Browsing by Author "Mwaisumbe, Samwel"

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    Assessment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Usage in Promoting Tourism Sector in Tanzania; a Case Study of Hotels
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2009) Mwaisumbe, Samwel
    The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between ICT usage in promoting hotel business and the increase of guest inflows into hotels which results in to promoting tourism sector in Tanzania. The study has focused on the importance of ICT usage in performing promotion activities when promoting hotels business that result in to increasing guest inflows. The importance of ICT usage should be regarded as a potential factor for any business development and it is because many people in Tanzania do not participate fully in this technology world which bring about inefficiencies and less productive business venture. Only field data that were obtained through structured questionnaires which used to interview 80 respondents from different 20 hotels residing in Dar es Salaam and Tanga were used in the analysis with the help of SPSS. The major findings show that hotels apply ICTs in performing promotion activities, which includes advertisements, sales promotion, personal selling and publicity. The findings have indicated that all of the above factors are direct related with the increase of guest inflows in to hotels. It has also been observed that there other factors that could not been focused by this study which influences guest inflows in to hotels apart from applying ICTs in promotion because the findings has indicated that ICT applications in to promotion activities has only influenced about 70% of guest who visit hotels. The results of this study have the following policy implications to the government, public and tourism practitioners. It is important to reduce ICT running costs that are associated with acquiring and maintaining ICT tools and facilities so as to enable many hotels especially those in lower grades to be able to apply these facilities. Operating cost associated with TV air time, internet, telecommunications etc. are mostly not affordable. Furthermore, ICT training of staff should be implemented in the hospitality sector so as to enable many staff apply ICTs in all process of their business. The Government should assist in designing an infrastructure that can connect all different players in the hospitality industry by using internet facilities and other computerized systems.