Operation and Interaction of Software Used in Digital Distribution Channels in Direct Marketing of Hotels

Abstract

With the development of technology, the ways of doing business are changing, and digital transformations are taking place in the activities of businesses. At this point, digital transformation is reflected in the service businesses in two ways. The first of these is the digital transformation in the operational activities of business management, while the second is in the form of technological innovations offered to guests. To this end, this research focuses on the digital transformation in the operational activities of hotel businesses and aims to determine the operation and interaction of the software offered in digital distribution channels for direct marketing of hotels. In this direction, 57 software companies that provide the relevant software services to hotels in Turkey were accessed, and content analyzes were made on the websites of the relevant companies. In light of the data obtained, the operation chart for the interaction of the software that plays an active role in the direct marketing of the hotels was created and explained by presenting sample quotes from the websites of these businesses. It is expected that the research can contribute to the literature for digital marketing courses in the tourism and hotel management departments of universities, as well as reveal the operation of the interaction of the software in question.