The Impact of Technology on Romanian Guesthouses

• Author: Boscor D. - Baltescu C.A.
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov - Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 43-48

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşo v

Series V: Economic Sciences • Vol. 11 (60) No. 2 – 2018

THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON ROMANIAN

GUESTHOUSES

D. BOŞCOR1 C.A. BĂLTESCU2

Abstract: The Romanian guesthouses are striving to remain competitive in

a market where the skilled labour is scarce and the salaries are continuously

increasing. There is a strong competition from hotels and from a high

number of private owners who rent their flats and create a big parallel

tourism market. In this respect, they have to reduce costs by investing in new

technologies. The authors used a qualitative research method based on a

focus group with managers from 8 guesthouses from Brașov, Romania, to

determine if these businesses are willing to invest in new technologies, and

the advantages and disadvantages of such investments.

Key words: technology applications, lodging units, guesthouses.

1. Introduction

Technology has changed the way to deal with customers, to overcome risks and to run

a business. Technology helps customers to find accommodation, to compare prices, to

share their experiences and to offer their feedbacks and reviews. As a consequence,

lodging units have an increased online presence and are also involved in social media

marketing.

The technological applications are more and more sophisticated, offering not only

means to access lodging services, to interact with the staff and management teams and

other clients, but, at the same time, a better and luxurious lodging experience. As

previous studies have highlighted, technology identity, technology affection, technology

dependence and technology social bonding play important roles in increasing

perceptions of confidence in the smart technology pro vided by a lodging unit and

influence perceptions of experiential satisfaction towards these units (Kang, et al., 2017;

Roy, Ponnam and Mandal, 2017, Wu and Cheng, 2018).

Technological applications are important pillars for innovation and augmented control

in business. Their use also allows gathering tremendous amounts of data, one of the

most valuable assets in the hospitality industry (Buha lis and Leung, 2018).

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, dana.boscor@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania University of Braşov, codruta.baltescu@unitbv.ro