significant to assess the service quality of the
hotels and catering industry and the measures that can be put in place for the
overall aim of enhancing efficiency, profitability and customer
satisfaction.
It is hoped that at the end of the
study, suggestions will be made which will benefit the hotels, customers and
the entire nations as a whole.
Findings from this research is
expected to enhance better quality services for the satisfactions of customers.
The study will also be useful to the Hotels and Catering Industry as a future
reference point
1.5SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The project is basically concerned
with the effective marketing of Hotel and Catering Services. The area of study
is however restricted to the Nigerian Air Force Club, Kaduna as the case study.
1.6LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The major limitation of this study
is the fact that very few known research work has been carried in this area. As
a result of this the number of relevant existing literature to be reviewed is
scanty.
Time constraints is another
limitation with the limited time given for the submission of this project and
meagre financial resources of the researcher, it was not possible to travel far
to gather diverse data for this work.
1.7RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This study intends to use the survey
methods of gathering both primary and secondary data, primary data will be
collected through questionnaire and personal interviews of the management and
staff of NAF club, Kaduna and their customers.
The secondary data will be obtained
through documentary research techniques by consulting books, journals and
records of the Nigerian Airforce Club, Kaduna. Data collected will be analyzed,
conclusions drawn and recommendations made accordingly.
HOW
TO GET THE FULL PROJECT WORK
PLEASE,
print the following instructions and information if you will like to order/buy
our complete written material(s).
HOW
TO RECEIVE PROJECT MATERIAL(S)
After
paying the appropriate amount into our bank Account below, send the following
information to
08140350866
or 08058580848
(1)
Your project topics
(2)
Email Address
(3)
Payment Name
(4)
Teller Number
We
will send your material(s) immediately we receive bank alert
BANK
ACCOUNTS
Account
Name: AKINYEMI OLUWATOSIN
Account
Number: 3022179389
Bank:
FIRST BANK.
OR
Account
Name: AKINYEMI OLUWATOSIN
Account
Number: 2060566256
Bank:
UBA.
OR
Account
Name: AKINYEMI OLUWATOSIN
Account
Number: 0042695344
Bank:
Diamond
HOW
TO IDENTIFY SCAM/FRAUD
As
a result of fraud in Nigeria, people don’t believe there are good online
businesses in Nigeria.
But
on this site, we have provided “table of content and chapter one” of all our
project topics and materials in order to convince you that we have the complete
materials.
Secondly,
we have provided our Bank Account on this site. Our Bank Account contains all
information about the owner of this website. For your own security, all payment
should be made in the bank.
No
Fraudulent company uses Bank Account as a means of payment, because Bank
Account contains the overall information of the owner
CAUTION/WARNING
Please,
DO NOT COPY any of our materials on this website WORD-TO-WORD. These materials
are to assist, direct you during your project. Study the materials
carefully and use the information in them to develop your own new copy. Copying
these materials word-to-word is CHEATING/ ILLEGAL because it affects
Educational standard, and we will not be held responsible for it. If you must
copy word-to-word please do not order/buy.
That
you ordered this material shows you have agreed not to copy word-to-word.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
08058580848,
08140350866
YOU
CAN ALSO VISIT:
www.achieverprojectmaterial.com
www.acheiversprojectmaterials.com
www.achieversprojectmaterials.com
www.naijasplash.com
www.achieversprojectmaterials.blogspot.com
www.achieverprojectmaterial.blogspot.com
www.acheiversprojectmaterials.blogspot.com
www.archieverprojectmaterials.blogspot.com
www.acheiversprojectmaterials.blogspot.com.ng
www.archieverprojectmaterials.blogspot.com.ng
www.achieversprojectmaterials.blogspot.com.ng
www.achieverprojectmaterial.blogspot.com.ng
www.achieverprojectmaterial.wordpress.com
www.achieversprojectmaterials.wordpress.com
www.acheiversprojectmaterials.wordpress.com
www.archieverprojectmaterials.wordpress.com
No comments:
Post a Comment