Skip to main content

E-commerce in the hospitality industry: Uncertainty under COVID-19 (by Vivian Tan)


How E-commerce helps Hospitality Industry?

 

E-commerce (also known as electronic commerce) is any type of business transaction that interacts with consumers through the internet. It helps consumers to purchase or sell a product/ service through an online source. When the world evolves with new things and with new technologies, the hospitality industry must follow up with the trends that are happening in the world. The reason is to satisfy customers’ needs, wants, and expectations when they are staying in a hotel or on the road. E-commerce has changed how hospitality companies attract tourists and how tourists choose where they will stay for a trip.

 

In the hospitality industry, e-commerce includes customers booking a hotel room, an airline ticket, and searching for places to visit. Consumers can use their electronic devices such as smartphones and computers to find deals and other information related to a trip. The hospitality companies need to create attractive websites to encourage consumers to book a room or buy an airline ticket from them. It is also important for businesses to create a unique, friendly, attractive, and an easy-to-navigate website. 


Many customers, however, are concerned about the safety of their personal information. It becomes critical for hospitality companies to make sure their websites are safe and secured.

 

Through e-commerce websites, businesses collect data from their customers, including what the customers like or dislike. Such information helps the business further improve their websites in the future. E-commerce helps hospitality businesses reduce costs on operation supplies and allows them to reach out to local and international customers. 

 

According to Hospitality Marketing Management 6th edition David C. Bojanic, Robert D. Reid, consumers often use e-commerce to purchase airline tickets or book a room. They usually receive their confirmation about their order information immediately in their emails.

 

E-commerce sites within the Hospitality Industry

 

There are many e-commerce websites within the hospitality industry. The most popular ones might be Expedia.com and TripAdvisor. Consumers that visit Expedia.com and TripAdvisor websites, for example, can easily search for things to do, restaurants, flights, car rentals, cruises, and hotels at places that they are going to visit. On Expedia.com, it includes recommendations of places to visit on the next trip. Customers can choose their native language if they do not understand English. I believe this is the best way to reach out to international customers.

 

TripAdvisor does not provide consumers the option to change the language. It will be hard for international tourists to navigate on TripAdvisor if he/she does not understand English, needless to mention room or flight reservations. Nevertheless, TripAdvisor provides local recommendations to consumers. 


E-commerce sites help customers find what they want, save time and money, and it is convenient. Travelers can pay for their flights or hotel rooms through e-commerce websites without waiting in line or calling to book a flight or room. There are many more e-commerce sites available for consumers. Customers will most likely find all the information they need on e-commerce websites.

 

For myself, I usually visit an e-commerce site, such as Expedia.com, to book a hotel room. There are many choices at a great price. E-commerce sites also provide good information about what things I can do at a destination. I think that is a very convenient and great way to attract customers as now many people have access to the internet. Many people will likely search for information about the place they are planning to visit beforehand.

 

·       Do you think e-commerce sites are as effective as before now that we are facing the pandemic?

·       What other recommendations would you make for e-commerce sites to stay current and relevant to the customers? 

 

About the author

 

Vivian Tan was born and raised in Mexicali, Baja California. She moved to the United States back in 2013 when she was a teenager. In addition to English, she speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese fluently, as well as Spanish. She is currently a second-year student at the Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona with a focus on lodging operations. She has a passion for helping others and making people feel comfortable around her. She aims to become a hotel manager in operations soon.


Vivian Tan @ Collins College of Hospitality Management


Citation

 

·       Bojanic, D. C. (2018). Hospitality marketing management. Brantford, Ontario: W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library.

·       Expedia Travel: Search Hotels, Cheap Flights, Car Rentals & Vacations. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2020, from https://www.expedia.com/ 

·       Read Reviews, Compare Prices & Book. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2020, from https://www.tripadvisor.com/

·       Smirnov, A. (2011, December 6). E-Commerce for the Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2011/12/06/e-commerce-for-the-hospitality-industry-a11256

·       Yiga, P. (2017, January 6). Impact of E-Commerce On The Hospitality Industry. Retrieved from https://www.yosaki.com/impact-of-e-commerce-on-the-hospitality-industry/

Picture Source: https://www.timpeter.com/2015/05/26/are-hotel-brands-doomed/

 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Luxury vs. Millennials and Their Technology: The Ritz-Carlton (By Julia Shorr)

Embodying the finest luxury experience, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has been established since 1983. In 1998, Marriott International purchased the brand offering it more opportunity for growth while being independently owned and operated. They are known for their enhanced service level as the motto states, “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen”. The luxury brand now carries 97 hotels and resorts internationally and is attempting to keep the aspects of luxury while keeping up with the trends of the technologically improving generations. The Varying Demographics of the Target Market The Ritz-Carlton’s typical target market includes: business executives, corporate, leisure travelers, typically middle-aged persons and elders, and families from the upper and upper-middle class section of society .   This infers a large range of types of travelers in which all are similar in that they are not opposed to spending extra for the luxurious ambiance. However, with

Is It OK for Hotel Staff to Wear Piercings and Tattoos?

Time has changed. I see more and more college students wearing piercings and tattoos nowadays, but is it OK for hotel staff to wear piercings and tattoos? The answer is “no, no, no.” According a report at USAToday.com, customers across the board do not want to see any hotel workers with pierced eyebrow, pierced tongue, tattooed arm, or nose ring. Some may argue that tattooed and pierced workers may seem more acceptable in edgy boutique hotels as compared to the big franchised hotels, but the survey results did not find any differences among a variety of lodging products. Many respondents believe people who wear visible tattoos and piercings are taking a high risk of their professional lives. If you stay in a hotel, do you mind being served by tattooed and/or pierced staff? What if you are the one who makes the hiring decision? References: USAToday.com: http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010 Picture was downloaded from http://tinyurl.com/linchikwok08042010P

In what ways will AI affect restaurant operations?

A new wave of industrial revolution is here --- AI (artificial intelligence) will change everything we do. Undoubtedly, AI can improve restaurant operations.     Menu Engineering and Quality Control    AI can provide insights into a restaurant’s menu offerings and pricing strategies based on consumer data and market trends. Restaurant owners can adjust the recipes/menu and price accordingly.     AI can help restaurants monitor food temperature, cleanliness, and safety procedures, ensuring they comply with health and safety regulations. For example, AI can remind a sushi chef to replace a sushi plate that has been “sitting” on the conveyor belt for too long with a more popular item.     Consumer Experience   AI can help restaurants create location-based, personalized marketing campaigns to reach specific and targeted customers at the right time. Then, AI-empowered chatbots, reservation, and table management systems can help restaurants answer customer inquiries, manage reservations, and