Page 24 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

THE JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SCIENCES: THEORY AND PRACTICE, V.81, # 1, 2024, pp. 22-39

Companies with the most advanced digital marketing use multilanguage websites with
information about their products and services, company contact information, online
communication form, digital map, audiovisual material, live web camera, sitemap,
news about the enterprise, weather forecast application, website visitor tracker,
frequently asked questions section, social media profile and sharing button, local
information, useful links, additional information, third person advertisement and RSS.
There are also a lot of least advanced enterprises using a website with information
about their products and services, contact information, local information and online
communication form only.

Social media are the second most important digital channel. Facebook and Instagram
were the most frequently used social networks for promotion of accommodation
services. But about 40% intended to use also YouTube and LinkedIn in future. Social
media are often used to attract and inform new customers, receive their feedback,
improve company’s image, communicate, ensure confidence of customers and build
stronger relationships (Velentza & Metaxas, 2023). 36 of 48 alternative tourism
enterprises in Serres used social media (Facebook, Instagram or Youtube) for
marketing (Koliouska & Andreopoulou, 2023).

As for other digital marketing channels, 16% accommodation enterprises used a
mobile application. Search engine optimization and affiliate marketing are more
widespread than viral marketing, video marketing and mobile marketing. E-mail
marketing and paid marketing are within the intermediate range by popularity
(Velentza & Metaxas, 2023). Tsiftelidou & Christodoulou (2020) studied the
promotion video “Greece-A 365-Day Destination” with semiotic analysis.

The role of intermediaries has been transformed under the digital revolution. Tzioras
(2018) analysed various functions of online travel agencies. Their customer subsystem
includes electronic directory services (tourism services description), search services
(for tour packages, hotels, cruises, transport tickets etc.), booking services and
additional services (for example images and videos from destinations). Fountoulaki et
al. (2015) interviewed hotel managers and tour operators related to Crete. They noted
about importance of social media and mobile applications nowadays for marketing
and decreased importance of local travel agents in future. But tour operators remain
important for Crete because of their control of aircraft capacities considering the fact
that Crete as an island depends on air passenger transport. The situation is different
for mainland destinations were online travel agencies have more market power. The
respondents also mentioned booking.com as important channel for reservations at the
European market. Also Extranet/XML was expected to be a tool of growing
importance for linking hotels and tour operators.

24