torrance web design
Hopping on the online bandwagon
If you’ve always loved computers and the internet, have worked in the travel industry and have a flair for the creative and a passion for marketing then a career in online marketing and distribution in a hotel may be just the thing for you.
"As more people get online and become comfortable with applications other than email and occasional browsing, we’re set to see a lot more purchases and bookings via the internet."
The role, often referred to as e-commerce, e-business or online marketing and distribution (though these are quite disparate terms) usually pertains to a growing niche in the hospitality industry.
It’s often confused with revenue management, public relations and worse still IT, but the focus is really quite simple and it isn’t rocket science. Online marketing and distribution would be best described as a combination of traditional marketing, PR and sales taken to a whole new level on the internet platform.
Terminology
It’s necessary to clear up some misconceptions regarding the terms often used to describe the role. E-business is the broad term that usually encompasses the entire value chain from purchasing, supply chain management, customer communication and business to business interactions with the help of automated information systems on the internet, world wide web, intranets or extranets (or a combination of all three).
E-commerce falls under the e-business umbrella and usually involves using the internet or world wide web to add a revenue channel, improve efficiency and interaction with customers or partners.
Often the hotel’s websites are the first "touch-point", where a customer experiences the brand and web 2.0 features are making this interaction more and more sophisticated.
E-marketing on the other hand, involves an electronic or digital marketing focus, using disciplines like search engine optimisation, paid search marketing, banner advertising, email advertising, advergaming and so on.
Resources for
