Lyceum of The Philippines University –

Batangas Graduate School

Doctor In International Hospitality And Tourism Management

PhD IHTM 905- Advanced Entrepreneurial Management in Hospitality and

Tourism Industry

REPORT ON

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN TOURISM

MARKETING, LOYALTY PROGRAMS, AND ASSET MANAGEMENT

MECHILLE E. LUGO
PhD IHTM Student

March 2, 2024

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What is E-Marketing?
E-Marketing is the process of doing marketing activities using various forms of electronic
media, primarily the Internet. E-Marketing stands for Electronic Marketing. Online marketing,
internet marketing, digital marketing, etc. are interchangeably used and hence considered
synonymous.
E-marketing includes all the activities done by a business organization to promote and
sell goods & services through the means of the Internet. It helps to reach the target customers
easily – persuade them regardless of any area. It comprises various technologies to help
businesses to connect with existing as well as potential customers.
Online advertising, banner ads, and Facebook advertising are some examples of e-
marketing. In this modern age, most of the activities are done through online channels. Buying
and selling various goods and services by using various sites such as Amazon, and Alibaba, with
the help of smartphones, laptops, computers, and tablets. And these activities are increasing day
by day as information technology advances.
As of 2021, 4.66 billion (59.5%), people are actively using the Internet, which is a great
chance for marketers to choose the right channel to drive the targeted customers. The
development of the field of information technology has revolutionized every aspect of marketing.
Irrespective of the size and nature of the business, information technology is a valuable addition
to traditional marketing. In this part of the world, either both businesses are small and big have
their website, and are actively engaged in the transactional aspect of e-marketing.
It has increased the ability of companies to conduct their business faster, more accurately,
and at a reduced cost, over a wider range of time and space with customized & personalized
customer offerings via websites. It has created an intranet facility for employees to communicate
with one another and to facilitate downloading & uploading information. Companies have also
set up extranets with major suppliers and distributors to facilitate information exchange, order,
transaction, and payment.
Features of E-Marketing Some salient features of e-marketing are,

 E-marketing provides firms with the opportunity for global marketing. It is less
expensive compared to other traditional means of marketing.
 It enables buying and selling of products from anywhere making the whole process of
marketing easier.
 It allows the marketer to reach its targeted customers in a broad range of ways. Buyers
are flooded with choices of products, services, and their sellers.
 It provides a vast array of information to both the buyer and seller.
 It is interactive, both in terms of eliciting a response and providing an instant response.
This is a unique quality in today’s competitive market.
Types of E-Marketing
When we talk about types of e-marketing there are different means which aid in successful
marketing activities through the Internet, some of them are,
1. Social Media Marketing
Social media has become an incredible tool for exploring and learning about our world. It’s
also a valuable platform for savvy marketers to promote their company’s products and
services to a wide audience.
Popular social media channels like Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter,
Pinterest, and LinkedIn offer unique opportunities to share your ideas. Social media

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marketing is a creative way of reaching potential customers, engaging with them, and raising
awareness about what you have to offer.
By utilizing these platforms effectively, businesses can connect with their target audience
and boost their online presence.
2. Email Marketing
Email marketing is a powerful strategy for reaching out to customers directly through their
email inboxes. By creating a list of your customers’ email addresses, you can send them
personalized messages to inform them about your products, services, special discounts, new
offerings, and other valuable updates. This direct approach allows you to establish a direct
line of communication and build a relationship with your audience, increasing the chances of
converting them into loyal customers.
3. Blogging
Blogging is a fantastic method to express your thoughts, passions, and offerings on the
internet. It provides an effective platform to communicate your message compellingly. By
writing engaging articles about your products and their benefits, you can attract readers
who are interested in what you have to offer. This increased engagement can ultimately lead
to sales as readers become more informed and excited about your offerings. Blogging allows
you to connect with your audience, establish credibility, and generate interest in your
products or services.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a mutually beneficial process where individuals promote products and
services through online platforms and earn a commission on sales made through their
unique affiliate link. By partnering with companies, affiliates can earn income while helping
to promote products and services to their audience.
This approach creates a win-win situation for all involved parties, as the company gains
increased exposure and sales, the affiliate earns commissions, and the consumer discovers
new products and services. Affiliate marketing is a popular and effective method for
generating income online.
5. Video Marketing
Video always performs greater than word of mouth and pictures. It helps you to catch the
attention of the right customers while promoting your product and services. You can edit
videos online for your product videos with an online editing tool that comes with pre-made
templates and shows all the product details and services to the customers. There is a saying
“One picture is worth a thousand words and One video is worth a thousand pictures”.
6. Webinars
Webinars offer a valuable means of uniting company members and stakeholders, regardless
of geographical distances. They enable online meetings and presentations using various
software options like Zoom, Livestorm, Demio, WebinarJam, WebinarNinja,
GoToWebinar, and more. With webinars, participants can connect and collaborate
seamlessly, fostering effective communication and knowledge-sharing within the company.
These virtual gatherings provide a convenient platform for engaging with colleagues,
clients, and partners, irrespective of their physical locations.

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Advantages of E-Marketing
E-marketing can benefit individuals and businesses in the following ways.
1. Selling Goods and Services Online
E-marketing allows businesses to reach a global audience and sell their products or services
online, expanding their customer base beyond physical limitations.
2. Additional Customer Service
Through e-marketing, businesses can provide round-the-clock customer support, answering
queries and resolving issues promptly, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Saving Overhead Costs
Online marketing eliminates the need for maintaining physical stores or extensive infrastructure,
resulting in cost savings on rent, utilities, and other operational expenses.
4. Exciting and Sizzling Means of Visual Impact
With visually appealing content such as videos, graphics, and interactive elements, e-marketing
captivates and engages the audience, leaving a memorable impression.
5. Every Hit Could Gain a Potential Customer
Each interaction or click has the potential to convert a visitor into a customer, leading to
increased sales and revenue for businesses.
6. Lower Print and Mailing Costs
It significantly reduces the need for traditional print advertising and direct mail campaigns,
saving on printing, paper, and postage costs.
7. Reduction in Order Processing and Handling Costs
Online transactions streamline the order processing system, minimizing manual intervention,
paperwork, and associated expenses.
8. Enhanced After-Sales Service
E-marketing allows businesses to stay connected with customers even after the purchase,
providing post-sales support, recommendations, and personalized offers, fostering long-term
customer relationships.
9. Distribution of Digital Products Via the Web
E-marketing enables businesses to deliver digital products such as software, e-books, music, or
online courses directly to customers, eliminating the need for physical distribution and reducing
costs.
10. Get Closer to the Customer
E-marketing facilitates direct communication with customers, enabling businesses to gather
feedback, understand preferences, and tailor their offerings to meet customer needs effectively,
ultimately building stronger relationships.

Disadvantages of E-Marketing
Although e-marketing has its share of advantages, there are a few limitations too. Some of the
major limitations of e-marketing are listed as follows:
1. Inability to Physically Experience the Product
One drawback of e-marketing is that customers cannot physically touch, feel, or try the
product before making a purchase. This lack of direct interaction may make it challenging
for customers to assess the quality, texture, or other sensory aspects of the product,
potentially leading to hesitations in the buying process.
2. Absence of Personal Touch in the Exchange
E-marketing often lacks the personal touch and human factor that traditional face-to-face
interactions offer. Without direct interaction with salespeople or staff, customers may miss
out on personalized guidance, recommendations, and emotional connection that can
influence purchasing decisions.
3. Limited Access to Technology and the Internet in Developing Countries
E-marketing heavily relies on technology and high-speed internet access, which may be
scarce or unreliable in some developing countries. This limitation can complicate the process,
making it difficult for businesses to reach and engage potential customers in those regions,
thus affecting market penetration.
4. Potential for Scams and Fraudulent Activities
The online environment is susceptible to scams and fraudulent practices. Customers may
encounter fake websites, misleading advertisements, or online sellers who disappear after

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 receiving payment. This inherent risk of scams and lack of trust can create skepticism among
customers, making them hesitant to engage in e-marketing transactions.

Keys to creating a successful tourism product

Within the competitive tourism sector, innovation, and the offer of products to propose stands
out as one of the real competitive advantages and differential elements to navigate with
strength in this tough market.

The tourism product becomes an important resource to work to attract a different audience
and diversify the philosophy and brand of our travel agency.

But… How do you create a successful tourism product? Let’s highlight the keys that will help
you develop an optimal tourism product. Let’s start at the beginning…

What is a tourism product?

The tourism product is defined as the total set of functionally interdependent tangible and
intangible elements that allow the tourist to meet their needs and expectations.

From a marketing point of view, the tourism product is a resource that fulfills two very
different tasks:

 Each tourism product meets a need of its consumer through the benefits it
incorporates.
 Tourism products are the means to achieve sales targets. The design of the tourism
product itself is the claim to increase conversions.

Also, it is necessary to point out the importance of knowing the type of customer we want to
attract and whether we can offer a product that meets the unique expectations of the selected
niche of customers. It is equally important when designing a tourism product to consider the
special travel agency regime to know the fiscal responsibilities and also how each transaction
should be accounted for.

Also, our travel agency must have a brand culture and philosophy that must be in line with
the tourism products to design and sell.

BASIC FUNCTIONS OF A TOURISM PRODUCT

Given that meeting the needs and expectations of the client is a key factor in creating a tourism
product, we must look to the functions that this tourism product must perform.

It is, therefore, possible to list 6 priority functions to be resolved to outline our tourism
product project:

 Allows the tourist to participate in the main activity of the trip.

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  Besides being a part of the main activity, it facilitates to live the total experience of
the trip as the tourist wants.
 It facilitates transport to and from the destination, as well as within the destination
itself.
 Enhance the social interaction of the tourist during the trip.
 Helps and simplifies travel preparation and management.
 It makes it easier for the tourist to remember and revive the trip, to share that trip
and experience with other people.

Note: The main activity can be defined as the objective to be carried out with this tourist
package: ecological tourism, cultural tourism, etc…

Through these functionalities, it is already possible to have a basic outline of what our tourism
product should contain.

KEYS TO DESIGNING A TOURISM PRODUCT

Keeping the tourist as the main axis of the tourism product, we will start with those keys
related to the needs that urge a person to make a tourist trip.

1. Means and conditions for participating in the main activity of the trip

Everything related to what is offered to the tourist to enjoy what he wants for the trip.

Elements in the trip’s destination and the trip’s transportation, for example, luxury cruises,
boats, or trains.

Natural, cultural conditions, people, socio-economic conditions of destination, events, facilities,

equipment, goods, and services related to the main activity also come into play in this category.

2. Qualitative aspects to involve the tourist in the main activity

At this point, all those aspects that help establish how the tourist is to engage and interact in
the journey are defined.

The issues can be very different:

 Family trip or exotic destination

 Greater or less distance from the place of residence to the destination.
 Luxurious or traditional atmosphere, etc…

On the other hand, also, everything linked to all the comforts a tourist needs to visit a
destination and consume its “attractions” must be covered.

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 3. Modes and other transport components

Clear and detailed definition of all transport systems enabling the transition from a place of
residence to destination and vice versa, as well as within destination.

4. Elements for social interaction and tourist comfort

Everything related, and that allows the tourist to engage in leisure activities, communicate
with others, socialize or simply keep informed and perform routine activities.

In this category, we can include accommodation, points of sale and/or shops selling food, public
baths (outside accommodation), all kinds of services (communication, internet, etc…) sports
and leisure facilities, cultural events, etc.…

These details are a priority and important as they strengthen the comfort and decision-
making capacity of the client.

5. Preparation of the management and execution of the trip

In this section, all those aspects that facilitate and give transparency to everything related to
the management of the trip come into the scene.

Everything here is important: All tourist information media such as travel guides, maps,
national tourist organizations, travel-related websites, services provided by tour operators,
travel agencies, companions, translators, certified travel guides vaccines, solar protection,
medicine, and health services; passports, visas, travel insurance; credit cards and other financial
services… up to the number of packages or suitcases to carry.

6. Practical details on participation in the main activity of the trip

The customer must leave nothing to the imagination, it must be all well presented.

Here, questions such as sale or rental of sports equipment, sports lessons, wine tasting, etc…

These are aspects that help the tourist in understanding the tourism product and in the
benefits/experiences that he will draw from it.

7. Remember and relive your experiences

A tourism product must be a unique and remembered experience by the customer, to satisfy his
wishes and leave a good note in our brand of a travel agency.

Thus, to stimulate sentimental or emotional value, it is interesting the idea of offering

memories and gifts, usually with sentimental and symbolic values for tourists, is a point that
adds value.

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They allow tourists to remember and relive their experiences, thus prolonging the pleasure of
the trip. They are also used to share the travel experience and to strengthen ties with others.

EXAMPLES OF TOURISM PRODUCTS

Tourism products are designed and adapted to the needs and desires of the selected audience.
So, there are many possibilities. Here are some of the most popular tourism products:

1. Spiritual tourism

Spiritual tourism is tourism motivated by faith or for religious reasons.

What is the tourist looking for? An experience based on a sacred pilgrimage, a journey led by
faith, religion, and spiritual realization. The tourist seeks to satisfy some personal or spiritual
need through tourism.

Therefore, the design of the spiritual tourism product must focus on these two points to find
different forms and intensities of spiritual tourism motivated to a greater or lesser extent by
religious or, on the contrary, cultural needs or in the search for knowledge.

Spiritual tourism provides the visitor with activities and/or treatments intended to
develop, maintain, and improve the body, mind, and spirit. Many elements are
incorporated that involve a learning experience.

A good example is the tourism products related to the Camino de Santiago. A product that
offers everything the tourist/pilgrim wants:

 Accommodations
 Transportation
 Support vehicles
 Guides
 Monitor…

2. Wine tourism

Wine tourism or wine tourism is one of the most fashionable forms of tourism. It is the type of
tourism around the culture and professions of wine and vineyards, being related to
culinary and cultural tourism.

What is the wine tourist looking for? The main motivation is to experience wine tastings and
buy products from the region, but also identify other very important issues: Socializing,
learning about wines, entertainment, rural environment, relaxation…

The main activities are based on the visit to vineyards, wineries, wine festivals, and wine shows,
for which the tasting of grape wine and/or the experience of getting to know the wine region.

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For example, a well-known tourism product for wine lovers is that linked to the city of Haro,
designed with such important elements as:

 Hotels and other types of accommodation

 Round-trip transportation from the winery to the lodging location
 Visit wineries, wine libraries, restaurants.
 Activities are related to wine tasting, marriage… where the capacity to socialize and
share experiences is encouraged.

3. Ecotourism

Ecotourism has grown in parallel with increasing society’s awareness of environmental

protection.

Ecotourism is a type of tourism responsible for natural areas with special care in
conserving the environment, sustaining the well-being of the local population, and
involving knowledge and education.

What is the ecotourism tourist looking for? They are people with a great awareness of the
environment, eager to know and be part of experiences that help the environment and others.

A good tourism product based on ecotourism should offer:

 Activities that encourage cultural awareness by promoting respect for the place you
travel and the community you visit.
 It will help to create cultural awareness by promoting respect for the place you travel
and the community you visit (environmental education workshops, ecosystem
observation…)
 Activities that promote the well-being of the local community, including the economy.
Guided ecological tours with the consent and participation of residents.

Ecotourism offers experiences that have a low impact on nature by preserving resources and
protecting the environment.

A good example of ecotourism: Visit the local farmers’ fields in Chiapas, Mexico, learning how
to make cocoa and supporting the conservation of their environment through product
purchases on a guided tour.

Tour operators, travel agents, or travel agency management groups should consider these keys
when creating and selling a successful tourism product. We must not forget that the tourism
products respond effectively and attractively to the wishes, needs, and expectations of the
selected type of customer, being a resource of great value to increase our brand image and
customer loyalty.

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RELEVANT MARKETING RESEARCHES ON BUSINESS POSITIONING AND E-
MARKETING IN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Marketing plays an extremely significant role in the success of any business. In the hospitality
and tourism industry, marketing is a key tool to introduce various destinations to customers and
attract them to visit a place or stay in a particular hotel. The forms of marketing have
considerably evolved during the past decades owing to enhancements in technology (Shabani,
2019).
According to Siakalli 2017, traditional marketing mix and e-marketing mix have differences
on the tactics that products/services are promoted. These differences that appear on the use of
each of the e-marketing mix component can be attributed to the different business goals. The
marketing mix either in the traditional or online form (e-marketing mix) is a powerful tool in
designing the products of the tourism industry. Small and big players of the market should
explore further Internet potentials in order to unlock missed opportunities, innovate their
products and reach ultimate profitability.

Labanauskaitė, 2020, highlighted that tourism companies cooperate with developing

countries and their attractiveness on the international tourism market as well as with
communication of the image concept. New technologies facilitate the availability of tourism
services by offering customer-friendly services. His findings show that e-marketing tools used in
the Lithuanian tourism industry are effective, although, there are strategies that are not fully
operational or not used at all.

REFERENCES:
What is E-Marketing? Definition, Types, Advantages, & Disadvantages October 31, 2023 by
Sujan. https://tyonote.com/e-marketing/
Dr. Siakalli, M.; 2Dr. Masouras, A.; 3Dr. Papademetriou, C. (2017) E-marketing in Hospitality
Industry: Foundations and Strategies
Shabani, N., Munir, A., & Hassan, A. (2019). E-Marketing via Augmented Reality: A Case Study in the
Tourism and Hospitality Industry. IEEE Potentials, 38, 43-47.

Labanauskaitė, D., Fiore, M., & Stašys, R. (2020). Use of E-marketing tools as communication management in
the tourism industry. Tourism Management Perspectives, 34, 100652.

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