SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY: A CLUSTER ANALYSIS

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Abstract

In today’s technologically driven and revolutionised era of digital communication, numerous people combine a complex collection of social media platforms and technology to connect them to the world and people around them. The online participation of consumers has forced companies to embrace social media marketing efforts. The continuous advancements in marketing mediums have a major influence on the success and growth of companies, particularly within the tourism and hospitality industry, as increasingly more travellers are using social media as a means of communicating and seeking information. The purpose of this research study was therefore to explore if users of social media as a promotional mix element could be clustered into different groups based on characteristics they possess. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed to accommodation establishments located in the Western Cape province of South Africa and a total of 361 useable responses were received. A four-step cluster analysis was performed in order to identify similar groups of respondents in their use of social media as a promotional mix element. The findings presented four distinct users of social media in the accommodation industry based on six variables identified from the literature.

Keywords: Social Media, Marketing, Usage, Accommodation Establishments, Promotional Mix Elements, Cluster Analysis, South Africa

How to cite this paper: Rabie, C. (2016). Social media in the accommodation industry: A cluster analysis. Corporate Ownership & Control, 14(1-1), 251-258. https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv14i1c1p8