Online Marketing Communication Trends in Slovak Hotel Industry

Abstract Research purpose. Traditionally used communication mix as a part of company’s marketing strategy, including advertising, sales promotion, personal sales and public relations, is gradually changing and expanding. Thanks to the development of new information-communication technologies, all these tools are constantly being transformed into the conditions of the Internet. This fact also affects consumer’s lifestyle, and thus, their buying behaviour. As a large part of consumers are almost always online via fixed internet, WIFI or within data, companies in various sectors, especially in service sector such as hotel industry, have a better opportunity to reach a specific target group with online marketing communication. The main goal of the article is to provide a literature review on online marketing communication from the viewpoint of several foreign and domestic authors, analyse its trends in hotel industry and propose measures for the efficient online marketing communication in Slovak hotels. Design/Methodology/Approach. To achieve the main goal of the article, general scientific methods as well as statistical methods such as descriptive statistics were used. The primary data were obtained from the questionnaire survey focused on the determination of the online marketing communication trends in the hotel industry by Slovak consumers. The size of the basic set was determined by using demographic statistics of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic and was consisted of inhabitants living in the Slovak Republic older than 15 years. In total, 390 respondents participated in the marketing survey. The survey took the form of computer-assisted web interviewing respecting the ICC/ESOMAR (International code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics). For the processing of the survey data, the quantitative assessment method was applied. The secondary data included domestic and foreign scientific works, statistical databases and annual companies reports. Findings. Gradual changes in society, including the advent of new communication technologies, have an impact on the changing attitudes and behaviour of consumers, especially represented by the new generations, who prefer communication with companies in the online environment. However, there is still a large number of companies in Slovakia, including the hotel industry, that underestimate the power of online marketing communication, and their activity in the online environment such as social media is often inadequate. Based on the analysis and results of the questionnaire survey, it is thus clear that implementation of online marketing communication in business strategy of Slovak hotels brings many benefits, including brand building, improving relationships with customers and increasing their brand loyalty. Originality/Value/Practical implications. Finally, measures for the efficient implementation of online marketing communication in the specific Slovak conditions are proposed, and opportunities for future research are recommended.