Exploring the Influence of Social Media on Hotel Patronage in Cape Coast: An Empirical Study

Abstract

In Ghana, a huge gap exists in the literature on how social media influences the patronage of hotels especially in Cape Coast. The study sought to determine how social media contributes to the patronage of hotels in the Cape Coast metropolis. The study employed both quantitative and descriptive statistics in the data analysis. The study considered 5 hotels and 65 respondents from the study area. Convenience sampling techniques were used to select 65 respondents from the population. Questionnaires were the key data collection methods used in the study. The results revealed that social media influences hotel patronage. It was evident from the study that social media influences the patronage of hotels in the sense that most people are now very active on social media where they turn to seek information especially when they are away from home and need a place to sleep. Among the media platforms considered, Facebook was found to be the most used social media platform used by guest when searching for hotels. It was concluded that social media has made it easier to access information about products and services and prospective customers get to go through reviews by other customers which helps in decision making. Also, social media helps increase the profit margins of the hotel which is an indication that social media is widely utilised by guests of the hotel. It is recommended that hotels should devote much time and resources to the usage of social media platforms to increase brand awareness of their products and services. Again, further study should be conducted into factors that influence guest choices of a peculiar hotel.