Online visibility as a source of competitive advantage for small- and medium-sized tourism accommodation enterprises

Abstract

This study examines the importance of the Internet as a distribution channel for mediumsized and small accommodation enterprises, identifying the characteristics that could make the Internet a source of competitive advantage. From the resource-based view, online visibility is considered a differentiating factor in the accommodation business, able to produce superior organisational performance through the capture of new clients and by increasing the occupancy rate. The hypotheses are evaluated using regression models with data from small-and medium-sized hotels in Spain available in the public database SABI. The results show a positive effect of online visibility on organisational performance, although explaining only 10% of performance variance. However, online visibility is a determinant for the percentage of reservations made via the Internet.

Intellectual Capital and Business Performance: What Structural Relationships Do They Have in Upper‐Upscale Hotels?

“…Kim et al , ), which leads to firms' performance (Smith et al , ). In the hospitality sector, there is a consensus regarding the considerable potential of the Web in terms of marketing functions and distribution channel, and it may be considered a source of competitive advantage (Smithson et al , ). Recently, some researchers showed that CUCAP has significantly positive effects on BUPER in the hospitality industry.…”

Malaysian Accommodation Providers’ Understanding of Halal Hospitality

“…However, small size accommodation providers could utilize their websites to inform the provision of halal services on attributes such as prayer mat, prayer room or Muslim friendly environment even if they do not have halal certificate or do not provide food at their accommodation. For small-sized businesses, online appearance alone is insufficient but exposure to potential market with the information most needed by customers can provide benefits (Smithson et al, 2010). Hotels (including resort hotels) refer to establishments that provide short term accommodation especially for tourists and travellers.…”

“…The reason for this analysis being conducted is to know the most common halal attributes presented on the websites of halal accommodation providers listed on the HDM. To help ensure customers obtain the right information pertaining to halal accommodation, providers should focus on keywords searched by customers when surfing the accommodation websites (Smithson et al, 2010). The findings indicated that halal certified accommodation providers communicate insufficient detail of positive halal hospitality attributes on their websites.…”

“…It is increasingly necessary for accommodation providers to link their businesses to travel websites that can help increase online traffic with the aim of boosting occupancy rate (Gössling et al, 2016;Smithson et al, 2010). Accommodation providers can use travel websites for online booking in order to increase their visibility and sales (Inversini & Masiero, 2014).…”

The Impact of Search Engine Optimization on Online Advertisement: The Case of Companies using E-Marketing in Jordan

“…Using SEO save much time and money and can stay longer than other tools. 4) SEO leads to the increased brand visibility for your site, the more times a company's website is visible in the search results, the better the company's online visibility (Smithson et al, 2011). 5) Increased accessibility leads to higher sales for your products and services (Lourdes and Paloma, 2013).…”