Marketing 4.0 for Hospitality: Building Competitive Tourism Smes in Pakistan's Digital Age

Abstract

This study investigates into Digital Marketing Capability (DMC) and its influence on the performance of tourism accommodation SMEs in emerging markets in Pakistan particularly in Karachi, Lahore, and Hunza. Recognizing that digital marketing technologies are widely available, the focus shifts from mere adoption to effective utilization to gain competitive advantage and enhance business performance. The research follows a quantitative approach using online surveys to validate theoretical models. Key findings reveal that building DMC requires an amalgamation of human, business, and technological resources, and that DMC not only impacts non-financial performance directly but also indirectly enhances it through improved branding capability. Furthermore, DMC boosts customer engagement and service innovation, which in turn reinforce brand positioning and contribute to non-financial performance. This study not only expands the understanding of DMC in the tourism sector of emerging markets but also offers practical strategies for SMEs to leverage digital marketing effectively to boost their performance.

Keywords:  Digital marketing capability, Resource-based view, Business resource, tourism SMEs’ performance, Human Resource, Digital Marketing Technology.