The evolution of big business in manufacturing and some service industries, together with the role played in this by merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has been thoroughly researched and is well documented. However, despite' the increasing economic and social importance of the UK hotel industry, its development has been largely neglected. Therefore, this thesis set out to explore the development of big business in the hotel industry through the study of M&A activities. This study employs the multiple case study approach (four UK hotel companies), using M&A theory as the theoretical framework; extensive historical secondary data and semi-structured interviews were carried out for the study, covering a period of 26 years. The analysis was conducted by synthesising data with the M&A theory, in terms of two levels, organisational motives and macro environmental factors. The findings confirm those in the existing literature on what is encompassed by the term big business and the part played by M&A activity in the creation of big business. They also suggest that in the hotel industry the acquisition of brand name and brand rights is an important motive, one which has been neglected in the general M&A literature discussion. These findings added several new dimensions to big business concepts, through illuminating the role of brand and brand right acquisition in the context of the UK hotel industry. This thesis confirms the utility of deploying the wide range and large quantity of publicly available historical secondary information, which is rarely used. In addition, the application of a qualitative and longitudinal approach, applied to management theory, has broadened the research agenda in the study of hotel business, business history and business management theory.

El presente trabajo de investigación busca identificar las estrategias de marketing digital en empresas hoteleras tras la pandemia COVID-19 reuniendo información de las auditorías realizadas a empresas hoteleras pequeñas en países como México, Argentina y Colombia. Como metodología se utiliza la revisión bibliográfica con enfoque integrador ya que el trabajo se basa en la recolección de información ya existente de otros trabajos de investigación relacionados al tema del uso del marketing digital en empresas hoteleras. Inicialmente se mencionan las bases teóricas y conceptuales del marketing digital, las herramientas que usa y sus estrategias. Asimismo, se analiza el cambio generado por la pandemia COVID-19 en las empresas hoteleras, las nuevas estrategias del marketing digital usadas por las empresas hoteleras y la manera en que éstas han afectado su operatividad. Finalmente se expondrán los beneficios generados en las empresas hoteleras por el correcto uso de las estrategias del marketing digital pues se ha encontrado que el resultado del uso de estas, como redes sociales, es favorable para la operatividad del negocio. / This research work seeks to identify digital marketing strategies in hotel companies after the COVID-19 pandemic, gathering information from the audits carried out on small hotel companies in countries such as Mexico, Argentina and Colombia. The methodology used is the bibliographic review with an integrative approach since the work is based on the collection of existing information from other research works related to the issue of the use of digital marketing in hotel companies. Initially, the theoretical and conceptual bases of digital marketing, the tools it uses, and its strategies are mentioned. Likewise, the change generated by the COVID-19 pandemic in hotel companies, the new digital marketing strategies used by hotel companies and the way in which they have affected their operation is analyzed. Finally, the benefits generated in hotel companies by the correct use of digital marketing strategies will be exposed, since it has been found that the result of the use of these, as social networks, is favorable for the operation of the business. / Trabajo de investigación