EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER ON HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM GROWTH IN THE ONDO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study explored the effects of Instagram and twitter on hospitality and tourism growth in Ondo state, Nigeria. This study specifically examines the effects of Instagram’s features on hotel advertising and the effect of Twitter electronic platform handle promotion influence on tourists’ decisions to visit a site. This study acknowledged that the hospitality and tourism industries in Nigeria have not fully adopted the use of Instagram and Twitter as platforms for their business success. The study employed the survey research method to collect primary data by administering a questionnaire. Secondary data were collected from textbooks, journal articles, and online papers. The study population comprised 60 frontline staff members from selected hotels and tourism centers in Ondo State. Data from the questionnaires were collected and organized using frequency tables and simple percentages. A simple percentage was used to analyze the opinions of respondents on specific questions. The theories adopted for this study are; New media theory and Social Exchange Theory. The study revealed that the most used and preferred social media platforms in the hospitality and tourism industry are Instagram, and Twitter platforms. Based on the findings, it was recommended that qualified human cadres are required to effectively utilize social media platforms to strengthen the relationship between tourism sites and visitors in the hospitality industry. The study concludes that although people have different perceptions toward online services, Instagram and Twitter have been acting so fantastically even in today’s hospitality and tourism industry