The effect Internet booking engines have on 4 star hotels in Malta

Abstract

The following study focuses on Internet booking engines (IBE's) and their effect on the 4 star hotel segment in Malta. The research was also extended to cater for the effect of the traditional travel agents on the same hotel class. This was done to better clarify the effect IBE's have on 4 star hotels by providing a basis for comparison. The study mainly focuses on the characteristic aspects of IBE's as opposed to the traditional travel agent, and attempts to understand if and why, hotels would favour working with IBE's as opposed to the travel agent. Both the positive and negative factors of IBE's have been outlined throughout the literature review, whereby the researcher aimed to achieve a basis of secondary research knowledge to argue and evaluate the primary research acquired throughout the interviews. The outcome of the study is outlined throughout the analysis, as the primary research is compared to the secondary research, to form a foundation by which one may understand the impacts IBE's have on 4 star hotels in Malta. Although many points complement each other in both the literature review and the analysis, a couple of contrasting arguments differ which may form a platform for further future research.