Chapter 6: Digital marketing tools for finding accommodations: A case study in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico

Digital marketing in the hotel industry is an important tool for promoting services nationally and internationally. Through digital evolution, organizations have found a competitive advantage to remain operational and thus continue generating significant benefits for society. The purpose of this study was to identify the digital marketing tools used by tourists to search for accommodation in Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, in 2024. A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional approach was used, conducting 385 surveys with tourists who used digital media to make their reservations. The results indicated that 48% of tourists used search engines, 27% social media, and 25% specialized websites to book accommodations. The majority were young people aged 18 to 24 (33%), young adults aged 25 to 39 (48%), and people between 40 and 59 (15%). Tourists over 60 years of age accounted for only 4%. This study suggests the interaction and implementation of social media and websites to generate greater communication, as well as advertising for hotels in the city of Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico. In addition, employee training on digital marketing topics for content generation and website and social media monitoring is also needed.