Evaluating hotel websites as a marketing communication channel

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to assess hotel websites as a marketing communication tool using Kent and Taylor’s (1998) dialogic principles. This study was executed qualitatively using content analysis of 42 hotel websites in Ghana. The results of the study show that hotels in Ghana are adequately utilising websites as a marketing communication tool. The findings further show a preponderant use of the principle of conservation of visitors and the dialogic loop principle by the sampled hotel websites. However, the majority of the sampled websites performed rather poorly on the return visit principle. The research contributes to the scarce literature on hospitality management in an emerging economy context.