Speaker
Description
Gobin, G. E.
Federal University Wukari
gonap@fuwukari.edu.ng
Track: Digital Transformation in Higher Education
The hospitality and tourism industry has undergone unprecedented digital transformation in the post-COVID-19 era, with digital marketing strategies and social media platforms becoming indispensable tools for enhancing destination competitiveness, customer engagement, and sustainable tourism development. This paper examines the influence of digital marketing strategies and social media on global transformation in hospitality and tourism development through a qualitative conceptual desk research methodology. Drawing on recent empirical studies published between 2022 and 2025, the paper explores how social media marketing, influencer marketing, artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, customer-generated content, search engine optimization (SEO), mobile marketing, and digital customer relationship management contribute to tourism growth and hospitality competitiveness. The study synthesizes current literature from reputable journals and international organizations to provide a comprehensive understanding of emerging digital marketing practices. Findings indicate that digital marketing significantly enhances destination branding, customer experience, business resilience, international visibility, and sustainable tourism development. Moreover, social media platforms facilitate real-time communication, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), customer engagement, and co-creation of tourism experiences, thereby influencing travelers' decision-making processes. The study concludes that effective adoption of digital marketing strategies has become a strategic necessity rather than a competitive advantage for hospitality and tourism organizations worldwide. The paper recommends increased investment in digital infrastructure, digital literacy, AI-powered marketing, ethical data management, and public-private partnerships to promote sustainable global tourism transformation.
Keywords: Digital marketing, Social media, Hospitality industry, Digital transformation, Sustainable tourism, Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM).