Analysis of changes in sales channels: Case study of city and mountain hotel in Serbia

• Main Authors: Hristov Stančić Branislava, Đorđević Aleksandar, Zečević Bojan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Srpsko udruženje za marketing 2017-01-01
• Series: Marketing (Beograd. 1991)
• Subjects: hotels; sales channels; internet; online sales channel
• Online Access: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-3471/2017/0354-34711704215H.pdf
• ISSN: 0354-3471; 2334-8364

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) has led to the revolution in the tourism industry. Hotels have felt the need to adapt to market demands, so consequently their business recorded drastic changes in recent decades. Changes in the field of sale imply modifications in terms of introduction of new and neglect of existing sales channels. New intermediaries whose work is based on the use of the Internet and advanced technology enabled the hotel to meet the increased and changed market requirements. Since that from introduction of Internet hotel sales channels suffer continuous changes, it is important to understand the extent of which hotels sale rely on traditional versus modern sales channels. In recent years, Serbian hotel market is spreading, and how its development could have multiple positive effects on the domestic economy, it is necessary to consider how progress in technology have influenced the alteration of the structure of distribution channels in the domestic hotel market. Accordingly, analysis of sales channels in the case of two local hotels in the period from 2008 to 2013 ,was carried out, so it could be determined whether and to what extent the hotels rely on modern sales channels. The analysis was conducted with the aim to detect possible changes in the structure of the channels during the five year period, to determine whether these hotels monitor market changes and increase sales through modern, ie. online channels. Since as the objects of the study were taken city and mountain resort hotel, the analysis is directed towards the possible differences in their sales channels.