Digital Marketing Strategies and Guest Booking Behavior in Hospitality: A Narrative Literature Review in the Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v65i1.1017Keywords:
Hospitality management, digital marketing strategies, narrative literature review, guest booking behavior, social proof theoryDisciplines:
Business Administration, Marketing ManagementAbstract
The hospitality industry has been reshaped by digital transformation, with hotels and resorts increasingly relying on online platforms to attract and convert guests. This narrative literature review synthesizes studies published between 2015 and 2025 to examine how digital marketing strategies influence booking behavior in the Philippine hospitality sector. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model, Stimulus-Organism-Response framework, and Social Proof Theory, the review highlights the mediating roles of visibility, ease of use, trust, and engagement. Literature was identified through searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using keywords such as digital marketing, hospitality booking, and social proof. Findings reveal that frequent, engaging, and platform-specific content enhances visibility and brand recall, while intuitive booking interfaces reduce friction. Trust, reinforced by reviews and reputation management, mitigates perceived risk, and engagement metrics act as social proof that amplifies credibility. Integrated strategies across search engines, OTAs, and social media consistently yield stronger booking outcomes, including higher direct reservations and improved loyalty. The review contributes new knowledge by situating Philippine practices within global benchmarks, identifying contradictions in mediating factors, and underscoring gaps in causal evidence. For practitioners, the study emphasizes continuous investment in visibility, usability, credibility, and authentic engagement. For scholars, it calls for longitudinal and experimental designs to explore emerging technologies such as AI-driven personalization, blockchain, and immersive VR/AR in pre-booking phases.
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References
Atienza, M. M., & Ylagan, A. (2025). Digital marketing, guest experience and behavioral intention among resorts in Calabarzon. International Journal of Research, 13(1). DOI:10.5861/ijrsm.2025.25036
Testa, M. R. (2007). A deeper look at national culture and leadership in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 26(2), 468-484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2006.11.001
Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: Science and practice (Vol. 4, pp. 51-96). Boston: Pearson education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nicole Marion M. Polines, Nora D. Mendoza, Jordan B. Ortaleza, Rey Eliseo F. Regidor
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Open Access. This article published by JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). You are free to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material). Under the following terms, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
