The Marketing Role of the Internet in Launching a Hotel: The Case of Hotel ICON

Hotel ICON was launched in Hong Kong during April 2011, and it was ranked No. 1 on TripAdvisor.com by November 2011. One of the hotel's success factors was the creative use of Internet marketing in its launch, which included developing its website as a sales and marketing tool, working closely with online travel agents, search engine marketing, the selective use of banner advertising, and experimenting with social media. This case study describes how Hotel ICON bypassed traditional media to make extensive use of the Internet, illustrates the important role that Internet marketing can play in launching a hotel, and explores how the Internet can be better exploited in hotel marketing.