Assessment of the performance of online marketing platforms used by hotels in Uganda during COVID-19 pandemic: a case study of 4 selected hotels in Kampala

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of online marketing platforms used by hotels during COVID-19 pandemic basing on the following objectives; to increase utilization of online marketing platforms and strategies by hotels in Uganda, to identify the online marketing platforms used by hotels in Kampala city during COVID-19 pandemic, to assess the challenges faced by hotels in using the online marketing platforms during COVID-19 pandemic and to suggest mechanisms that may improve online marketing in Ugandan hotels. The research was descriptive in nature involving quantitative methods which was administered through questionnaires. The total sample comprised of 90 respondents of all the hotel managers, clients and hotel management software companies. Simple random sampling was used whereby the researcher went to hotels and interviewed sampled or selected clients plus hotel management software developer companies. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 23 and frequency distribution tables were run to show the results and interpretations from the field according to the questionnaire that were filled by the hotel managers to collect data. This dissertation has 6 chapters in total and findings revealed that hotels remained using the online marketing platforms that had been used before the outbreak of Covid-19 though they emphasized using them to post pictures and videos to show hotel operations and SOPs that had been introduced by the hotel during the pandemic. The most commonly used platforms were social media platforms like Facebook, twitter, Youtube, Instagram and others included software applications like Karibu, Central management system, sales management system, booking.com, trip advisor, hotel.com. According to the study, challenges that were faced by hotels in using the platforms were clients being used to the traditional ways so they had limited knowledge on how to use online platforms. Other challenges included network and connectivity issues, security issues and language problem as explained in chapter 4. There were mechanisms that were raised up in order to improve online marketing by the hotels in Uganda for example more participation in online events and discussions, educating and training both employees and clients on how to use the online platforms, creating useful and interesting content and partnering with complementary brands. It was concluded that to a larger extent, the online platforms used during covid-19 pandemic helped to improve the performance of hotels especially when SOPs like quarantine, lockdown were lifted by the government for example more hotel bookings, kept hotels presence online, promoted relationship between clients and hotels and improved branding.