Digital marketing strategies and the development of the hotel industry, a case of Mbale Resort Hotel, Mbale City

Abstract

This study examined the role of digital marketing strategies on the development of the hotel industry. The study was guided by the following objectives notably, to find out the role of cost leadership strategies on the development of the hotel industry , to find out the role of differentiation strategies on the development of the hotel industry and to find out the role market segmentation strategies on the development of the hotel industry. The study used a descriptive and quantitative approach. Data was collected from a target population of 50 of employees with accessible unit of 44 employees of Mbale resort hotel, using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected with the aid of closed ended questionnaire and Statistical Packages for Social Sciences was employed for analyzing data from which frequency tables, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), reliability, validity, correlation, and regression results were obtained. The study findings revealed that there is a positive and a significant effect of cost leadership strategies on the development of the hotel industry, differentiation strategies on the development of the hotel industry and market segmentation strategies on the development of the hotel industry in Mbale city. The study, recommends that efforts to improve on the development of the hotel industry depend on digital marketing strategies (cost leadership strategies, differentiation strategies and market segmentation strategies). Finally, the study concludes that there is a strong predictive power that the dimensions of digital marketing strategies contribute towards enhancing the development of the hotel industry in Mbale resort hotel.