Abstract
The implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) has aided in the efficient management of the hotel industry and is a crucial component of commercial hotels’ competitiveness and success. Hoteliers benefit from the usage of ICT on both a strategic and operational level. The official websites of business hotels are key points of contact for digital marketing since they communicate the hotel businesses’ identity and brand services to potential tourists. Consumer perceptions and behavior are influenced by the quality of information on facilities and services, as well as the quality of supporting material (pictures and videos) and supporting information systems (e.g., online booking systems). Websites should be appealing, simple to navigate, and suitable with mobile devices; they should also incorporate integrated booking systems and social media links to improve direct sales volume-reservations. The purpose of this research is to examine the official websites of Hotel Units located and operating in Greece. More precisely, we analyzed, assessed, and evaluated aspects such as website optimization, domain trust flow, domain referral flow, relevant websites, affiliate social networking, organic web keywords, and expected monthly SEO clicks. Additionally, computational approaches were used to analyze and evaluate the data variables acquired. This study intends to answer questions regarding the state of the tourism industry’s websites, the latest technology they use to maintain a strong online presence, and ways to optimize their interaction in order to attract more potential customers-tourists. In conclusion, hotels’ ICT integration requires quick attention. Although the majority of hotels utilize ICT, there is no evidence of both awareness and comprehension of the benefits associated with acquiring a competitive edge. Additionally, while they recognize and embrace the relevance of the official website, numerous flaws in the design, booking tools, and actual efficacy of these internet technologies have been detected.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Addison-Wesley.
Aziz, A., Bakhtiar, M., Ahmat, N., Kamaruddin, M., & Ahmad, N. (2012). The usage of ICT applications in 5-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Current Issues in Hospitality and Tourism, 231–235. https://doi.org/10.1201/b12752-45
Boutsinas, B., Siotos, C., & Gerolymatos, A. (2008). Distributed mining of association rules based on reducing the support threshold. International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools, World Scientific Publishing Company, 17(6), 1109–1129.
Crouch, G. I., & Ritchie, J. R. B. (1999). Tourism, competitiveness, and societal prosperity. Journal of Business Research, 44(3), 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0148-2963(97)00196-3
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13, 319–340.
Gibbs, J., & Kraemer, K. L. (2004). A cross-country investigation of the determinants of scope of e-commerce use: An institutional approach. Electronic Markets, 14(2), 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/10196780410001675077
Gross, M. J., & Brown, G. (2006). Tourism experiences in a lifestyle destination setting: The roles of involvement and place attachment. Journal of Business Research, 59(6), 696–700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2005.12.002
Halkiopoulos, C., Giotopoulos, K., Papadopoulos, D., Gkintoni, E., Antonopoulou, H. (2020). Online reservation systems in e-business: Analyzing decision making in e-tourism. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing (JTHMS), 6(1), 9–16. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3603312
Halkiopoulos, C., Dimou, E., Kompothrekas, A., Telonis, G., Boutsinas, B. (2021). The E-tour facilitator platform supporting an innovative health tourism marketing strategy. In: V. Katsoni & C. van Zyl (Eds.), Culture and tourism in a smart, globalized, and sustainable world. Springer proceedings in business and economics. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72469-6_39
Holsapple, C., & Singh, M. (2000). Electronic commerce: From a definitional taxonomy toward a knowledge-management view. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 10(3), 149–170. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327744JOCE1003_01
Kasemsap, K. (2018). The importance of electronic commerce in modern business. Encyclopedia of information science and technology, 4th edn. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2255-3.ch243
Katsoni, V. (2011). The role of ICTs in regional tourist development. Regional Science Inquiry Journal, 3(2).
Katsoni, V., & Dologlou, N. (2017). ICT applications in smart ecotourism environments. Smart Cities in the Mediterranean, 225–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54558-5_11
Kurnia, S., Choudrie, J., Mahbubur, R.M., Alzougool, B. (2015). E-commerce technology adoption: A Malaysian grocery SME retail sector study. Journal of Business Research, 68(9), 1906–1918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.12.010
Middleton, V. T. C., & Clarke, J. R. (2012). Marketing in Travel and Tourism. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780080511108
Mihalič, T., Praničević, D. G., & Arnerić, J. (2015). The changing role of ICT competitiveness: the case of the Slovenian hotel sector. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 28(1), 367–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677x.2015.1043779
Murphy, P., Pritchard, M. P., & Smith, B. (2000). The destination product and its impact on traveller perceptions. Tourism Management, 21(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0261-5177(99)00080-1
Panas, G., Vasiliadou, S., Halkiopoulos, C. (2020). Data analysis evaluation of web technologies enhancing communication in tourism industry: Case study in Kefalonia Island. In: V. Katsoni & T. Spyriadis (Eds.), Cultural and tourism innovation in the digital era. Springer proceedings in business and economics. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36342-0_14
Panteli, A., Kompothrekas, A., Halkiopoulos, C., & Boutsinas, B. (2021). An innovative recommender system for health tourism. In: V. Katsoni & C. van Zyl (Eds.), Culture and tourism in a smart, globalized, and sustainable world. Springer proceedings in business and economics. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72469-6_42
Roger, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations (4th ed.). Free Press.
Valeri, M., & Katsoni, V. (Eds.). (2021). Gender and tourism. https://doi.org/10.1108/9781801173223
Xiang, Z., & Gretzel, U. (2010). Role of social media in online travel information search. Tourism Management, 31(2), 179–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.016
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Halkiopoulos, C., Papadopoulos, D. (2022). Computational Methods for Evaluating Web Technologies and Digital Marketing Techniques in the Hospitality Industry. In: Katsoni, V., Şerban, A.C. (eds) Transcending Borders in Tourism Through Innovation and Cultural Heritage. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92491-1_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92491-1_24
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-92490-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-92491-1
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)