Marketing Strategies for Boutique Hotels: The Case of Istanbul

With the advent of the internet, the rapid development of highly sophisticated information and communication technology (ICT) has had a paramount impact on both consumers and tourism enterprises in the 21st century. The fiercely competitive environment of the global tourism market has inevitably encouraged hotel operators to invest more in the latest information technologies (ITs), to give prospective tourists access to lodging information, vacation experiences, and comments about the destinations shared on Social Media (SM) or websites. As a result, hotels, and particularly Boutique Hotel (BH) operators need to closely follow rising tourism trends and harness the newest communication technologies. According to recent research, new tourist profiling shows a preference for small and medium scaled “BH” having a differentiating quality such as in its architectural design, decoration, furnishings, or quality of service. In our study, we will be primarily focusing on the effective marketing strategies that should be considered by BHs, and endeavor to put forth a coherent model for BH owners. Finally, we will perform an elaborate SWOT analysis about the marketing strategies of BHs operating in Istanbul, from which to draw some key recommendations.