INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to
the Study
According to Eley and Tilley (2009), online marketing can be
simply defined as
promotional activity on the Internet, including email. It can take many forms, including
search engine marketing, email marketing, online advertising, social media, and affiliate
marketing.
promotional activity on the Internet, including email. It can take many forms, including
search engine marketing, email marketing, online advertising, social media, and affiliate
marketing.
Globally, cconsidering
the current volume of internet marketing business, it’s hard to believe how
young the internet marketplace is. While the timeline of internet marketing has
been short, the cumulative events leading up to where we are now have impacted
the entire globe faster than any marketing revolution in history (Johnston
& Mayer, 2003). In 1994, spending for internet marketing totalled nearly
nothing, but increased to over $300 million in 1995. Now, little more than a
decade later, marketing spending and internet marketing business has exploded
to nearly $200 billion (according to Forrester Research). Today, it’s hard to
believe in having an organization which does not have some kind of online
presence (Johnston & Mayer, 2003).
When the internet was first introduced in the early 90s, it was not
considered to be an advertising medium at all. Instead, the internet was
treated as a tool for exchanging emails and digital information, but was not
yet considered valuable for reaching customers (Smith & Taylor, 2004). However,
it was not long before marketing pioneers began to see the potential for
internet marketing business as millions of web surfers logging on each day to
find valuable and relevant information. Within just a few years, informative
and educational marketing, as well as graphically enticing banner ads began to
be show up. It was not long before results began to flood in which proved the
value of the internet marketplace to even the most skeptical advertisers (Smith
& Taylor, 2004).
Most
importantly, companies which had been spending huge chunks of their marketing
budget on offline list building, begin to realize that they could accomplish
the same thing via email and for much less. It was not long before everyone
from industry giants such as Microsoft Corp to small businesses began to build
company sites and spend marketing dollars to attract qualified traffic. Next,
search engine companies like Yahoo began to create significant profits from
advertising alone.
Then came
the great online marketing business bust around the year of 2000, which marked
the beginning of the end for interruptive marketing such as flashing banner
ads. As interactive features were added to web pages, consumers were given the
option of turning off marketing messages at will and they did. Then entered the
age of education based invitational marketing, which crystallized with the
creation of web 2.0 technologies. Suddenly, billions of “voices” began to rise
all over the world, as the internet marketplace became as much a global
community as it was an advertising medium (Chittenden&Rettie, 2003). This
led to a relational based marketing approach which has led to one of the most
lucrative opportunities for solo entrepreneurs and small start-ups alike to
make a small fortune working from their spare bedroom. Who knows where the
internet marketing revolution will lead us, but one this is for sure: Those who
understand the principles upon which the thriving internet marketplace is built
will most likely never want for opportunities to create internet marketing
business success and to earn solid income(Chittenden&Rettie, 2003).
Online marketing is today seen by many practitioners as the new arena
for market communication and on top of the list of users of the different
mediums is Facebook, Blogs, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn (Steltzner, 2009).
In Africa countries like South
Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mauritius and Cape Verde are the leading countries
in Africa that experience large number of tourists due to online marketing
because of their most
beautiful sights, wildlife, climate, wildlife and biological reserves and
countries culture.
In East African countries like Kenya,
internet in Kenya on line marketing, travelling had been considered quite risky
because tourists had limited knowledge of the places they wanted to visit.
Tourists had limited knowledge about terrain, climate, culture, and other
factors that drive or inhibit traveling. Tourism industries like hotels, tour
companies and travel agencies had old methods and ways of making bookings and
reservations. Only well-known destinations were visited and those who dared and
went to a remote place had no idea what to expect once they arrived. Generally,
lack of information about different parts of the world limited travelling in
Kenya (Kotler & Makens, 2004).
Old channel of distribution of the
internet tourists’ reservation and booking went
through the travel agency who in return accessed the internet to make bookings of airlines, car hire, and hotel and tour operations. The new system is easier and faster because tourists use the internet directly to make their own bookings and reservations. Many hotels have developed web based booking tools for both leisure and group sales(Kotler&&Makens, 2004).
through the travel agency who in return accessed the internet to make bookings of airlines, car hire, and hotel and tour operations. The new system is easier and faster because tourists use the internet directly to make their own bookings and reservations. Many hotels have developed web based booking tools for both leisure and group sales(Kotler&&Makens, 2004).
Increasingly in Kenya, package
holiday tour operators are including direct sales via the internet
in their sales strategy, thus bypassing the travel agencies. These travel companies are
adopting both organic (internal) and acquisitive growth strategies. Other researchers
have also identified the role played by online marketing in tourism industry.
in their sales strategy, thus bypassing the travel agencies. These travel companies are
adopting both organic (internal) and acquisitive growth strategies. Other researchers
have also identified the role played by online marketing in tourism industry.
In Ugandathe tourism sector has
been identified as an important driver of economic and social transformation in
Uganda (Vision 2040; NDP11). The sector’s direct foreign exchange contribution
is estimated at UGX 2,767 billion shillings accounting for 19.6% of total
export earnings, this forecast is projected to grow by more than 5.8% by 2024
(MTWA, 2016). Tourism continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the
country, not just for the direct income generating potential of tourism
businesses, but also for the extensive linkages it has to the rest of the
economy (it generates demand for outputs in related sectors such as retail,
manufacturing, services, food processing, construction and agriculture) which are
important for employment generation and poverty reduction. In order to attract foreign
tourists online marketing has been used to invite them to Uganda to tour
different tourist destinations.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Stakeholders are slow to
adopt online technologies and e-commerce as means of promoting tourism. While ICTS
are an integral component of the travel and tourism business worldwide, UWA’s
stakeholders in tourism still resent and strongly oppose UWA’s online innovations
which would bolster tourist volume and hence value in the past yet online marketing
has played a pivot role in development of tourism in Uganda. Therefore this
study intends to assess the contribution of online marketing to tourism
development in Uganda.
1.3 Objectives Of
The Study
1.3.1 General Objective
The
general objective of the study is to assess the contribution of online
marketing to tourism development in Uganda
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
The following were the specific
objectives of the study which include;
1. To determine the
number of tourists a particular tour/travel company registered in response to
online marketing for the same five years
2. To assess the trend
of online marketing in five consecutive years
3. To determine the cost incurred
in online marketing in relation to other marketing tools.
1.4 Research
Questions
The study was guided by
the following questions
1. To determine the
number of tourists a particular tour/travel company registered in response to
online marketing for the same five years
2. To assess the trend
of online marketing in five consecutive years
3. To determine the
cost incurred in online marketing in relation to other marketing tools.
1.5
Significance of the Study
The study findings are expected to be
useful in the following ways:
The
study would help the future researchers to make future references on this work
with the aim of building more knowledge on contribution of online marketing to
tourism development in Uganda and can be helpful to other researchers as a
point of reference during literature review.
The findings may be added on
to the existing literature reviews for the new students to follow up and learn
the right procedure in making research proposals to avoid making mistakes and
duplication of work.
The
study may compliment other studies and fill in certain gaps which are
uncovered. It is anticipated to be of use to a wide range of stakeholders who
include policymakers, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and researchers.
SECTION: TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This
chapter presents the review of existing literature on the contribution of
online marketing to tourism development in Uganda. Literature was got from
journals, magazines, textbooks, internet, and previous dissertations. The
literature is reviewed basing on contributions of Tourism, forms of online marketing and various media platforms used to promote tourism.
2.2
Contributions of Tourism in Development
Tourism
continues to develop as a major economic activity boasting visitor arrivals
of 924 million in 2008, representing a growth of 2% over 2007 (United Nations
World Tourism Organization 2009a). This accounts for an increasing contribution to
Gross Domestic Product, in some cases amounting to over 10% (United Nations
World Tourism Organization 2009b). Tourism has been and continues to be regarded as a cure for the economic and developmental problems of many countries (Saveriades 2000; Andereck et al. 2005). Today, it is still being promoted by numerous developing and
developed countries as a lucrative means of diversifying their economic base
especially in these times of economic crisis (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2002).
of 924 million in 2008, representing a growth of 2% over 2007 (United Nations
World Tourism Organization 2009a). This accounts for an increasing contribution to
Gross Domestic Product, in some cases amounting to over 10% (United Nations
World Tourism Organization 2009b). Tourism has been and continues to be regarded as a cure for the economic and developmental problems of many countries (Saveriades 2000; Andereck et al. 2005). Today, it is still being promoted by numerous developing and
developed countries as a lucrative means of diversifying their economic base
especially in these times of economic crisis (World Travel and Tourism Council, 2002).
2.3
Forms of Online Marketing
Email Marketing: is promoting the
company’s products to a known database of existing
and potential customers via email (Cho, 2010). E-mail marketing is becoming an essential,
integral part of online marketing and it has become an accepted method of communication
for both consumers and businesses. Compare to the traditional direct mail, E-mail offers
more practical benefits. Firstly, it takes lower cost, which means it is possible to send
more, better targeted, to more audience, and this can help the company to reach more
traffic. Secondly, in order to keep the customers to visit back, E-mail can be used to send
reminders about a sales promotion or messages about offer to the customers. Finally, email is a two-way communication: customers can give the feedback to the company. Meanwhile, companies can improve the strategy to satisfy the customers. E-mail can be seen as a communication tool that gives more options for converting the audience to
action (Chaffey, 2003).
and potential customers via email (Cho, 2010). E-mail marketing is becoming an essential,
integral part of online marketing and it has become an accepted method of communication
for both consumers and businesses. Compare to the traditional direct mail, E-mail offers
more practical benefits. Firstly, it takes lower cost, which means it is possible to send
more, better targeted, to more audience, and this can help the company to reach more
traffic. Secondly, in order to keep the customers to visit back, E-mail can be used to send
reminders about a sales promotion or messages about offer to the customers. Finally, email is a two-way communication: customers can give the feedback to the company. Meanwhile, companies can improve the strategy to satisfy the customers. E-mail can be seen as a communication tool that gives more options for converting the audience to
action (Chaffey, 2003).
Social Media Marketing: Social media is the
most popular marketing strategy presently. It
is also a tool for the companies to obtain more traffic through interacting with the
customers. (Admin, 2010). Social media has impacted the way of communication for both
companies and customers. It offers a platform which is easily to access by everyone
through Internet. By using this platform, people can communicate and interact with each
other, share information, and it also provides wider opportunities for companies to reach
customers and build company brands.
is also a tool for the companies to obtain more traffic through interacting with the
customers. (Admin, 2010). Social media has impacted the way of communication for both
companies and customers. It offers a platform which is easily to access by everyone
through Internet. By using this platform, people can communicate and interact with each
other, share information, and it also provides wider opportunities for companies to reach
customers and build company brands.
Pay Per Click (PPC): is an online
marketing technique with costs. The companies create
different advertisements with keywords and place them on the related websites. The more
the company pays for the click the more its advertisement appears on the search engine
(Admin, 2010). In order to succeed at PPC advertising, one of the most important factors is
the ability to persuade people to take action by using just a few well-chosen words. And
this also can help the companies to discover which words and messages are most effective
at persuading customers to buy. By using this information companies can design other
online and offline campaigns. To achieve optimal results, all elements of a PPC campaign
must be in good working order, operating together synergistically (Szetela&
Kerschbaum, 2010).
different advertisements with keywords and place them on the related websites. The more
the company pays for the click the more its advertisement appears on the search engine
(Admin, 2010). In order to succeed at PPC advertising, one of the most important factors is
the ability to persuade people to take action by using just a few well-chosen words. And
this also can help the companies to discover which words and messages are most effective
at persuading customers to buy. By using this information companies can design other
online and offline campaigns. To achieve optimal results, all elements of a PPC campaign
must be in good working order, operating together synergistically (Szetela&
Kerschbaum, 2010).
Search Engine
Optimization (SEO): is the use of techniques to increase the website
traffic. By using the appropriate keywords in the content of the company website, the
search engines will display the website on the top of the search results when a reach of a
certain topic is made, and more traffic can be obtained (Cho, 2010). Search engines can be
divided into three different types, namely primary, secondary and targeted search engine
(Ledford, 2008).
traffic. By using the appropriate keywords in the content of the company website, the
search engines will display the website on the top of the search results when a reach of a
certain topic is made, and more traffic can be obtained (Cho, 2010). Search engines can be
divided into three different types, namely primary, secondary and targeted search engine
(Ledford, 2008).
Primary search engine (also called major), is
the type of search engines which is common
known by people such as Yahoo! Google, and MSN are primary search engines. Primary
search engine will bring majority of the traffic to the website of company. Each primary
search engine differs slightly from the others. (Ledford, 2008)
known by people such as Yahoo! Google, and MSN are primary search engines. Primary
search engine will bring majority of the traffic to the website of company. Each primary
search engine differs slightly from the others. (Ledford, 2008)
Secondary search
engines are the search engines with general content but targeted at
smaller, more specific audiences. Secondary search engines are useful for regional and
more narrowly focused searches to generate valuable traffic. Lycos, LookSmart, Miva,
Ask.com, and Espotting are secondary search engines. The ranking of search results will
vary in the way from one to another. (Ledford, 2008)
smaller, more specific audiences. Secondary search engines are useful for regional and
more narrowly focused searches to generate valuable traffic. Lycos, LookSmart, Miva,
Ask.com, and Espotting are secondary search engines. The ranking of search results will
vary in the way from one to another. (Ledford, 2008)
Targeted search engines
(sometimes called topical search engines) are the most specific of
all the search engines. Targeted search engines are very narrowly focused, usually to a
general topic, like medicine or branches of science, travel, sports, or some other topic. For
examples, CitySearch, Yahoo! Travel, and Music Search are targeted search engines. Same
as other types of search engines, ranking criteria will vary from one to another. (Ledford,
2008)
all the search engines. Targeted search engines are very narrowly focused, usually to a
general topic, like medicine or branches of science, travel, sports, or some other topic. For
examples, CitySearch, Yahoo! Travel, and Music Search are targeted search engines. Same
as other types of search engines, ranking criteria will vary from one to another. (Ledford,
2008)
2.4 Various Media Platforms Used To
Promote Tourism Development
Social media has grown
in popularity over the past 20 years to become an integral
component of a competitive tourism marketing strategy. It is sometimes referred to as
electronic word of mouth (eWOM) because of the way that information travels and the
impact it can have on behavior (Gruen et al, 2006).
component of a competitive tourism marketing strategy. It is sometimes referred to as
electronic word of mouth (eWOM) because of the way that information travels and the
impact it can have on behavior (Gruen et al, 2006).
The volume of global
social media users has increased exponentially marked by a
simultaneous increase in the level of activity in terms of content that circulates across all
platforms (Morrison, 2014). Social media platforms are increasingly sophisticated,
improving analytics and their ability to hyper target users. This has resulted in a
marketing process for the tourism industry that can be both more efficient and more
effective than traditional marketing. (Edelman, 2010).
simultaneous increase in the level of activity in terms of content that circulates across all
platforms (Morrison, 2014). Social media platforms are increasingly sophisticated,
improving analytics and their ability to hyper target users. This has resulted in a
marketing process for the tourism industry that can be both more efficient and more
effective than traditional marketing. (Edelman, 2010).
Tourism continues to be
a major contributor to the global economy, increasing each year.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 1.1 billion tourists
traveled in 2014, a 4.7% increase from the previous year and the fifth consecutive year with
robust growth since the onset of the global financial downturn in 2009. Global tourism
receipts from international tourism in 2014 totaled over US$ 1.2 trillion. For example over a decade, Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) have experienced economic growth
that has contributed to increased spending on travel internationally. Many tourism
destinations have invested heavily in marketing efforts targeting these new travel-ready
middle classes. However, in 2014 travel spending differed significantly within BRIC countries
(UNWTO 2015).
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 1.1 billion tourists
traveled in 2014, a 4.7% increase from the previous year and the fifth consecutive year with
robust growth since the onset of the global financial downturn in 2009. Global tourism
receipts from international tourism in 2014 totaled over US$ 1.2 trillion. For example over a decade, Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) have experienced economic growth
that has contributed to increased spending on travel internationally. Many tourism
destinations have invested heavily in marketing efforts targeting these new travel-ready
middle classes. However, in 2014 travel spending differed significantly within BRIC countries
(UNWTO 2015).
The following are the
major social media platforms used by the tourism
industry that have provided insight on significant recent transformations that have impacted how
they are being used as a marketing platform for tourism.
industry that have provided insight on significant recent transformations that have impacted how
they are being used as a marketing platform for tourism.
Facebook
Facebook is the world’s
most popular social media platform with over 1.5 billion followers. It
has been an invaluable resource for tourism marketers for almost 10 years, mainly because it is seen as a low-cost platform to consistently deliver content. In 2012, Facebook reviewed its
content and noticed that 42% of all posts were travel related.
has been an invaluable resource for tourism marketers for almost 10 years, mainly because it is seen as a low-cost platform to consistently deliver content. In 2012, Facebook reviewed its
content and noticed that 42% of all posts were travel related.
Brands
can boost the
viewership of their
content through a
variety of sophisticated
paid strategies that can hyper-target
the delivery of each Facebook post based on demographics, interests, and habits.
However, public relations
professionals are predonlineing
the end of
organic reach for
brands, that is for
content to flow
rapidly among users
without an advertising
spend. The term “reach apocalypse”
refers to this imminent shift affecting social marketing. According to Sweeney PR (2012), which has
been tracking the decline of organic reach, 17% of Facebook fans received posts
through unpaid distribution in 2012. In 2014, overall reach decreased
to 6% and
2% for pages
with over 500,000
followers. The firm predon lined organic reach
to approach zero
by the end
of last year. Other social media experts are
expecting zero organic reach to occur this year.
Twitter
For many years, Twitter
was the world’s fastest growing social media network. The 140-
character “mini-blog” played important roles in both brand and political revolutions.
Currently, there are more than 300 million Twitter followers with over one billion
conversations happening every 48 hours. Twitter is a favorite travel companion; about a third of users access Twitter before or after a trip, while 39% use the platform mid-journey. And nearly 20% of users Tweet to share feedback throughout their travel experience. Because it’s used at every stage of the travel process, Twitter can help brands develop strong relationships with consumers (Twitter, 2014).
character “mini-blog” played important roles in both brand and political revolutions.
Currently, there are more than 300 million Twitter followers with over one billion
conversations happening every 48 hours. Twitter is a favorite travel companion; about a third of users access Twitter before or after a trip, while 39% use the platform mid-journey. And nearly 20% of users Tweet to share feedback throughout their travel experience. Because it’s used at every stage of the travel process, Twitter can help brands develop strong relationships with consumers (Twitter, 2014).
For
many years, Twitter
was confined only
to text, however
over the past
two years the platform has become more visual. In late 2014, Twitter
introduced Twitter Cards that allow tourism marketers to embed specific actions
for target audiences such as registering at a website, viewing and use coupons,
visiting a particular landing page, downloading an app and signing up for an
email list.
YouTube
The
video-sharing website YouTube
boasts more than
1 billion users
watching hundreds of millions
of hours every
day. YouTube has become
increasingly important in
light of the dramatic
shift towards visual
content marketing. Views of travel-related content have
increased an average of 118% year over year with nearly 30% of videos viewed on
a mobile device. 65% of leisure travellers viewed travel-related videos when
thinking about a trip, 48% when thinking about what kind of trip to take, and
61% when choosing a destination (Google, 2014).Thoughtfully-produced high-quality
video content can
be a significant
lead generator. According to
Google, and in line with the shift to storytelling as marketing, YouTube’s
parent company has noted
that “travellers want
to do more
than just watch
videos; they want
to connect with creators and brands.” In 2014, subscriptions to top
travel channels on YouTube increased 106%. Users are more interested in
personal stories about travel (“vlogs”) and less interested in content from
official providers. Experience-led content, particularly videos about food and
sports, is also successful in attracting viewers.
Instagram
Instagram is an online mobile photo-sharing service
that currently has more than 300 million members. It
is a favourite
of tourism marketers
who are now
using more visual
content to promote destinations,
activities and amenities.
As Facebook becomes a less competitive platform, many tourism brands see
Instagram as an alternative for sharing visual content.
A 2014 Forrester study demonstrated that Instagram
generated 58 times more engagement per follower than Facebook. Forty-two
percent of brand marketers plan to increase their use of Instagram in 2015 as
global usage continues to grow (Elliott, 2014).
While Instagram
has a push
component with brands
delivering images to
users’ feeds, the Instagram community
also relies on hash tags that relate to a particular
subject matter. Tourism brands
can repurpose these images within Instagram streams or across other social
media platforms. Like on Facebook,
travel images have a large impact on Instagram.
In
2014, Instagram strengthened
its capabilities to
feature short videos,
taking significant market share
away from Vine,
and the previous
leader in the
micro-video space. As the
platform builds influence, it has also seen the introduction of paid content,
however the large price tag makes
it out of
reach for most
small and medium-sized
enterprises. Some experts believe
this will be changing soon as Instagram attempts to build a hyper-targeting
advertising platform similar to Facebook’s (Vermeren, 2015).
Pinterest
Pinterest is a visual
bookmarking tool with over 40 million monthly active users. The visual
archive that it
creates is most
useful for tourism
business and destinations
in the dreaming phase of the
tourism cycle. It is most useful with actionable content such as an itinerary
that can be purchased, a campaign for participation, or discounted products
that are being offered. 45% of frequent Instagram users found travel-related
Instagram activity to be the most appealing, and 47% stated that they had been
motivated to visit a place because of a post they saw on Instagram (Kindai,
2014). With the development of a new “Pin It” button that can be integrated
into content sharing bars on websites and other platforms, Pinterest is
expecting to see increased growth in its traffic as the process becomes more
simplified.
SECTION:THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the
methodology used in collecting and analyzing data. It includes the,research design,area of the study, study population, sample
selection and size,
data collection tools, procedures and data
processing and analysis.
3.2 Research Design
According
to Kothari (2004), states that research design is the arrangement of conditions
for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance
to the research purpose with economy in procedure.
This study used both the quantitative and qualitative approaches.
3.2.1 Qualitative
Approach
It took the qualitative approach because
it aimed at obtaining data expressed in non-numerical terms. Data was analyzed
using qualitative approach. Qualitative approach provide ways of discerning,
examining, comparing and contrasting, and interpreting meaningful patterns or themes.
Qualitative approach involves examining the assembled relevant data to
determine how research questions are answered at hand. Under this approach key
informant interviews were conducted with travel companies.
3.2.2 Quantitative
Approach
Quantitative data analysis helped to
analyze and categorize detain terms
of frequencies and percentages. Simple descriptive tabulations were used for
quantitative analysis. This was important in determining trends and
interpreting research findings. Conclusions and recommendations were then drawn
to satisfy the research question. This approach surveyed
a large number of individuals and applied statistical techniques to recognize
overall patterns in the relations of processes. Quantitative approach based on
variables with numbers and was analyzed with statistical procedures. A self-administered questionnaire was
designed by the researcher which was used in collecting data from the field.
3.3 Area
of theStudy
The researcherconsidered
Kampala as the study area. Kampala district is located in the
central part of Uganda bordered by Wakiso district to the West, North and East,
Nakawa Division
to the Southeast, and Kampala Central
to the south, and Lubaga Division
to the southwest. The city is divided into five divisions that oversee local
planning: Kampala
Central Division, Kawempe
Division, Makindye
Division, Nakawa
Division, and Division. According to Uganda National and
Housing Survey 2014 Kampala has population of over 2 million people.
3.4 Study
Population
The study considered a
minimum of about ten tour/travel companies irrespective of their sizes and
number of years of operational in Uganda most especially those located in
Kampala district.
3.5 Sample
Selection and Size
A
sample size was used because this is where a sub-set of the total population is
used to give the general views of the target population (Kothari, 2004).The
sample size was a representative of the population on which the researcher
wished to generalize the research findings. The tour/travel companies
were considered randomly selected. This means that every tour/travel company in
Kampala had an equal right of being selected and considered for research.
3.6
Data Collection Tools
3.6.1
Questionnaire
The researcher draft open
ended questionnaire intended to capture figures of tourists registered by the
selected tour/travel company and the costs involved. Open
ended questions were in relation to the study objectives which were administered
to solicit information. The questions were prepared in advance and then sent to
the respondents. Each respondent answered the questions basing on his/her
personal experience.
3.7
Procedures
A
letter of introduction from Makerere University, department of Tourism was
given to the Human Resource Managers of tourist companies for approval. Upon
allowing the researcher to carry out the study, permission was granted; the
researcher then proceeded to explain to the selected respondents the purposes
of the study and assure them of confidentiality. A number of questionnaires
were given to willing employees to fill in the information with the guidance of
the researcher. After, the researcher had collected the questionnaires from the
employees he compiled the information from different employees. Then
questionnaires were collected for analysis.
3.8 Data
Processing and Analysis
After collecting data from the field, it
was arranged and put in order, adding tables, figures and other statistical
requirements necessitated in trying to answer the objectives.
The qualitative data was
analysed using Microsoft excel to get the mean number of tourists registered by
the tour/travel company for the five years, the means of tourists registered in
response to online marketing, to record the mean cost involved in the total
marketing and the mean for the cost incurred in online marketing. The
researcher drew graphs line graphs to compare the different variables. That is
to say, tourists who come in response to online marketing against the total
number of tourists and the trend of online marketing in the five consecutive
years. The researcher also calculated the different percentages to show the
significance of online marketing.
3.9 limitations of the Study
Financial constraints, it was not easy
for the researcher to come out with the final dissertation due to the fact that
the money was not enough to facilitate the researcher in compiling final
research report, which included transport costs, printing, typing and lunch
costs to come out with the final report.
Lack of enough
literature: There was lack of enough literature,
since there were few books in the university library and limited access to
public libraries was expensive.
Due to suspicion most of the respondents
were not willing to disclose the relevant information that were of great help
to the researcher in compiling the final report.
Delays due to Bureaucracy in the field
most especially the respondents who took long to answer the questionnaires and
in addition to that some of the respondents promised to provide information on
another day because some of them were busy working, so it became so hectic to
the researcher to go to the field several times as it was promised by the
respondents.
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QN.
BIOGRAPHY SECTION
A. What is the name of the travel/tour or hotel
company?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
B. What is name of the respondent?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
C. What is your age?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
D. What is your sex?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
E. What is your level of education?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
F. For how long have you worked with this
tour/travel Company or hotel?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
G. What is the current position held?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
H. What is your contact?
Tel:
..................................................................................................................................................
Email: …………………………………………………………………………………………….
Qn: 2
A. When was the company or hotel started?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
B. How many tourists did you register as clients for
any five-ten consecutive years of operation? (Statistics)
Years
|
Tourists
|
Years
|
Tourists
|
C. Do you use any of the online marketing tools?
Yes: ………………………………… No: …………………………………
D. When did you start the use of online marketing?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
E. Which of them do you use? Specify: for example
websites, emails, newsletters, social media, web forum google+, seo and others
I.
………………………………..
II.
……………………………..…
III.
……………………………..…
IV.
……………………………..…
V.
………………………..………
F. Was there change in tourists/ clients arrivals
after the application of online marketing?
Yes: …………………………………… No: ………………………………………
G.
How many tourists did you register after the application of online marketing?
(Statistics)
Years
|
Tourists
|
Years
|
Tourists
|
H.
How
much did you invest in marketing during those years?
Years
|
Amount(ugx shs)
|
Years
|
Amount(ugxshs)
|
I.
How much did/do you invest in online marketing?
Years
|
Amount(ugxshs)
|
Years
|
Amount(ugxshs)
|
J.
How much did/do you invest in other marketing tools apart from on-line
marketing?
Years
|
Amount(ugxshs)
|
Years
|
Amount(ugxshs)
|
