Social Media Marketing Avenues and Performance of Tour Guide Firms in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

The study focused on assessment of social media marketing avenues toward the performance of tour guide firms in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania. The study was guided by four objectives which were; to determine the extent to which tour guide firms have integrated the social media in their marketing efforts, to examine the effect of social media on the ability of the firm to diversify its markets, to examine how social media has enabled tour guide firms to increase sales, and to identify challenges faced by tourism firms on using social media to improve their performance. The sample size of the study was 80 respondents from tour guide firms in Moshi Municipality, Tanzania. The collection of data was done through the employment questionnaire and documentary review. The study found that tour operators’ presence on Facebook, advertising on Facebook, uploading content, information trade show, and marketing budget spent on Facebook were successful predictors to increase of sales and social media training influence performance of tour guide firms in Moshi Municipality. The use of descriptive statistics showed to what extent tour operator firms have integrated the social media in their marketing effort. The use of multiple response, descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis showed the relationship between independent variable and dependent variables, the analysis revealed the effect of social media on the ability of the firm to diversify its markets. The study concluded that, the greatest challenge faced by Tanzania tour operators in using Facebook, as a marketing tool is an industry wide lack of understanding of Facebook for business. It is hereby recommended that Moshi tour guide firms should invest time, finances and human resources to the social media training and continual management of their Facebook pages.