Marketing the Irish hotel industry in an economic downturn: an exploration into the rejuvenation of the Sligo hotel industry through customer innovation

摘要

The purpose o f this research study was to ascertain innovative ideas from a sample o fudhotel customers’ from four participant hotels in Sligo in order to enhance hotel serviceudofferings. The researcher conducted a comprehensive exploration on the previousudliterature regarding the topic. The literature revealed that given the ever changingudnature o f the hotel industry, and the needs, and desires o f hotel guests hotel operatorsudmust increase the value o f their offerings to prosper (Victorino et al., 2005, p. 556;udFitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2001; Olsen and Connolly, 2000). The researcherudnoted that while there were some studies to advocate the importance o f customerudinnovation in the hotel industry such as Johns and Mattsson (2003); Preissl (2000);udJones (1996), they were limited and only a minute number directly related to the Irishudhotel industry (Ottenbacher and Gnoth, 2005). Given the knowledge and throughudwitnessing the current difficulties that the Irish hotel industry is experiencing theudfollowing research question was formed. ‘What innovations can be ascertained fromudhotel customers to rejuvenate the Sligo hotel industry?’ In order to achieve the overalludpurpose o f the study three key research aims were formed which guided the study; toudexamine the innovations the participant hotels in Sligo are currently implementing; toudassert the perceived importance the participant hotel managers place on customerudinnovation; and to ascertain the innovations customers wish to see implemented inudhotels in order to enhance the service offerings. The research took the form o f anudexplorative study. Both qualitative and quantitative research tools were used toudachieve the aims o f the dissertation study. The research methodology took twoudprimary forms; firstly, the development o f an extensive review o f existing literatureudwas represented in the literature review; and secondly, the research methodology,udguided by the findings o f the review o f secondary literature, was carried out throughudthe collection and analysis o f primary data, and the interpretation and dissemination o fudthe research findings. The collection o f primary data was carried out using twoudmethodological tools Firstly customer questionnaires containing both qualitative andudquantitative questions were distributed to forty customers from each o f the fourudparticipant Sligo hotels. This culminated in a total participant sample o f one hundredudand sixty; and secondly, four semi-structured interviews were conducted with theudmanagers from each o f the participant hotels.udThe findings o f the study reveal that the perceptions o f the participant hotel managersudand customers differ quite strongly, despite the managers’ proclamations o f their firmudcommitment to innovation 33% o f respondents see no current innovations in theudparticipant Sligo hotels. The future innovations which respondents wish to seeudimplemented are; send e-mails regarding special offers such as complementary meals;uddiscounts on multiple night stays; family discounts; group discounts; andudcomplementary offerings; improvements made to in-room facilities, particularly theudavailability o f Wi-Fi internet access; the introduction o f a loyalty card system,udrewarding guests for frequent stays; and finally improving leisure facilities.udIn summary, these results provide important insights for hotel managers, and indeedudmanagers in general who are involved in innovation activities. Furthermore theyudcontribute academically by providing conceptual based new knowledge about hoteludcustomers’ perceptions and desires. However, due to a number o f limitations,udprincipally concerning time and resources, while the study identifies the innovativeudpreferences o f participant Sligo hotel guests and contributing factors in developingudinnovation activity, the make-up o f the identified essential factors and theirudcontributions and interrelationships are worthy o f further consideration and debate.