From Floating to Leading: The Transformation of Digital Marketing Capabilities Through ICT Uptake in Tourism SMEs

Abstract

This study focuses on the digital marketing capabilities of tourism SMEs. The study addresses the question of how the use of ICT-based tools benefit the organisational capabilities of a company. By adopting marketing as a set-of-skills approach, the study provides new insights into the existing tourism literature on e-marketing. By uncovering the transformative nature of digital marketing capabilities, a review of the literature on e-marketing in tourism and digital marketing capabilities was conducted, as was a multiple case study of tourism SMEs. Initial findings indicate that the digital marketing capabilities of companies are transformed through ICT-based uptake. Four major capabilities were identified, each of which evolves as a result of using the tools. A key finding of the study is that the use of ICT-based tools transforms digital marketing capabilities from a set of abilities that enables tourism SMEs not only to float in a web-marketing stream, but also to lead such a stream.