Influence of online advertising of hotels on the decision to book accommodation for Y generation members

Ovim radom istražen je utjecaj online oglašavanja hotela na proces informiranja i rezervacije hotelskog smještaja generacije Y kako bi se predložio najučinkovitiji program online oglašavanja hotela. Predmet istraživanja ovog rada su pripadnici generacije Y i njihov način informiranja prilikom odabira hotelskog smještaja. Provedenim istraživanjem je utvrđeno kako na njihovu odluku o rezervaciji hotelskog smještaja uvelike utječe online oglašavanje. U istraživanju su korišteni primarni i sekundarni izvori podataka. Sekundarno istraživanje provedeno je pomoću relevantne stručne literature čijom je analizom utvrđeno kako pripadnici generacije Y većinom koriste internetske izvore prilikom prikupljanja informacija o destinaciji i smještaju te na temelju prikupljenih informacija donose odluku o rezervaciji smještaja. Primarno istraživanje je provedeno studijom slučaja odabranih hotela i pomoću dvaju standardizirana upitnika. Rezultati provedenog istraživanja potvrdili su zaključke analize recentne literature. Pripadnici generacije Y većinom koriste internet kako bi prikupili informacije o destinaciji i smještaju. Pri tome veliku ulogu imaju društvene mreže i recenzije koje su o pojedinom smještaju napisali drugi korisnici usluga. Utvrđeno je kako 72 posto ispitanika ne bi rezerviralo smještaj koji nema niti jednu pozitivnu recenziju onih koji su ga već koristili. Korišteni primjeri hotela pokazali su spremnost odgovaranja trendovima izazvanim tehnološkim napretkom i navikama pripadnika generacije Y kao najdominantnijih potrošača.This paper explored the influence of online hotel advertising on the process of information and hotel booking of the Y generation to propose the most effective online advertising program for hotels. The research subject of this paper is the Y generation and their way of informing during the selection of hotel accommodation. The conducted research established a great influence of online advertising on their decision of hotel accommodation. Primary and secondary data sources were used in the research. Secondary research was conducted using relevant literature whose analysis established that the members of the Y generation used internet resources when collecting information on destination and accommodation, and based on the collected information, decided about booking of accommodation. Primary research was conducted by the case study of selected hotels and by two standardized questionnaires. The results of the conducted research confirmed all conclusions of recent literature analysis. The members of the Y generation mostly use the internet to gather the information on destination and accommodation. Social networks and reviews of other users of services on accommodation have a significant role as well. It was established that 72 per cent of respondents would not book accommodation which did not have any positive review from those who had previously used it. The examples of the hotels showed their willingness to follow trends induced by technological advances and habits of the members of the Y generation as the most dominant consumers