| dc.description.abstract | The hotel industry in Kenya, as well as across Africa, is fiercely competitive and plays a crucial role in bolstering the nation's economy. It serves as a vital source of foreign exchange, employment opportunities, and revenue. Nevertheless, the advent of the global Covid-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on the hotel industry, not only in Kenya but worldwide. The imposition of travel restrictions, the need for social distancing, and a substantial decrease in visitor numbers have severely impacted their operations. With the widespread roll-out of mass vaccinations, hotels and the broader tourism sector are now able to reopen. However, their performance during this reopening phase is hampered by a slow recovery in the sector. This is due to persistent travel restrictions in some countries, a sluggish containment of the virus, reduced traveler confidence, and a challenging economic climate. For Kenya's classified hotels that rely heavily on international travelers, the current reopening conditions appear unpromising and could potentially undermine their competitiveness unless they undertake assertive marketing campaigns. This study sought to investigate the marketing strategies employed by star-rated hotels and their impact on their post-pandemic reopening performance in Kenya. The study had the following objectives: to assess the influence of technology-enabled service differentiation strategies on the reopening performance of the hotel industry in Kenya in the post-pandemic context, to examine the impact of product innovation strategies on the reopening performance of the hotel industry in Kenya in the post-pandemic context, to evaluate the influence of market diversification strategies on the reopening performance of the hotel industry in Kenya in the post-pandemic context and to analyze the effectiveness of market growth strategies on the reopening performance of the hotel industry in Kenya in the post-pandemic context. The research drew guidance from the Marketing Mix Theory, Ansoff Growth Matrix Model, and Service Marketing Theory. It employed a cross-sectional survey research design, targeting 47 hotels, lodges, camps, and guest houses in the South Rift Circuit, encompassing Nakuru and Narok counties, using a census approach. Data was gathered through questionnaires administered to the marketing managers of these hospitality establishments. Qualitative data was analyzed through thematic and content analysis using Nvivo, while quantitative data was coded and subjected to analysis through SPSS computer software version 24.0, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that Market Growth, Product Innovation, Technology Strategy, and Market Diversification all had a significant impact on the post-endemic opening public presentation of star hotels in the Circuit of Southern Rift, Kenya, supported by beta values of 0.807, 0.286, 0.365, and 0.318, respectively. In light of these findings, the study recommends that hotels should prioritize continuous staff training in technology applications, provide tailored services to both individual and group clients, diversify their markets to tap into more potential local and international markets, and emphasize market growth strategies. Additionally, introducing flexible pricing options for clients would facilitate convenient service bookings. | en_US |
