Contribution of Social Media Networks Usage on Performance of Selected Upmarket Hotels Based in Kigali- Rwanda

Abstract

The contribution of travel and tourism industry to Rwanda’s GDP increased from 4.7% in 2000 to 15.1% in 2019 with an average annual rate of 7.02%. It is evident that the hospitality industry relies on the use of information and communication technologies in marketing, promotional activities, sales and creation of relationships with their customers. However, there has been limited research to assess the contribution of social media networks to the performance of hospitality industry in Rwanda. Thus, the objective of the study was to assess the effect of social media network usage, determine how the selected hotels use social media networks to reach out to their customers and establish the most popular social media platforms. Using a descriptive research design, the study adopted a hybrid approach of both qualitative and quantitative approach for collection of data and employed both primary and secondary research methods to collect data including formulation of interview in form of a questionnaire. Results revealed that social media networks have significantly contributed to the performance of the selected upmarket hotels in Kigali and have been used for marketing purposes to attract customers. It was found that about 96.4% of the hotels’ clients use social media platforms to make bookings while the least indicate that at least 3.6% of most of respondents indicated that social media networks had a small impact to their hotel business. The most commonly used platforms include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter. In conclusion, the paper highlights the importance of social media in the upmarket hotel segment in Kigali, Rwanda, and its impact on the hospitality industry. The findings of the study indicate that social media has had a positive impact on the performance of upmarket hotels, with a high percentage of customers using social media to make bookings. The study recommends that hotels collect and keep records of their customers indicating which mode of communication they use while making bookings. These records must indicate which uses social media to access various hotel services. Also, hotels should ensure that they have appropriate staff with IT skills to operate and manage social media networks, including using them to get reviews for future improvement of their services. The hotels should continue investing in social media to attract customers and promote their brands. Hotels should ensure a presence on multiple social media platforms to reach a wider audience. Finally, hotels should continue to monitor and evaluate the impact of social media usage on their performance to identify areas for improvement and optimize their social media strategy. Keywords: Social Media Networks, Upmarket Hotels, Hospitality, Performance, Rwanda