B.Tech. (Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology / The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between
marketing effectiveness and the marketing mix of guesthouses in the Vaal
Region. This goal was achieved by firstly exploring the application of marketing
and marketing effectiveness in the tourism industry through a literature study.
Based on the literature study a questionnaire was developed and a survey
conducted to analyse the marketing mix as well as marketing effectiveness of
guesthouses and the relationship between these two as possible factors
influencing both.
Marketing is a very important management function in any business. It is a
process focused on matching the right customer with a certain product or
service in order to satisfy their wants and needs. Marketing can create a
competitive advantage for organisations which influences the success and longterm
profitability of the organisation. The marketing approach for small
organisations differs from that of larger organisations due to limited resources,
lack of specialist expertise and a limited impact in the marketplace. Smaller
organisations such as guesthouses seem to handle marketing in a more
informal and unstructured manner and thereby underestimating the value and
role of marketing. Marketing is directly influenced by the application of the four
Ps, namely product, price, place and promotion. The planning and application of
the four Ps, however, contributes to successful marketing. The question is
whether guesthouse owners realise this.
Research was undertaken at the guesthouses in the Vaal Region to determine
the relationship between the marketing mix and marketing effectiveness through
the eyes of the consumer, since they need to react to the marketing material. A
total of 500 questionnaires were distributed of which 451 were completed by the
visitors.
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Firstly, the data was used to compile tables and graphs to interpret the
descriptive data: demographic profile of respondents, travel preferences of
respondents, a descriptive view of the marketing mix elements and the
effectiveness of marketing for guesthouses.
Secondly, by means of a factor analyses, the marketing mix elements were
grouped according to price, place, product, promotion (advertising) and
promotion (contact), and the marketing effectiveness elements were grouped
according to quantity control and quality control. Product was found to be the
most important element of the marketing mix and quality control was found to be
the most important element of marketing effectiveness.
Thirdly, no significant differences were found on the marketing mix elements and
the marketing effectiveness factors and gender and marital status. The
spearman rank order correlations revealed that older people consider product as
a marketing mix element to be less important. Frequent travellers consider
promotion (advertising), promotion (contact) and quality control to be less
important.
Lastly, definite correlations were found between the marketing mix elements and
the marketing effectiveness factors. This implies that even smaller guesthouses
should implement the marketing mix elements which can assist in improving the
marketing effectiveness of the guesthouse. Guesthouses will yield better results
when implementing the marketing mix effectively. This study contributes to the
information that already exists concerning the marketing mix and marketing
effectiveness but more in terms of the relationship between the two.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:vut/oai:digiresearch.vut.ac.za:10352/500 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Munyai, K. C. |
| Contributors | Slabbert, E., Prof., Sumbana, H. F. |
| Publisher | Vaal University of Technology |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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