The Role of Strategic Communication in Hospitality Industry “The Case of Antalya”

Abstract

The success of organizations depends on various factors such as effective organizational structure, well-defined roles and responsibilities and the structure and process of communication within the organization. As one of the determinants of success in tourism establishments as well as all types of other organizations, communication is the fundamental condition which enables coordination of organizational functioning. In tourism management literature, however, this topic is observed not to be adequately dealt with. Therefore, this article aims to contribute to tourism management literature. Another purpose of the article, on the other hand, is to analyze the communication process between managers and employees of tourism establishments on a strategic dimension. Data was gathered through questionnaires implemented at the 5-star hotels located in Antalya, since Antalya is one of the most important destinations in Turkey, attracting the highest numbers of tourists. Data was subjected to explanatory factor analysis in order to identify the dimensional structure of communication. Then, regression analysis was conducted in order to identify relationships between the variables. Results of the study suggested that there was a positive link between strategic communication dimension and operational effectiveness, as well as increased overall effectiveness of the organization and better internal operational qualities of separate departments.